The K-Pop Demon Hunters Duffy balloon featured in the New York Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 27 (Reuters=Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — A pair of beloved characters from Netflix’s hit Korean animation K-Pop Demon Hunters soared above Manhattan on Thursday morning, marking one of the most prominent international spotlights yet for the breakout franchise.
During the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade — an annual tradition since 1924 and one of the most widely watched holiday events in the United States — a massive balloon of Duffy, the fan-favorite tiger spirit from the film, drifted between Manhattan’s skyscrapers to cheers from spectators lining the nearly four-kilometer route.
Another character, Seo, a magpie spirit depicted perched in a flowerpot, also made its debut, appearing just ahead of the towering Duffy balloon. In the film, Duffy and Seo serve as supernatural messengers, ferrying letters between protagonists Jin-woo and Lumi — roles that helped propel their popularity among fans for their whimsical design and gentle personalities.
NBC and other U.S. broadcasters noted that the K-Pop Demon Hunters balloons drew some of the morning’s biggest reactions from crowds gathered along the parade route.
The tiger character Duffy and the protagonist Lumi from K-Pop Demon Hunters. President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea cited the tiger ‘Duffy’ and the Grim Reaper as the most striking characters. Tigers once thrived across the Korean Peninsula, but indiscriminate hunting led by the Japanese during the colonial era drove them to extinction in Korea. (Image courtesy of Netflix)
Adding to the moment, three artists who contributed to the film’s soundtrack — Korean American singer-songwriter EJAE, along with Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami — took the parade stage to perform “Golden,” a hit track associated with the character Huntrix.
Actor Ken Jeong, who voiced Bobby, the manager of Huntrix in the film, appeared in person to introduce the performance, energizing the crowd as dancers in black costumes joined the trio on stage.
The parade appearance marked a milestone in the global rise of K-Pop Demon Hunters, whose blend of Korean pop culture, folklore and contemporary animation has drawn widespread international acclaim since its release.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
