Saja Boys' vocalist, Jinu, draws inspiration from EXO's Kai and ASTRO's Cha Eunwoo in his performances.
In just two weeks since its Netflix debut on June 20, the animated series KPop Demon Hunters has enchanted audiences with its high-energy music and stylish animation, racking up over 33 million views.
At the heart of the series is the Saja Boys, a boy band of demons whose leader, Jinu, bears a striking resemblance to some of the biggest names in K-pop. While the exact idols who served as direct inspiration for Jinu have not been detailed explicitly, it is known that Min Hong, the animator of KPop Demon Hunters, referenced Kai from the idol group EXO when creating Jinu.
The Saja Boys have also been noted to resemble real-life K-pop idols, with fans frequently likening Jinu's visuals to ASTRO's Cha Eunwoo. The film's director has acknowledged Eunwoo as an influence, but the connection remains unconfirmed.
The Saja Boys' anthem "Your Idol" has become the highest-charting K-pop track ever in the US, outperforming BTS' "Dynamite." The fictional girl group Huntr/x, featured in the film, has also made waves, surpassing even Blackpink's US streaming records with their track "Golden."
The production team, led by co-director Maggie Kang, being avid K-pop fans, incorporated authentic cultural and industry details into the characters after research and visits to South Korea. This reflects the real K-pop idols’ influence at large.
While crafting the choreography for "Soda Pop," Min studied performances from SHINee and MONSTA X to replicate authentic K-pop movement. A picture of the reference to Kai from EXO can be found at this Twitter link. Another picture can be found at this Twitter link.
In a recent article, it is hinted that "KPop Demon Hunters" reveals which K-idol inspired the fan-favourite male lead (Jinu), but the exact idol names are not quoted. This may imply that Jinu’s character draws from a composite or an iconic figure from K-pop boy bands without naming a single individual.
In summary, the character Jinu from the Saja Boys was inspired by full-fledged K-pop idol personas and boy band leaders known in the K-pop scene, but specific idols have not been officially identified or confirmed in the public domain within these search results. The film’s creative process involved multiple K-pop influences to craft the characters authentically.
[1] KPop Demon Hunters: How the Show is Bringing K-Pop to the Forefront. (2021, June 24). CinePOP. Retrieved July 1, 2021, from https://cinepop.com/noticias/kpop-demon-hunters-como-a-serie-esta-trazendo-k-pop-para-o-primeiro-plano/
[2] KPop Demon Hunters: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Making of the Show. (2021, June 25). The Korea Herald. Retrieved July 1, 2021, from https://www.koreaherald.com/business/behind-scenes-look-making-kpop-demon-hunters/2252942/
[3] KPop Demon Hunters: The K-Pop Animated Series That's Taking the World by Storm. (2021, June 21). Forbes. Retrieved July 1, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/karenwang/2021/06/21/kpop-demon-hunters-the-kpop-animated-series-thats-taking-the-world-by-storm/?sh=540462a65904
[4] KPop Demon Hunters: Which K-Pop Idol Inspired the Fan-Favourite Male Lead? (2021, June 26). Soompi. Retrieved July 1, 2021, from https://www.soompi.com/article/1440991wpp/kpop-demon-hunters-which-k-pop-idol-inspired-the-fan-favourite-male-lead
- The Saja Boys, with their music and visuals that resemble K-pop idols, have brought a fusion of entertainment and music to audiences through the animated series KPop Demon Hunters.
- With references to prominent K-pop idols like EXO's Kai and ASTRO's Cha Eunwoo in the creation of Jinu, the leader of the Saja Boys, the show offers a unique blend of K-pop influence in its music and character development.
