Blackpink’s “Jump” MV and K‑POP: Demon Hunters Turn City into a Pop Culture Playground
SEOUL — Seoul’s skyline is no longer just a backdrop for fiction—it’s becoming a popular destination for fans of animated K-pop heroines and the world’s most-followed girl group, as two cultural powerhouses reshape the global image of the South Korean capital.
The buzz grew stronger when Sony Pictures Animation’s K‑POP: Demon Hunters launched globally on Netflix on June 20, 2025, blending fantasy, Korean folklore, and pulsating pop into a visually explosive adventure. Co-directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, the film follows a fictional girl group who moonlight as demon slayers, battling supernatural threats in a stylized version of Seoul.
The city itself plays a central role in the film, with digital recreations of real-life landmarks like Naksan Park, Seoul Olympic Stadium, and COEX K-POP Square reimagined through the lens of folklore. The inclusion of tiger-and-magpie motifs, hanok rooftops, and the fluorescent buzz of night markets grounds the animated narrative in a cultural and visual authenticity that Korean audiences quickly recognized as “spot-on.” The film soared to 26.3 million views in its peak week, becoming Netflix’s most-watched animated feature of 2025 to date (Netflix Top 10).
Just weeks later, Blackpink— global icons—fueled that momentum with the release of their long-anticipated comeback single, “Jump.” Teased on July 7, the video opens with each member commanding her own towering digital billboard across a glimmering Seoul skyline before launching into a rooftop dance break. The final video, directed by Dave Meyers and released July 11, exploded across social platforms, garnering over 100 million YouTube views in just 14 days (YouTube Music Charts).
While the film celebrated Seoul through animation, Blackpink reasserted the city’s physical allure with cinematic flair. The slick visuals juxtaposed traditional alleyways and ultramodern rooftops, forming what Korean media called “a sleek aura against a defiantly local backdrop.” That balance of the futuristic and the familiar made Seoul not just a filming location, but a brand—equal parts mythical, digital, and real.
To extend the hype offline, YG Entertainment launched a limited-time citywide takeover dubbed the “Pink Area.” From July 4 to 6, Seoul’s nightscape blushed pink as Namsan Tower, Banpo Bridge, and the Sebitseom islets lit up in celebration of the group’s return. The campaign also featured water shows synchronized to “Jump” and large-scale projections of the video across downtown LED screens, turning the city itself into a stage for Blackpink’s global fanbase.
Digital fantasy and musical spectacle are inspiring physical travel. Fans are no longer content with watching; they want to walk the same alleys, visit the parks, and pose at the very rooftops that flashed across their screens.
In a further embrace of K-pop’s cultural influence, the Seoul Tourism Organization unveiled a new global campaign in collaboration with Blackpink’s Jennie, releasing the first teaser for “Seoul x Jennie: Absolutely in Seoul.” The video, featuring Jennie against iconic cityscape. The campaign teases more content to come, promising a sophisticated take on the intersection of global stardom and urban identity.
