Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters are cute fiction—but who is really powering the box office and charting frenzy?

For those who are chronically online like yours truly, you would have noticed the tweets declaring the success of KPop Demon Hunters: How the fictional band Huntr/ X’s songs are charting Billboard, especially Golden.

As many have grimly noted, do you remember Frozen’s Elsa charting? No—it was always Idina Menzel. So while KPop Demon Hunters is soaring up the charts, why aren’t we hearing more about the singers and creators behind its success? The film has even become a Netflix box office hit, yet, apart from Ahn Hyo-seop—the voice of Jinu—few of the talented people involved are getting the recognition they deserve.

Time to fix that.

Arden Cho as Rumi

Rumi, our dashing purple-haired demon girl. We’re still waiting for Jinu’s comeback; we refuse to believe anything else.

Arden Cho played Rumi, and oh my, did she bring the fun and sassiness to the role.  Born in Texas to Korean parents, Cho has been slaying it across acting, singing, and modeling since 2008. You might recognize her from Teen Wolf, Partner Track, Chicago Med, or Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender. But wait—there’s more. Cho is also a competitive poker shark (she even played in the 2018 World Series of Poker) and a black belt in taekwondo. Basically, she’s ready to take on anything—on stage, on screen, or off.

May Hong as Mira

Meet Mira, the ramyeon-obsessed demon hunter you didn’t know you needed, voiced by the fierce May Hong. Raised in Queens, N.Y., Hong has walked runways for the likes of Marc Jacobs, Gucci, and Adidas, but here she’s flexing her voice acting skills.

Ji-young Yoo as Zoey

Rising star Ji-young Yoo brings the sparkle as HUNTR/X's bubbly brunette, Zoey. Before diving into the world of demon-hunting girl bands, Yoo was hitting the books at the University of Southern California. She’s also made waves in Prime Video’s Expats alongside Nicole Kidman, and recently starred in Freaky Tales and Until Dawn.

"The main thing with Zoey is she's really energetic, which is fun and very lovable, but it's really tiring," Yoo told Entertainment Weekly. "A lot of it was just me trying to get as much energy as possible stored up in my system so that I could go into the booth and give that much energy to her voice."

The singing voices

Don't mess with the HUNTR/X girls.

Each main character comes alive thanks to a combo of voice actor and the dynamic singer, and with four of the band’s tracks hitting the Billboard Hot 100, it’s clear this trio packs serious star wattage. Rumi’s soaring vocals come courtesy of EJAE, a singer, songwriter, and producer who’s rubbed creative elbows with K-pop giants like Red Velvet, Twice, Aespa, and NMIXX. She even co-wrote some of the movie’s standout tracks, including the No. 1 hit Golden and “Your Idol,” and was handpicked as Rumi’s singing voice after directors heard her demo magic.

Mira’s fierce singing skills are delivered by Audrey Nuna, the New Jersey-born singer and rapper who signed with Arista Records in 2019.

And Zoey: That bubbly, high-energy voice belongs to Rei Ami, a South Korea-born, Maryland-raised vocalist and rapper. Her single Freak with Sub Urban has racked up over 298 million views on YouTube, proving she’s just as catchy as she is charismatic.

Supporting stars who made the magic happen

There’s Ken Jeong, who plays Bobby as the HUNTR/X’s supportive manager. And, you have Ahn Hyo-seop as Jinu, of course, you would know him from Business Proposal and A Time Called You. Singer and composer Andrew Choi provides the vocals for Jinu. Choi is best known for competing on K-pop Star season two, and has produced tracks for various K-pop groups including Monsta X, EXO and SHINee.

And there are more stars: Yunjin Kim lends her voice to Celine’s dialogue, you know her as Sun from Lost, and more recently from XO, Kitty and Mistresses. But when it’s time to belt out those high notes, the legendary Lea Salonga steps in. The Broadway icon who originated Kim in Miss Saigon and voiced Disney favorites Princess Jasmine (Aladdin) and Mulan brings Celine’s singing to jaw-dropping heights.

Moreover, the movie’s writer and co-director Maggie Kang pops up for a cameo you won’t forget: a flight attendant suspiciously watering plants with coffee, until Rumi and the squad reveal her demon side. Born in Seoul and raised in Toronto from age 5, Kang’s creativity go way beyond cameos. She’s worked as a storyboard artist on hits like Puss in Boots, Kung Fu Panda 3, and Trolls, proving she’s just as clever behind the scenes as she is onscreen.

And to top it off, you have Lee Byun-hun, who voices the demon Gwi-ma. You would know him from Squid Game, Mr Sunshine, and many more K-Dramas.