Was Korea’s first ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ sing-along successful? Hint: even the director sang.

BUSAN — “Dad! I’m going to sing louder than a pterodactyl cries!”

A little girl behind this reporter’s seat told her father just before the theater went dark. And true to her word, she did, as did her father.

The first-ever sing-along screening of Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” in South Korea took place on the evening of September 20 in Busan, as part of the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). The 700-seat venue sold out almost immediately.

The sing-along event was previously only held overseas last month, with screenings in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. The limited run sold out more than 1,300 screenings, according to Netflix.

And Korean audiences proved to be just as passionate as overseas fans were described in foreign media reports, showing how long they had waited for this moment. They reacted side by side, sharing emotions and singing their hearts out as HUNTR/X fiercely battled demons.

The Korean screening also had something special: Maggie Kang, the film’s creator, even sang for the audience during a post-screening talk session.

An hour before the screening, the Dongseo University Sohyang Theatre ShinhanCard Hall was already packed with people of all ages — from young children to adults and even older adults — ready to enjoy this special occasion.

“Rumi is my favorite character,” said 11-year-old Ha Yoon-seo, dressed as Rumi, the main singer of HUNTR/X and the film’s main protagonist. “Because she’s the main character, she sings so well, and she’s pretty. I just like everything about her.” Ha also mentioned that she had watched the film seven times before coming here.

Ha and her friend, Shin Bo-hye, 11, who wore a shirt with Derpy — the pet tiger of fictional boy band Saja Boys’ member Jinu — and styled her hair like Zoey, a member of HUNTR/X, were eager to sing along with their fellow fans.

The two girls weren’t alone in showing their love for the film with costumes. It was easy to spot fans wearing “KPop Demon Hunters” T-shirts, and others took it a little further: one girl carried Rumi’s sword; a boy wore a gat, the traditional Korean hat worn by the film’s fictional demon boy band Saja Boys; and another came dressed as Baby from the boy band, complete with a beret.

Excited cheers erupted as the venue lights dimmed at 8 p.m., signaling the beginning of the event.

Despite the fans’ excitement, it was a little quiet at first for a sing-along event — perhaps due to the language barrier, as the film was screened in English, or due to the fact that Korean audiences were not used to speaking out in a theater setting, where even the slightest noise or movement is often frowned upon.

There’s even a specific term, gwankeu, which combines the Korean word for audience with the Korean pronunciation of the English word “critical,” referring to those who disrupt other viewers’ experience.

This was evident when the first song, “How It’s Done,” started. The audience swayed their shoulders to the beat, enjoying the moment. But many seemed hesitant to sing out loud alongside strangers.

This mood started to shift as Jinu, the leader of the Saja Boys, first appeared on screen.

“Ahh~” Squeals of joy echoed through the theater as Jinu, both heartthrob and villain, was introduced, his hair slightly fluttering in the wind.

From that moment on, the audience didn’t hold back, singing along to each iconic song, including “Soda Pop.” The language barrier proved to be no obstacle as fans cheered to the catchy tunes.

Some brought their own lightsticks — commonly seen at K-pop concerts. As they waved them, the screening took on the feel of a mini concert, with fans singing along and reacting to every moment of their favorite stars.

The highlight came during the climactic battle, when HUNTR/X sings “What It Sounds Like” while fighting the demon king Gwi-ma.

Everybody sang passionately, as if cheering the heroes to victory, and applauded when they succeeded in rebuilding the Honmoon. So it turns out that the language barrier wasn’t the issue; they just needed time to break the ice.

Amid the cheers came a sudden hush when Jinu sacrificed himself for Rumi — a twist many neither expected nor wanted. Voices of grief rippled through the crowd, and multiple people cried, “No! Jinu!”

When the theater lights came on with the end credits, many kept moving to the beat and humming along to the songs.

After the screening, director Kang visited the audience for a question-and-answer (Q. and A.), marking her first-ever face-to-face meeting with Korean fans. Most of the questions came from children, who stayed in their seats even as 10 p.m. drew near. The young audience asked playful and unexpected questions that surprised even the director herself.

For example, one child asked whether a widely online-circulated kiss scene between Rumi and Jinu was real. Laughing, the director cleared up the rumor.

“The artists who worked on the film loved the film so much that they even created fan art,” Kang explained.

“Whenever they were given an assignment, they would draw fan art on top of their assignment and show me. So that kiss scene, too, actually came from the fan arts.”

Another child asked who her favorite characters are from HUNTR/X and Saja Boys. Kang answered Mira and Abby, adding that Abby resembles her husband.

The cherry-on-top moment came when a child asked Kang to sing one of her favorite songs, clearly catching her off guard. Though initially hesitant, by the end of the Q. and A., she hadn’t forgotten the request and invited the child to join her in singing “Takedown,” a song chosen by the young audience member.

The one-night event was truly for all ages, leaving a golden memory for everyone.

“Usually, GVs [guest visits] are really heavy and have a heavy atmosphere, but especially with kids having fun questions and even singing along, I think it’s a really cute atmosphere. It was really fun,” said Hojune Lee, 19, from the United States, who came with his friends.

“I liked how all the ages were present,” added Maya Calkins, 21, who was with Lee. “There were adults, there were kids, and there were middle-aged [people]. Everyone was just having fun.”

The 30th BIFF kicked off on Sept. 17 and will run until September 26, with a total of 328 films screening.

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]