The music theory behind K Pop Demon Hunters' chart dominance

Switched on Pop

Vox Media Podcast Network

Music Interviews, Music History, Music, Music Commentary

4.6 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 17 September 2025

⏱️ 41 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

It's time. Nate and Charlie break down the K Pop Demonhunters soundtrack to uncover the musical secrets behind its unprecedented success. From West Side Story to Gregorian chant, Phrygian modes to musical theater clichés, we 'll explain why you can't stop listening to the sounds of Huntr/x and Saja Boys. Songs Discussed Huntr/x - How It's Done, Golden, What it Sounds Like Saja Boys - Soda Pop, Your Idol Aldred Deller and the Deller Consort - Dies Irae West Side Story - Jet Song Aespa - Drama Riize - Get a Guitar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:40.9	slash audio.
0:46.2	Switched on pop.
0:50.9	Welcome to Switched on Pop. I'm musicologist Nate Sloan. And I'm songwriter Charlie Harding.
0:56.0	All right, Charlie, every single day we have gotten an email, a DM, a passenger pigeon encoded message with the same entreaty.
1:09.0	Please cover K-pop Demon Hunters.
1:12.6	The requests have been so incessant.
1:14.0	I feel like people are trying to summon this episode into reality.
1:17.1	So here we are.
1:17.9	We had a very brief discussion of the soundtrack to the hit animated film a few months back.
1:24.6	Yeah.
1:24.9	With our guests, Elamene Abdell Mahmood from CBC's commotion,
1:28.6	but it was not enough, Charlie.
1:30.1	We need to dig deep into the phenomenon that is gripping multiple generations of listeners.
1:38.6	And that is what I humbly offer you today is a musical exegesis of some of the key songs and maybe we'll
1:47.1	understand why this music has such a grip on our collective psyche. I have to admit something,
	...

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