Instagram recently introduced its one-time ‘Instants’ photo-sharing feature that allows people to send images right to their friends or close friends’ inboxes. The feature appears to be a way to encourage users to send short-term, spontaneous shots to their close contacts via messages
A cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak is scheduled to arrive in the port city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands on Monday morning (May 18, 2026). The MV Hondius has spent the past six days sailing from the Canary Islands, where the remaining passengers were escorted off the vessel by
Malaysia said on Monday (May 18, 2026) it had ended a search for passengers of a migrant boat from Indonesia that sank off the country's western coast last week after the bodies of all 16 missing were recovered. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in Perak state said 23 people were
Quote of the day by Bella Hadid: ‘I can’t wait to be a mom, I think that would make me truly happy’When Bella Hadid got candid on her vision for the future, family, and being an auntie to Khai, sister Gigi Hadid's daughter. Read her exact quote on motherhood. Published on: May 18
Dark mode vs light mode: Ophthalmologist explains when you should toggle which mode on phone for lower vision stressInstead of aesthetic purpose, medically approach the display modes on your phone to lower visual stress. Updated on: May 18, 2026 5:17 PM IST By Adrija Dey Share via Copy link Your
KPop Demon Hunters directors on Oscar chances and a possible sequel
Speaking to the BBC during a visit to Europe, Kang explained that while there was "nothing official we can talk about", she and co-director Chris Appelhans believe "there's definitely more we can do with these characters in this world".Maggie Kang, the creator and co-director of Kpop Demon Hunters, has said she is "excited for the potential for more stories" involving animated girl group Huntr/x.Speaking to the BBC during a visit to Europe, Kang explained that while there was "nothing official we can talk about", she and co-director Chris Appelhans believe "there's definitely more we can do with these characters in this world"."And whatever it will be, it will be a story that deserves to be a sequel, and it will be something that we want to see," she added.Kpop Demon Hunters has become a cultural phenomenon this year, overtaking Squid Game as the most watched title in Netflix history, with more than 325m views." onclick="showFullScrImg(this)"/>KPop Demon Hunters directors on Oscar chances and a possible sequel
Maggie Kang, the creator and co-director of Kpop Demon Hunters, has said she is "excited for the potential for more stories" involving animated girl group Huntr/x.
Speaking to the BBC during a visit to Europe, Kang explained that while there was "nothing official we can talk about", she and co-director Chris Appelhans believe "there's definitely more we can do with these characters in this world".
"And whatever it will be, it will be a story that deserves to be a sequel, and it will be something that we want to see," she added.
Kpop Demon Hunters has become a cultural phenomenon this year, overtaking Squid Game as the most watched title in Netflix history, with more than 325m views.
The animated film tells the story of a hugely successful female Kpop trio, who play enormous concerts at the same time as trying to save the world from evil forces.
They end up locked in battle against a boy band called Saja Boys, who are made up of demons.
The film has broken record after record. A sing-a-long version released in cinemas in August became the first ever Netflix film to top the US box office.
Its music also topped the US singles and albums charts, becoming the first soundtrack in history to have four songs simultaneously in the US top 10, something not even Saturday Night Fever could achieve.
The film's anthem Golden, sung by Huntr/x, has spent eight weeks at number one, tying Sugar Sugar by The Archies for the most time at the top of the charts by an animated act.
There is now a real belief that Kpop Demon Hunters could be set to slay the Oscars.
Critics have loved the film, which holds a score of 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the online review aggregator.
The influential Gold Derby predictions website now has it as the favourite for the best animated film, ahead of Zootopia 2 and Elio.
"The title alone is obviously Oscar bait," laughs Chris Appelhans, the American who is the other half of the directing duo.
We tried to do something new and it was really hard and I think we're really proud of how it came out. But if people are going to reward that, that would be awesome.
The other category where the film should be a strong challenger is best original song, where the rules state that any film can only enter three numbers.
Netflix have already stated that breakout hit Golden will be included for Academy consideration, but what about the other two slots?
"I think Your Idol is such a banger," says Kang about song the Saja Boys sing while feeding the souls of their audience to the evil overlord Gwi-Ma.
We're so proud of the song, but also the sequence. We cheered, we were so proud of it.
Appelhans, however, is team Huntr/x, opting for What it Sounds Like.
The finale was such a technical challenge, both in songwriting and storytelling," he explains. "To make a song that was the climax of your movie, with a lot of moving parts, but was also an actual cathartic song.
