Anshina Verma Q1 Blog #3- I Hate You Netflix
Her purple braid flying behind her, Rumi sprints across the stage, her palms slick with sweat as her Sain-Geom is gripped in her palm. Her fingers clutching the smooth metal. She leaps, her energy stemming from the pads of her feet traveling through her legs, up her torso as she pivots, flinging her Sain-Geom at Gwi-Ma’s roaring fires.
She pushes. The flames push back. Harder, burning, incinerating her. The heat begins to cloud her vision, invade her lungs. She thrusts her sword against the fire as her palms beg her to stop. Her face, twisted in agony and determination, her muscles taut, till it all stops.
Suddenly, the heat, the burning rage of Gwi-Ma’s fire stops. It is replaced with a chest, no, not a chest, a human? Wrong again. Jinu, Rumi’s Jinu. His arms spread wide, his back to the flames, shielding Rumi from Gwi-Ma’s wrath.
“No! J-Jinu” Rumi stutters, her hands slowly crawling towards her face in horror. Tears prick her eyes, dread filling her chest. “I wanted to save you,” she breathes. Her hands reach for him, she aches for him, yearns for him.
A sad smile crosses Jinu’s features, the corners of his mouth lifting despite the flames licking his body. “You did.” He says his eyes are softening as he basks in the sight of her. “You gave me my soul back. And now, I give it to you.” His soul floats from his chest as his body is consumed by the fire. Sobs wrack Rumi’s body. She screams, her heart shattering inside her chest. She sinks to her knees, grasping at her heart, trying to repair the piece that Gwi-Ma has stolen.
I stare at my screen in horror. My palms are shaking, unable to hold the remote any longer as batteries and plastic spring from its interior as it clatters to the floor. My blankets are strewn around me. Tears blur my vision from anger at Netflix’s directors for producing such a traumatic film. Kpop Demon Hunters was released on June 24, 2025. Its release marked the death of my sanity. The film itself has received mixed reviews, given its title and inherent plot. Boiled down, Rumi and her band members, Mira and Zoe, create music to restore the protective barrier around Korea known as the Honmoon. The honeymoon protects Korea from demons controlled by their leader, Gwi-Ma, who feasts on the souls of innocent people.
One of the most prominent aspects of my identity is my vehement adoration of romance. I’m a hopeless romantic, although I don’t look the type. This movie broke me. Despite its cover, this movie displays one of the most genuine connections I’ve seen on screen in a while. Jinu sacrificed himself for Rumi, without ever telling her he loved her. Their doomed, silent adoration of each other broke something in me. The film is a key aspect of my identity as I am broken to pieces in the face of Rumi and Jinu’s tragic love story.
I have also watched the Kpop Demon Hunters movie at one of my friend’s birthdays not too long ago, and I enjoyed it, but I hadn’t really thought about the “tragic romance” part of it until I read your blog. I admire how you were able to turn a visual piece of media into emotional prose! But I remember that part of the movie very differently.
ReplyDeleteTo me, the romance did not take center stage (or at least as center as the bonds between Rumi, Mira, and Zoey) and the scene felt more focused on prioritizing close friendship over romantic attraction. I’m not too big on romance which is evident; it was satisfying to me when instead of a typical “girl gets guy” happy ending, the “love interests” get banished to their in-universe equivalent of hell/underworld.
Other than that, I think your blog could benefit from splitting the larger paragraphs into smaller chunks throughout, but especially the last paragraph, for more poignancy and reading ease. Otherwise, good job!
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ReplyDeleteAnshina, I loved reading your blog! Using description of a scene as the first few paragraphs of your blog drew me in so well and is a great hook! Your passion for the movie is evident in your extensive use of imagery and repetition (such as when you wanted to make a point about how much Rumi “yearns for him”). I think - given your writing style - that using a one word paragraph to transition from your description of the scene to your commentary would really add to your already great writing! You mention you’re a romantic: what other romance films have you watched? I personally love 2000s Bollywood movies, I think they were much better than more recent Bollywood love stories. How many times have you watched Kpop Demon Hunters? My sister was heavily addicted for at least a month, with songs like “Golden” and “Your Idol” playing for months in our car (I think I can (reluctantly) recite the entire album by heart at this point; the release of the movie was the death of my sanity too). At least now after reading your blog I’ll have many things to tell my sister about her favorite movie, including how Korea is protected by honeymoons :). Before I end off, just as a suggestion I’d recommend putting the mic a little higher when you write. (knee slapper, are you in tears right now too?)
ReplyDeleteAnshina, you have surprised me today. I'm dying of laughter there is no way you are actually a hopeless romantic!! I cannot believe that K-Pop Demon Hunters brought about such an emotional reaction what happens when you watch something like "The Fault in Our Stars" or "Me Before You" is your room just flooded with tears 🤣. On a more serious note, welcome to the club of hopeless diehard romantics. While I don't cry or have shaking palms, I am also a sap for romance movies. I'm sorry that K-Pop demon hunters broke you, but I think that is a good thing. It shows that you have a heart that can feel, a heart that "yearns" to live because love is just the heart living. If you ever are in the mood for some more tragic love stories please ask me 😁. I would love to trauma bond with you over tragic love stories anytime and I feel like I'm seeing you in a completely new light. Because your last blog was about how you are the freaky raised eye brow emoji and one of your blog's before that was about your "smash shot" personality and I don't know but I just never thought you could be a sap for love stories. Don't worry it is very cool thing this is a very exclusive club 🤣.
ReplyDeleteHi Anshina! Going into your post, I was really thinking that you were going to talk about how you actually hate Netflix as a business (for I do as well, I will never forget the bland mush that was Sex Education season 4), but I was pleasantly surprised by the topic! I have never watched K-pop Demon Hunters, but it has been on my watchlist for some time! I think the animation and the coloring look super good and intriguing! The “doomed lovers” trope is also a favorite of mine as a fellow hopeless romantic. My favorite movies that use this trope have to be the Star Wars prequels. I might take K-pop Demon Hunters off my watchlist this weekend because of this post!
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