Twice members feature on Netflix's animated film

Trio brings K-pop spirit to a global action musical adventure
Twice members have participated in the soundtrack for Netflix's upcoming animated film "KPop Demon Hunters."
According to Netflix's announcement, the three Twice members -- Jeongyeon, Jihyo and Chaeyoung -- lent their voices to original songs for "KPop Demon Hunters," which will be released in 190 countries June 20.
"K-Pop Demon Hunters" is an action-packed musical animation that follows globally popular K-pop superstars who secretly hunt demons offstage to protect their fans. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation — known for global hits like "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" — the film is co-directed by Korean American director Maggie Kang and Wish Dragon's Chris Appelhans.
"We're thrilled to collaborate with Jeongyeon, Jihyo and Chaeyoung of Twice. Working with them was crucial to ensuring the film and its music felt authentic to K-pop culture, and it shows that our goal of portraying a real K-pop group has been realized," Kang said.
Jeongyeon, Jihyo and Chaeyoung also expressed their excitement through their agency, saying, "It was fascinating to connect with the brave characters in the story through music. It felt even more special because it blended two creative worlds, K-pop and animation, into one."
One of the most successful K-pop girl groups, Twice recently performed as a special guest at the Seoul leg of Coldplay's "Music of the Spheres" World Tour.
Twice is set to take the stage as a headliner at Lollapalooza Chicago, a major music festival that will place at Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois, in August.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Korea Herald

8 hours ago

• Korea Herald

Korean horror films tap everyday anxieties for spine-chilling thrills

Summer's crop of domestic frights trades supernatural scares for all-too-familiar urban nightmares Summer in South Korea traditionally means one thing: audiences flocking to darkened theaters for a good scare. It's a peculiar cultural ritual where horror films offer an icy jolt to counter the sweltering heat — a shiver down the spine in place of a cool breeze. But this year's slate of Korean horror marks a departure from the genre's usual paranormal suspects. Gone are the vengeful spirits and timeworn curses that once haunted screens. Instead, filmmakers are leaning into the anxieties of modern city life, spinning terror from the everyday frustrations that haunt urban dwellers. These films suggest that in a country as densely populated and tightly packed as South Korea, the real horrors might not be otherworldly — they might just be the people around you. Leading the charge is "Noise," opening June 25. Already a buzzed-about title on last year's international festival circuit, including Sitges and Fantasia, the film zeroes in on one of Korea's most maddening urban grievances: the relentless, brain-rattling thuds from upstairs neighbors. Director Kim Soo-jin transforms this all-too-familiar nuisance into a mounting sense of claustrophobic dread, turning domestic discomfort into a full-blown horror show. In a country where more than two-thirds of the population lives in apartment complexes, inter-floor noise complaints are no laughing matter — they've sparked violent altercations, stabbings and arson attacks, some fatal. The film roots its horror in this simmering tension, following the perspective of a hearing-impaired woman (played by Lee Sun-bin) who's searching for her missing sister. Her investigation leads her into a labyrinthine high-rise where every creak, shuffle and muffled knock feels like a threat, and even silence becomes suspicious. Backing the film's psychological horror is a razor-sharp soundscape designed by the veteran audio engineer behind "The Wailing" (2016) and "Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum" (2018). From the stickiness of tape being peeled to the hair-raising scratch of nails on wallpaper, each sound is fine-tuned to shred nerves. Netflix joins the fray on July 18 with "Wall to Wall," another thriller that draws on noise-fueled paranoia. It's one of seven original Korean films the streaming juggernaut is rolling out this year — and the lone horror entry — part of its broader push into the Korean film industry at a time when local theaters are reeling from record-low attendance. Kang Ha-neul, a leading man known for his range across romance and thrillers, plays an everyman who bets everything — savings, pension, even family property — to secure a modest apartment in Seoul. But his dream home quickly devolves into a psychological minefield as neighbors turn hostile and cryptic sounds pierce the thin walls. Apart from the scares, the film promises a timely commentary on South Korea's ruthless housing market and the emotional toll of securing — and keeping — a piece of it. (Fittingly, the Korean title "84 Square Meters" refers to the standard size of a middle-class unit here.) Rounding out the lineup is "Ghost Train," which premiered at last year's Busan International Film Festival. The anthology turns Korea's ubiquitous subway system — the daily artery for millions of commuters — into a haunted maze of uncanny encounters. Despite the title, the horror here is grounded in the all-too-familiar: drunken passengers, flickering platform lights and vending machines that seem just a little too creepy. Joo Hyun-young, best known for her comedic skits on "SNL Korea," makes her feature film debut as a clout-chasing YouTuber hunting for viral horror content at a notoriously cursed station. The film opens in local theaters on July 9.

Korea Herald

11 hours ago

• Korea Herald

Macron invites ‘K-pop pioneer' Lee Soo-man to open French office, seeks stronger Korea-France creative ties