Kang concurs: "It's the one song that every time I hear it, I just cry. It's very emotional."
"No room for Soda Pop?" I question about the Saja Boys earworm.
"Maybe we could get four?" laughs Kang.
"We'll just submit then all," joins in Appelhans.
Appelhans can pin point the exact moment back in June when he realised they had a hit on their hands.
It's literally 2am the night after the film came out. I'm on TikTok and in the comments section they are perfectly articulating Rumi's emotional journey.
He was overjoyed that the fans were already engaging with film's main protagonist, on a deep level.
Kang, who was born in South Korea and moved to Canada aged five, places the breakthrough moment as slightly later. "We were able to connect with our core audience, which is the KPop audience and the animation fans and that demographic took to our film very quickly.
"But it was the third week when the trajectory of the graph of viewership really changed. We were like, 'Woah. That was weird.'
And we could see through our social media all the different pockets of demographic that were connecting to it.
Kang believes that the fans have been crucial in film's all conquering rise: "They are an age group that loves to make content. And it was kind of like free advertising. They were just spreading the word of this movie everywhere. I think that helped it develop these long legs."
The film's success continues to grow. Four months after its release, it was still the most watched film in 19 countries last week, including the UK and US.
The Kpop stars Rei Ami, Audrey Nuna, and EJAY, who provide the singing voices for Huntr/x, have appeared on both Saturday Night Live (in a skit with Bad Bunny) and gave their first ever live performance of Golden on Jimmy Fallon's US chat show.
"We were so bummed that we weren't able to be there at Fallon," says Kang in a rare moment of non-total positivity.
"We were asleep in Paris. Just to see him speaking to our girls was so weird. It now feels more real than ever. I'm just so proud of them.
One thing the pair would like to clear up is that they do not believe that their film should be classified as anime.
"I don't think we are big enough anime fans to be that inspired from it," explains Kang.
"The anime we like are very old school, like Cowboy Bebop and Sailor Moon," referencing two Japanese TV shows which originated in the 90s.
Appelhans agrees: "I think it was a flavour. I think we were influenced by a lot of Korean film makers and k-dramas. It was part of a wide spectrum of tones that we wanted to hit, but not the dominant one."
They are also quick to rule out rumours of a Kpop Demon Hunters live-action adaptation.
Kang wants to kick that idea into the underworld: "There's so many elements of the tone and the comedy that are so suited for animation," she says.
It's really hard to imagine these characters in a live action world. It would feel too grounded. So totally it wouldn't work for me.
For Appelhans, it is an ill-conceived idea: "One of the great things about animation is that you make these composites of impossibly great attributes. Rumi can be this goofy comedian and then singing and doing a spinning back-kick a second later and then freefalling through the sky.
The joy of animation is how far you can push and elevate what's possible. I remember they adapted a lot of different animes and often times, it just feels a little stilted.
No matter what happens this awards season, Kang says their expectations for the film have already been more than surpassed.
She surmises that the aim was "to connect people and bring them to Kpop".
"Just seeing people bond over this movie has been so wonderful," she reflects.
So all the awards would be great, but I think we feel really incredible about what the movie has done already. So it feels like we've kind of won in a way.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: From KPop Demon Hunters to Phillies Karen KPop Demon Hunters sequel greenlit by Netflix How did Oscar winner Kpop Demon Hunters win hearts the world over KPop Demon Hunters Team Slam Oscars For Cutting Off Acceptance Speech KPop Demon Hunters 2 KPop Demon Hunters star on how her life mirrored main character's journey Kpop Demon Hunters wins Oscars for best original song and best animated film KPop Demon Hunters to return as Netflix confirms sequel Kpop Demon Hunters becomes Netflix's most viewed film ever KPop Demon Hunters to return as Netflix announces sequel
IU, Byeon Woo-seok apologise after 'Perfect Crown' faces criticism for historical inaccuraciesIU, Byeon Woo-seok apologise after 'Perfect Crown' faces criticism for historical inaccuracies May 18, 2026, 16:19:57 IST PTI Share via Copy link New Delhi
38 minutes ago
Heart diseases kill approximately 28.6 lakh (2.86 million) Indians annually, with heart attacks acting as a primary contributor to this figure. While there is a lot of awareness about heart attacks, their causes, prevention and the symptoms that might occur
40 minutes ago
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday (May 18, 2026) accused the government of lacking foresight and keeping the state of the economy hidden from the people before Assembly elections. ALSO WATCH Watch: CNG prices hiked again in Delhi
