‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Criterion Blu-ray release announced for later this year

The curated physical release will arrive this winter

KPop Demon Hunters will be released on physical media as part of the prestigious Criterion Collection, according to a new announcement.

The Netflix animation, about a girl group who live a double life as demon hunters, has become a global phenomenon, smashing records as it became Netflix’s most watched film ever following its release last year. The song ‘Golden’ from the movie has won two Oscars, a Grammy, and two Golden Globes, as well as topping the charts in more than 30 countries. The film recently launched a highly-anticipated collaboration with McDonalds, and a live concert tour is on the horizon.

Now, it has been announced that a Blu Ray edition of the film will be released by Criterion on December 31. The company specialise in restoring and releasing impactful films on physical media, with a place in the Criterion Collection being seen as cementing a movie’s legacy as an important work.

Other animated films in the collection include the Oscar-winning Flow, Pixar classic Wall*E, and Wes Anderson’s The Fantastic Mr Fox. There are comparatively few animated titles that have secured a Criterion release compared to other genres, with KPop Demon Hunters becoming just the 12th in the collection.

Blu Ray and 4K UHD (Ultra High Definition) editions are currently available for pre-order on Amazon’s American site here. The special features for the discs are yet to be announced, but Criterion are known for curating documentaries and special features for their disc releases.

Recently, the singing stars of KPop Demon Hunters accepted a Women Of The Year Award, and offered an emotional acceptance speech discussing the difficulty of being a woman in the music industry. “Being a woman in this male-dominated industry is honestly ass,” said artist Rei Ami. “Sometimes we have to work twice as hard with a smile on our faces as the world nitpicks every part of our being.”