Lee delivers keynote at France Music Week as sole Asian speaker, calls for stronger protection of creators' rights in AI era President Emmanuel Macron invited Lee Soo-man — founder of SM Entertainment, who is often credited as the K-pop pioneer — to open an office in France. During a Friday meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, the French leader expressed his desire to strengthen collaboration between South Korean and French creators, signaling high-level recognition of K-pop's cultural power. Lee, who now leads A2O Entertainment in Los Angeles, was in Paris as the only Asian speaker at the 'France Music Week Summit,' held at Place de l'Opera on the same day. Macron, attending the event, extended his invitation to Lee directly and instructed French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati to follow up on practical steps for implementation. Macron greeted Lee warmly, stating he was well aware of Lee's dual identity as both a creative visionary and a successful entrepreneur. Lee was introduced as 'the man who created K-pop,' a title that resonated with the event's focus on innovation in the global music industry. The meeting went beyond symbolic cultural diplomacy. It underscored France's growing interest in fostering creative exchanges with Korea, especially at a time when intellectual property rights and AI-driven content creation are reshaping the industry. Macron's invitation is being seen as a significant gesture that may lead to a long-term cultural and economic partnership. Meanwhile, Lee delivered a speech at the summit, where over 100 top executives from the global music business gathered to discuss pressing challenges in the industry. His remarks focused on the evolving role of fans, who he described as no longer 'consumers,' but 'prosumers' — fans who reinterpret, remake and even co-create content. 'I imagine a world where fans are part of the creative process, where they are rewarded economically for their participation,' Lee said. 'In the age of generative AI, we must protect the rights of not only original creators but also the emerging roles of re-creators and prosumers.' He also drew attention from industry insiders by explaining 'Culture Technology' — the system he pioneered to build K-pop into a global cultural force. Throughout the summit, panelists cited K-pop's structure and success as a case study in innovation. Lee emphasized that in the AI era, protecting creators' rights has become more urgent than ever. His stance on safeguarding creative ownership resonated strongly with the summit's broader themes. Other participants at the summit included Robert Kyncl, CEO of Warner Music Group; Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music at YouTube; and Olivier Nusse, CEO of Universal Music France.

Korea Herald

a day ago

• Korea Herald

[Exclusive] BTS to come back in March: Hybe source

Group to return with labelmate Tomorrow X Together in mid-March, according to another source Big Hit Music says comeback schedule for boy group has yet to be finalized BTS is set to make its long-awaited full-group comeback in March next year, multiple industry sources confirmed to The Korea Herald. With all seven members completing their mandatory 18-month military service by this weekend — Suga is scheduled for discharge on Saturday — speculation has been mounting among fans and the wider K-pop industry over when the group would reunite and resume full-scale activities. 'BTS' comeback date is set for March next year,' a Hybe official confirmed through The Korea Herald's source recently. Two additional sources based overseas also said the biggest K-pop act in history is preparing to return as a full group early next year. 'While the exact date is unknown, I think it will be mid-March. I heard BTS is returning in the same month as their brother group Tomorrow X Together,' one source told The Korea Herald. 'It could be BTS first, then TXT — or the other way around.' Another source said that Enhypen, a boy group under Belift Lab, had initially planned its comeback for March, but moved it to January to avoid overlapping with BTS' return. Belift Lab is a Hybe subsidiary under its multilabel system along with Big Hit Music, which manages BTS. Big Hit said no confirmation has been made on the group's comeback schedule. While March may seem distant, Hybe CEO Lee Jae-sang previously signaled a longer timeline during the company's shareholder meeting in March this year. He stated that the BTS members would need time for preparation and creative work after their military discharge. 'We're preparing alongside top-tier producers, but the artists also need time to reflect and prepare,' Lee said. Meanwhile, Jin is scheduled to kick off his solo fan concert tour 'Runseokjin_EP.Tour' starting June 28-29 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. The tour will take him to nine cities, including Chiba and Osaka in Japan, Anaheim, Dallas, Tampa and Newark in the US, as well as London and Amsterdam, with 18 shows planned through Aug. 10 — making a BTS comeback this year unlikely. However, industry insiders see a possibility of a prerelease single or other project dropping before the group's official return. [단독] 방탄소년단, 내년 3월 완전체 컴백…하이브 관계자 '복귀 시점 정해져' 그룹 방탄소년단(BTS)이 내년 3월 완전체로 돌아올 전망이다. 하이브 소속사 관계자를 포함한 복수의 업계 관계자들이 최근 코리아헤럴드에 'BTS의 컴백 시점이 내년 3월로 정해졌다'고 전했다. 오는 토요일 슈가의 소집해제를 끝으로 멤버 전원이 18개월간의 군 복무를 마치게 되면서, BTS의 활동 재개 시점에 대한 기대감이 높아지고 있다. 해외에 기반을 둔 또 다른 관계자는 '정확한 날짜는 정해지지 않았지만 3월 중순이 될 가능성이 크다'며 '형제 그룹인 투모로우바이투게더(TXT)와 같은 시기에 돌아올 것으로 들었다. BTS가 먼저일 수도 있고, TXT가 먼저일 수도 있다'고 밝혔다. 또 다른 소식통에 따르면 하이브 산하 빌리프랩 소속 보이그룹 엔하이픈은 당초 내년 3월 컴백을 계획했으나, BTS와의 일정이 겹치는 것을 피하기 위해 컴백 시기를 1월로 앞당겼다. BTS가 소속된 빅히트뮤직 역시 하이브의 멀티 레이블 체제에 속해 있다. 이와 관련해 빅히트뮤직은 '컴백 일정은 확정된 바 없다'고 밝혔다. 3월이라는 시점이 아직 9개월여 남아 있는 만큼 다소 늦은 복귀처럼 느껴질 수 있지만, 하이브 이재상 대표는 지난 3월 주주총회에서 '멤버들이 전역 후 준비와 창작을 위한 시간이 필요하다'고 밝힌 바 있다. 이 대표는 '최상위급 프로듀서들과 함께 준비하고 있지만, 아티스트들도 자신을 돌아보고 정비하는 시간이 필요하다'고 전했다. 한편, 맏형 진은 오는 6월 28~29일 경기도 고양에서 솔로 팬 콘서트 투어 'Runseokjin_EP.Tour'의 포문을 연다. 이번 투어는 일본 지바·오사카, 미국 애너하임·댈러스·탬파·뉴어크, 영국 런던, 네덜란드 암스테르담 등 9개 도시에서 총 18회에 걸쳐 8월 10일까지 이어진다. 이에 따라 연내 완전체 컴백 가능성은 낮은 상황이다.