K-pop Demon Hunters Director Chris Appelhans Reveals Jinwoo of Saja Boys Was Inspired by Song Joong-ki

'K-pop Demon Hunters' Chris Appelhans: "Saja Boys' Jinwoo was inspired by Song Joong-ki in 'Vincenzo'"

On the 21st broadcast of MBC every1's 'Welcome to Korea,' co-director Chris Appelhans of the globally acclaimed Netflix animation 'K-pop Demon Hunters' will appear and reveal that the character Jinwoo was modeled after Korean actor Song Joong-ki. This marks his first appearance on a Korean variety show.

Director Appelhans debuted in 2021 with the animation 'Wish Dragon.' This work was a commercial success, and interest in the director naturally surged. He received a 'blank check' from major studio Sony Pictures, allowing him to "make whatever work he wants."

The solid narrative and charming characters of 'K-pop Demon Hunters' were the result of the director's efforts and ideas. To build the characters' emotions and details, it is known that he watched and analyzed Korean dramas such as 'Boys Over Flowers,' 'Vincenzo,' and 'Crash Landing on You' countless times. In particular, he revealed that he completed the character of Jinwoo, a member of the boy group Saja Boys, by referencing the facial expressions of lead actor Song Joong-ki from 'Vincenzo.'

'K-pop Demon Hunters' tells the story of K-pop girl group Huntrix members Lumi, Mira, and Joy, who work as artists during the day and act as heroes fighting against evil spirits threatening the world at night. It won Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song at the 98th Academy Awards.