Look Sports Media – The explosive popularity of Netflix’s "KPop Demon Hunters" is having an unexpected side effect: a resurgence of longing for League of Legends’ virtual K-pop group, K/DA. The animated film, featuring the group HUNTR/X, has drawn immediate comparisons to the virtual sensations, highlighting a potential missed opportunity for Riot Games.
"KPop Demon Hunters" has shattered records, becoming Netflix’s most-watched movie with over 236 million views and a soundtrack boasting over 3 billion Spotify listens. Meanwhile, K/DA, comprised of LoL champions Akali, Ahri, Kai’Sa, and Evelynn, have amassed nearly 1.6 billion Spotify streams across a mere six songs.
October 28th marks five years since K/DA’s last single, "MORE," was released. This anniversary, coupled with the "Demon Hunters" craze, has fueled fan frustration over Riot’s apparent abandonment of the virtual group. The success of Riot’s animated series "Arcane," which topped Netflix charts in 52 countries and won an Emmy, further underscores the company’s ability to create animated hits, making the lack of new K/DA content even more puzzling.
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Adding fuel to the fire, "KPop Demon Hunters" music supervisor Ian Eisendrath revealed in a Reddit AMA that K/DA directly inspired the film’s soundtrack and likely its visual design. Despite this influence and K/DA’s undeniable success, Riot has not released any new music for the group since the "ALL OUT" EP in 2020. While Riot did launch a K-pop-inspired boy band called "HEARTSTEEL" featuring Ezreal, K’Sante, Kayn, Yone, and Sett, the group achieved only moderate success compared to K/DA’s phenomenal reach. Fortnite has capitalized on the K-pop craze by releasing "KPop Demon Hunter" cosmetics, further highlighting the demand for this type of content.
The five-year anniversary of "MORE" has ignited a wave of fan demands for more K/DA content. One Twitter user sarcastically remarked on Riot’s lack of "more" K/DA songs since the "ALL OUT" EP. Another fan bluntly stated, "If you ever feel stupid, remember Riot Games hasn’t made a K/DA comeback for more than five years despite it being the reason LoL peaked in popularity in 2018." The tweet garnered over 25,000 likes, demonstrating the widespread sentiment.
However, a K/DA comeback isn’t straightforward. It hinges on the availability of Soyeon and Miyeon from the K-pop group (G)I-dle, now known as I-dle. The group’s recent world tour in 2024 and the release of their eighth EP, "We Are," this year suggest that securing the K-pop stars could be challenging for Riot. Replacing them would undoubtedly be a controversial decision, leaving Riot with a difficult choice as they navigate the overwhelming fan demand for K/DA’s return.
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