K Pop Demon Hunters: A Shimmering Allegory of Inner Battles and Resilience

Netflix’s animated film K‑Pop Demon Hunters (released June 20, 2025) is not just another cartoon adventure for kids – far from it. Watching it out of curiosity (I’m a K-Pop music fan) I discovered a world which visually represented my own struggles with chronic illness and that of the stories of struggle, survival and compassion which I hear every day in my work as an integrative pluralistic counsellor. This blog is by no means an exhaustive list of everything I felt and noticed as I watched the film, but hopefully it will be enough to start you on your own journey of seeing how it truly is a gift that keeps on giving.

The film follows a girl‑group Huntr/x - Rumi, Mira, and Zoey - who are K-Pop megastars and demon hunters entrusted with protecting the world’s ‘Honmoon’ barrier. This mystical force protects the world from demons and darkness, so the group use their magic and the power of their voices to strengthen it, with the ultimate goal of turning it into a permanent seal and banishing darkness forever. 

During the course of the story, we find that although Rumi, the lead singer, seems just like the others, she hides a secret – she is part‑demon. When her voice begins to falter, her demon marks begin to show, and she becomes terrified the other girls will see who she truly is. A rival demon boy‑band the Saja Boys emerges and attempts to thwart the mission of Huntr/x however their lead singer Jinu conveys empathy and understanding to Rumi. Together they go on a journey towards finding their authentic selves and a path to self-compassion, despite being enemies.

Layered within this supernatural K‑pop fantasy lies an emotional atlas of internal struggle, shame, acceptance, and transformation. This is perfect resource for any counsellor of any modality, but I’ve chosen to map it to compassion‑focused therapy (CFT) which provides understanding how our inner threat, drive and soothe systems may impact our mental health. If you watch it, you will undoubtedly find your own parallels and personal meaning but for now, let me share some of my own.

Double Lives & Persona vs • hidden self

At the start of the film, we see Huntr/x perform publicly as polished idols while privately battling demonic forces. I couldn’t help but instantly draw parallels to what it feels like living with a hidden chronic illness or what my clients experience when struggling with mental health challenges including anxiety, depression, grief, getting to grips with a late Adhd or AuAdhd diagnosis, navigating neurodivergence in a neurotypical world. We present a composed exterior (sometimes!) while quietly struggling, waging private wars which no-one knows anything about.

The impact of these hidden struggles on mental health is further echoed by Rumi's strain managing not only this hybrid identity but also hiding her true self which is part demon - the exhaustion of masking invisible illness, mental health challenges or neurodivergence: showing up, performing, singing, even as energy drains and self‑criticism bites. Mental wellbeing plummets and we can get stuck – just like Rumi.

Looking through a Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) lens, we can understand the how and why of this stuckness. Our inner self-critic understandably becomes stuck in negative thought patterns assisted by mechanisms such as attachments, environment, trauma and interpretation of experiences, past and present etc, coupled with the unhelpful structure of our brain. And often, we attempt to hide and supress the thoughts, feelings and parts of ourselves which cause us pain, perpetuating the stuckness even further. Cycles of anxiety, shame, self-loathing and fear to name just a few, are free to torment and disable, keeping us firmly situated in what CFT calls our ‘threat’ system and feeding our inner critic. 

Just as Rumi hides her demon marks out of shame and fear, she is effectively suppressing a part of herself, feeding the internal critical voice that says “you’re broken and if people knew, they’d hate you too, you can’t do this, it’s hopeless”  - all things I’ve said to myself when my illness has taken it all out of me, and things I definitely know my clients have said to themselves. 

In the film, our inner critic could also be seen as similar to the head demon’s influence, which enslaves other demons through voices of shame & sorrow. The metaphor here is powerful: the more we hide our authentic selves and our pain, the more it hurts and grows; the more we accept it and show it compassion, the more light we can shine into dark places and begin to step out of our threat system into our soothe system and a place of healing.

Voice as power and vulnerability

We also learn how Rumi’s voice is her weapon but also her vulnerability. As she shifts into fullness of demon‑identity, her singing falters. In CFT terms, the voice can represent the ‘soothe system’. When her voice (soothe system) is weakened and falters due to the strain of masking, the demon identity or ‘threat system’ dominates. She is unable to fight this part of herself or keep it suppressed; however hard she tries.

This also mirrors experiences of those of us with chronic illness when our bodies falter and we can’t get them to do what we want, no matter how hard we try. Or similarly for those struggling with a mental health problem such as anxiety, depression or PTSD when the symptoms are so strong they disrupt daily living, making everything a struggle or sometimes, impossible. For some, navigating neurodivergence may feel like this.

