The KPop Demon Hunters franchise appears to be expanding. A newly rated animated short film, titled Debut: A KPop Demon Hunters Story, has surfaced in official listings. According to the rating, the short is categorized as an animated subject from Sony Pictures Entertainment and carries a PG rating for “some action/violence and scary images.”
While no new details have been shared about the project’s story, the title alone hints at a narrative that could either explore the origins of the girl group Huntr/x or serve as a side story tied to the events of the film. It is not yet clear whether the short will be released through Netflix, theatrically, or as a supplemental piece tied to future franchise expansions.
The news arrives at a time when KPop Demon Hunters is continuing to dominate global pop culture. Released on Netflix on June 20, 2025, the animated musical fantasy became one of the service’s most successful titles, blending K-pop energy with urban fantasy storytelling. Directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, the film followed Huntr/x, a fictional K-pop girl group balancing their stardom with a secret life as demon hunters. Its unique visual style, heavy cultural influences, and original soundtrack turned it into a phenomenon, with the movie setting new streaming records and producing chart-topping songs.
At its peak, the film reached 266 million views, making it Netflix’s most-watched original title, while its soundtrack landed multiple tracks in the global Top 10 on both Spotify and the Billboard Hot 100. Despite this enormous success, Sony’s financial return was limited due to a 2021 fixed-fee streaming deal with Netflix, which capped payouts at 20 million dollars per title. Even so, the studio retains rights for sequels and spinoffs, and discussions with the directors about a full sequel are already underway.
The emergence of Debut: A KPop Demon Hunters Story suggests that Sony is preparing to broaden the universe sooner rather than later. Whether this short serves as a prelude to a larger sequel or as a standalone bonus feature, it emphasizes the studio’s intent to build on the momentum of one of 2025’s most unexpected cultural phenomena.
