"KPop Demon Hunters" Hits the Classroom

The global phenomenon KPop Demon Hunters is everywhere this year — from sold-out screenings to a Grammy-nominated soundtrack — but its influence is now extending beyond screens into classrooms. For educators, parents, and students, the film can offer a surprising lens for exploring identity, empathy, and the ways we connect with others, says Kiran Bhai, Ed.M.’18, C.A.S.’19, the schools and parenting program director at Making Caring Common (MCC).

“KPop Demon Hunters isn’t just entertainment,” Bhai says. “It’s a platform for learning about ourselves and our communities and for recognizing that our struggles, though personal, are often shared and can be navigated together.”

The animated story produced by Netflix follows a K-pop girl group who secretly battles demons, weaving together themes of shame, hidden struggles, courage, and belonging. Recognizing the educational potential embedded in the film, Bhai collaborated with Cheryl Walker, an AP English teacher at the Ask Academy in New Mexico, to create free educator resources and lesson plans for grades 3–12. These lessons, grounded in MCC’s empathy and mental health-taking frameworks, are designed to help children engage with universal questions: What parts of ourselves do we hide? How do friends support one another? How do we confront internal or external “demons”?

“The movie has these deeper messages that kids might not have the language for yet,” Walker says. “We wanted to help them see those messages and enjoy the film but also connect to the meaning that makes it so powerful.” 

The resources, released in late October, have been used by more than 300 educators with many reporting renewed engagement with their students.

“Students are opening up about struggles that they're having related to their identity, and that's been really beautiful for some students and teachers,” Bhai says. “What we're hearing from educators is that students who’ve been struggling internally — whether biracial students uncomfortable with a part of themselves, students questioning their gender or sexuality, or immigrant students navigating cultural identity — are resonating with these lessons.”

Part of what makes the film so accessible is the music and lyrics that literally become the lesson. By analyzing the songs, students can uncover symbolic meanings that illuminate the characters’ inner conflicts and ethical decisions. “Students see dilemmas on screen and then start reflecting on their own lives. They’re learning empathy in action — seeing someone else’s story and recognizing its connection to their own experiences,” Bhai says.

Despite being animated, the film is resonating across all age groups. For older students, the film provides opportunities to explore the deeper meanings and symbols in the film, including themes like authenticity, self-expression, shame, pride, and trauma. “Some of the seniors I work with were surprisingly open about their experiences,” Walker says. “One student described her ‘demons’ as self-image struggles around weight. Others shared insecurities tied to identity or social pressures. It’s remarkable how quickly the film creates a space for that kind of honesty.”

For younger students in grades 3–5, the film can build upon core friendship skills, with an emphasis on supporting one another and noticing when peers are experiencing different emotions. Using MCC’s approach to empathy, students practice connecting to others’ feelings (affective), taking others’ perspectives (cognitive), and valuing their experiences (ethical). Through these lessons, children identify their own struggles, share experiences, learn about others, and practice connecting and supporting one another, laying the foundation for empathy and strong, caring relationships.

Even outside the classroom, the film offers a model for resilience and self-awareness. “At its core, it’s teaching kids and adults how to face their demons, literally and metaphorically,” Walker says. “It’s about recognizing what you hide, embracing who you are, and understanding the role of friendship and community in supporting growth.”

Walker adds, “The film doesn’t just highlight struggles, it ends with solutions. It shows how community, connection, and vulnerability are antidotes to darkness. That’s something kids of all ages can see and apply to their own lives.”