On the days where we feel less able to emotionally regulate, internal pressure and our inner critic (demon - shame, fear, frustration, grief, loss) can override self‑compassion and we stay firmly in our threat systems. Only when we move out of our threat system and activate the soothe system in whatever ways work for us (meditation, breathing exercises, music, friendships, good cup of coffee, cuddling a dog – given yourself permission to get curious as to what works for you and meet your own needs) does resilience start to rebuild through compassion and acceptance despite physical, biological or environmental limitations. But this is no easy task and sometimes feels utterly impossible. Even in those moments, we deserve compassion as we sit with and process our experiences.

Jinu’s empathy: compassion from “the adversary”

The film introduces us to Jinu, the demon leader of rival boyband the Saja Boys who used to be human. He reveals that shame and sorrow shaped him into what he is. He sees Rumi not as an enemy but as kin, even though demonic influence binds him. Jinu’s empathy and compassion mirror the concept in CFT of externalising, understanding and showing compassion to our internal threat system rather than condemning it.

By offering respect and an alliance (“help me win, and I can stay human”), Jinu invites Rumi to see the demon inside her not as an irredeemable enemy but as a voice shaped by past hurt. From shame to acceptance is where inner compassion begins. Rumi's desperate desire for change is beautifully illustrated here in the song 'Free'.

The Honmoon barrier: strengthening boundaries

The film gives us another powerful metaphor in the form of The Honmoon barrier. Huntr/x sustains this magical shield which protects the world from demons and darkness by collective singing, but cracks appear as Rumi’s voice struggles and a rival demon boyband grow strong. This shield/ barrier could be seen as metaphoric for how personal boundaries and self‑care practices support self-compassion and the mental wellbeing/resilience it brings. 

Chronic illness or emotional distress can feel like dents in our protective shield with each trigger, symptom flare, or self‑critical thought bringing cracks. When managing ill-health, whether physical or mental, we learn through CFT that the goal isn’t perfection; it’s to learn how to move freely between our threat/soothe/drive systems strengthening our resilience/Honmoon through self-compassion until it becomes a stable boundary that contains threats and nurtures life. Similarly, Rumi learns she doesn’t need to be perfect – she just needs to embrace all the parts of herself with acceptance and compassion to reach the collective goal of saving the Honmoon. The song 'This is What it Sounds Like' is a soaring, stunning poetic representation of these concepts.

Resilience & CFT: Healing via compassionate insight

Compassion‑Focused Therapy emphasises building our inner self-soothing system to balance our threat and drive systems. We need all 3 systems – yes, even our threat system – it’s just not great to spend too much time there! We heal not by vanquishing our “demons,” (things which activate our threat system) but by transforming the inner relationship with our triggers and past trauma through compassionate awareness. A beautiful metaphor which rounds off this concept can be seen at the end of the film when the demon 'messenger’ tiger remains with Rumi after the Honmoon is sealed. It is no longer scary or a threat, but an accepted and welcomed part of her existence.

With many of life's challenges, chronic illness in particular, compassion and acceptance can help us find our new normal. Or in the case of a late ND diagnosis for example, we can use compassion to accept and welcome the parts of ourselves which we’ve been wrongly taught to believe are defective in some way. We learn to thrive alongside whatever difficulties we are personally facing whilst doing whatever we need to do to support our internal systems on the difficult days.

 Here’s how the film metaphorically enacts CFT concepts:

Theme	Film Metaphor	CFT Concept
Shame and Identity	Demon marks, hidden heritage	Internal threat system, shame, hiding self
Voice / Expression	Singing used to sustain barrier	Soothing voices, affirming self-compassion
Boundaries and Protection	Honmoon barrier	Self-care, safe space
Inner Allyship	Jinu’s empathy, shared suffering	Externalising threat, compassion toward inner-critic
Collective Strength	Huntr/x singing together	Social safeness and support network
Acceptance	Demon messenger tiger	Compassion, understanding and integration of parts of self

 

Inner Strength & Self‑Compassion Narratives

1. Acknowledging hidden pain without judgment.
Rumi’s demon identity, once revealed, doesn’t lead to rejection but opens the door to acceptance, first from Jinu, then eventually from Mira and Zoey. That shift shows how sharing internal vulnerability can transition isolation into connection. In CFT practice, you slowly allow the compassionate voice to speak to the parts of you that fear judgement.

2. Letting go of perfection (“Takedown” conflict).
Rumi wants to soften the aggressive energy of her anthem “Takedown,” but group pressure insists on raw emotion. That tension reflects the internal conflict many face: should I set boundaries gently or speak out sharply when hurt? Healing is often finding a compassionate middle ground: firm yet kind.

3. Building a golden Honmoon step-by-step.
Each rehearsal, each fan event, each song incrementally strengthens the Honmoon. Similarly, compassionate self‑care need not be grand idols. It’s small acts: taking breaks, kind self‑talk, therapy, connecting with others. Over time as our own Honmoon barrier forms, we find our new normal and things once perceived as threats (demon messenger tiger) are no longer as troubling.

