This is some of the top films of 2025 so far
USA Today film critic Brian Truitt has revealed his top films so far for 2025.
- Ahn Hyo-Seop, known for his role in K-Dramas, voices the male lead in Netflix’s hit film Kpop Demon Hunters.
- The film’s success comes from its positive message, K-pop soundtrack and unique storyline.
- This project marks Ahn’s first English voice acting role and the biggest project ever.
Actor Ahn Hyo-Seop loved animation as a child, so being part of Netflix’s surprise blockbuster KPOP Demon Hunters was a perfect moment for him.
“I thought the story had this very special energy that I would like to be part of the entire journey,” Anne, 30, tells USA Today.
The trip was a quick ride to the top. The PG-rate animated film about the K-Pop Girl group using songs and swords to save the world hit Netflix on June 20th and surged almost immediately to the top ten streamers. In history.
For Anne, who voices male Reed Jin-woo along with female Reed Lumi (Arden Cho), the fundamental success of “kpop demon hunters” is her message.
“Everyone makes a mistake. Everyone has something they want to hide or undo,” he says. “Sometimes, the biggest obstacle is not the world, it’s us, and Jinwoo and Rumi face it. I think they actually grow together and that’s something that many people can relate to.”
Beyond the film’s message, Ahn calls K-Pop Vibe and Original Songs a major feat.
“The sound is really amazing. It was really cool to see K-Pop songs that really touched people all over the world.”
“Kpop Demon Hunters” has made Ahn Hyo-Seop milestone stand out
“Kpop Demon Hunters” is Ahn’s first animated film and still his biggest role, but not his first brush of fame. The Korean-born actor, who spent some of his youths in Canada, has built a global fanbase for 10 years as a lead actor in some of the most talked about K-dramas, including “Romantic” Season 2, “Business Proposals” and “Time Called You.”
He was drawn to “Kpop Demon Hunters,” and the script “really grabbed me,” he says, presenting a new challenge.
“To express everything in my voice alone without facial expressions or body was honestly a challenge at first. I had to try different tones and versions of Jinwoo to get there.
It was difficult to portray a character like Jinwoo, a demon who turned into a man who was troubled by his past.
“When you’re a demon, that’s not something you think about every day, right?” he says with a laugh. “I didn’t know how to approach it, but Jinuu’s backstory, his wounds, his doubts, the emotional weight he carries – I felt that he was connected naturally to him.
“KPOP Demon Hunters” also marked Ahn’s first English project.
“I hadn’t used English for a long time (after that) and I haven’t lived in Korea for about a decade,” he says. “It was pretty rusty at first, but English is a language that I actually grew up in, and I had the dream of using it one day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jtvqtk36r8
Anne is just as excited about the future of “kpop demon hunters” as her fans
Like the film’s vast fan base, Ahn is caught up in Jinwoo and Rumi’s will.
“I’ll stun them too,” he says with a laugh. “I think it’s about the pain and pain they had. I feel it’s about the company, so you can’t solve your problems on your own. You had to have someone by your side and they had the biggest connection.”
Netflix has yet to announce a sequel, but given its international and sustained success, it is likely that at least one film will be lit up in green. Just this week, Netflix announced that it will be screening “KPOP Demon Hunters” at Select US Theaters from August 23rd to 24th.
If there’s a second film, will Jinwoo and Rumi reunite?
“I mean, Jinwoo gave him his soul, so he never imagined how he would come back,” Anne says. “As someone who loves Jinwoo as a fan, I’m certainly hoping to see him come back, but that’s not up to me.”
Fans continue to show their love for Jinwoo. Ahn pointed out that in Korea people actually left flowers at Namsan Tower, where the characters died.
And no matter what happens to Jinwoo and Rumi, Anne is excited about the future of “KPOP Demon Hunters.”
“I hope this franchise continues to encourage people to embrace their shadows and flaws and still move forward. I am also a huge fan right now.