4. Shared resilience.
Huntr/x together help Rumi accept her identity and rebuild her voice. That group synergy mirrors how CFT encourages using safe relationships to co‑regulate and model compassion.

Practical Takeaways – Applying the film’s metaphors in real life

1. Narrate your own “Honmoon” story:
   Journal or reflect: what daily “song” maintains your sense of safety? These could be routines, affirmations, friendships, music – get curious as to what yours are. Name them, nourish them, and notice cracks before they widen.
2. Reveal hidden parts to safe others:
   Rumi eventually opens up to Jinu (and later her bandmates). Identify at least one trusted person (or therapist) who can hear your hidden struggles without judging so you begin shifting shame into shared humanity.
3. Practice compassionate voice exercises:
   Try self‑compassionate statements, for example: “I am doing my best amid difficult circumstances,” or “It’s okay to be tired.” Find your own words. Pair them with body‑based soothing: slow breath, hand over heart, grounding sounds. Again, find what works for you These activate your soothing regulator, analogous to Rumi reclaiming her voice.
4. Frame inner critics as allies in disguise:
   Jinu explains that demons were shaped by sorrow and guilt. Reframe your inner critic as a frightened guardian trying to protect you but overstepping its limits. Then imagine compassion weaving around it.
5. Use music, movement, or ritual as metaphorical forging of inner strength:
   Just as Huntr/x sing to maintain the barrier, build small ritual actions such as playing favourite songs, dancing, drawing, craft – anything that symbolises reclaiming agency in face of pain to you.
6. Practice acceptance of the parts of you which feel broken: As the demon messenger cat becomes more friend than foe to Rumi, sitting with your feelings and thoughts, giving them space to be there whilst not reacting to them can be a compassionate way to let your nervous system learn you are not in danger. You are allowed to think and feel what you need to, and these parts of you are welcomed rather than pushed away.
7. Listen to what your nervous system is telling you: Just as Rumi eventually listens to the tiger and meets with Jinu, so how we react to triggers could be telling us we need to listen to our nervous systems. It may need some help to activate our soothe system. Are we tired, hungry, need quiet, need noise, need friends, need to laugh, need to cry? Get curious and start listening. Be your own best friend. 

In Conclusion, K‑Pop Demon Hunters is more than a beautifully animated musical packed with eye‑popping visuals and catchy songs (though it is all that, critics – including in the Guardian - hail it as emotionally empowering and visually stunning. It’s a metaphor‑laden tale of hidden pain, shame, dual identity, and reclaiming power through collective voice and compassion.

Not only that, but by seeing Rumi’s journey through a CFT lens, we can recognise a powerful template: acknowledge what feels broken, speak with inner kindness, accept identity not despite difference, but because of it, and lean into empathic connection whether that’s with ourselves, others, or inner parts. That’s how we forge our own version of the Honmoon: a compassionate boundary that protects, heals, accepts and empowers us to navigate life’s challenges, including hidden illness, difference and mental health challenges;

"We broke into a million pieces, and we can't go back
But now we're seeing all the beauty in the broken glass
The scars are part of me, darkness and harmony
My voice without the lies, this is what it sounds like

Why did we cover up the colours stuck inside our head?
Get up and let the jagged edges meet the light instead
Show me what's underneath, I'll find your harmony
Fearless and undefined, this is what it sounds like" (Copyright Netflix 2025)

So next time you revisit the film, let its songs and narrative resonate not just as a spectacle but as signposts for resilience, acceptance, and self‑compassion in everyday human complexity.

Written by Emilie Watson BA (Hons) MBACP (August 2025)

Emilie is a pluralistic integrative therapist based in South Wales, UK and can be contacted via email: emilie@thecalmplace.co.uk

References:

Gilbert, P. (2009) Introducing Compassion Focused Therapy. Available at: https://leifvind.dk/lv_pdf/IntroducingCompassionFocusedTherapy.pdf (Accessed: August 2025).

 Gilbert, P. (2010) The Compassionate Mind. London: Constable.

 Gilbert, P. (2014) The origins and nature of compassion focused therapy. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Paul-Gilbert-7/publication/260483350_The_origins_and_nature_of_compassion_focused_therapy/links/63f9b98f57495059454082c6/The-origins-and-nature-of-compassion-focused-therapy.pdf (Accessed: August 2025).

 Netflix (2025) K-Pop Demon Hunters. Available at: www.netflix.com (Accessed: August 2025).

 Petrocchi, N., Kirby, J. and Baldi, B. (2024) Essentials of Compassion Focused Therapy. London: Routledge.