39 minutes ago
MHADA lottery 2026 sees over 77,000 applications for 2,640 affordable homes in the Mumbai real estate marketMHADA lottery 2026: The state housing authority has extended last date for applications twice in the last one month, and also reduced price of over 1,200 homes Updated on: May 18
37 minutes ago
Mumbai landlord regrets renting out ₹80 lakh flat after dispute over unpaid electricity bill: 'Full-time stress job'A Mumbai-based landlord recently shared his frustration over managing a rented flat in Mira Road. Updated on: May 18, 2026 4:36 PM IST By Bhavya Sukheja Share via Copy link Owning a
36 minutes ago
The Supreme Court on Monday criticised its own January verdict that denied bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the Delhi riots conspiracy case, saying that “bail is the rule and jail is an exception” even in prosecutions under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act
37 minutes ago
A month after carrying out its biggest retrenchment exercise, India’s largest IT services firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) reportedly asked managers to place around 5% of employees in the company’s lowest performance category during the latest appraisal cycle
37 minutes ago
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made it compulsory for Class 9 students to study three languages. This new three language policy will come into effect from July 1, 2026. From the new academic session, Class 9 students will have to study three languages (R1, R2, R3)
39 minutes ago
The CBI’s investigation into the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak has now shifted focus to Rajasthan’s Sikar district, where a family is accused of paying lakhs of rupees to get access to the leaked exam paper for their son. The case has drawn attention after investigators found that the student
37 minutes ago
Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship docks in the Netherlands for disinfectionThe MV Hondius was still carrying 25 crew members and two medical personnel as it reached Europe's largest port on Monday morning. Published on: May 18, 2026 5:02 PM IST AP Share via Copy link The cruise ship hit by a deadly
38 minutes ago
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg has allayed concerns about private investment in the Big Bash League. He stated that fears of Indian Premier League franchise owners taking control are overblown. Greenberg emphasised that Cricket Australia is seeking valuable partners
38 minutes ago
For many people living abroad, going back home can bring a feeling of comfort that is hard to explain. A Kerala-based content creator recently shared how returning to his village from London reminds him of the simple life he grew up with and the emotional cost of living away from home
37 minutes ago
‘Only four more months’: DMK leader's bold forecast on Vijay-led TVK regimeHe said that DMK president MK Stalin, who served as chief minister before Vijay’s sweeping victory in the April Assembly election, would soon return to power. Published on: May 18
36 minutes ago
Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa played out a draw with Dutchman Jorden Van Foreest even as Germany's Vincent Keymer surged ahead following a facile victory in the fourth round of Super Chess Classic in Bucharest. With a sole win over Alireza Firouzja of France and three draws
40 minutes ago
‘People are earning more but losing peace’: Techie explains why life in Tier 1 cities is mentally drainingA techie said Tier 1 city life looked exciting from outside, but came with high rent, traffic and stress. Published on: May 18, 2026 5:00 PM IST By Mahipal Singh Chouhan Share via Copy link
36 minutes ago
India’s higher education admissions are evolving as students and parents prioritise relevance over legacy. Curriculum quality, faculty readiness, employability, and visible modernisation are reshaping trust in universities. As AI transforms jobs and skills
3 hours ago
‘Never give up’: Bengaluru engineer reveals how he landed Amazon job after 7 rejectionsA Bengaluru man revealed he faced 7 Amazon rejections in 5 years before finally landing his dream job there. Published on: May 18, 2026 1:51 PM IST By Mahipal Singh Chouhan Share via Copy link A Bengaluru
3 hours ago
Road crash in UP leaves 10 deadRoad crash in UP leaves 10 dead Published on: May 18, 2026 1:56 PM IST PTI Share via Copy link Lakhimpur Kheri , Ten people were killed when a van collided head-on with a truck on the Sisaiya-Lakhimpur national highway on Monday, police said
3 hours ago
Maha coaching firm director received NEET paper 10 days before exam, was ‘part of organised gang’HT has learnt that Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar was part of an organised gang who had the paper on his phone and had leaked it to several people. Updated on: May 18
3 hours ago
Spinach malfati is a comforting, vegetarian twist on Italian dumplings, where soft spinach‑paneer parcels meet a rich, roasted‑pepper walnut tomato sauce. Instead of a simple cream‑based pasta, these malfati celebrate earthy flavours: blanched spinach and creamy paneer are shaped into rustic
3 hours ago
ASI grants Hindus unrestricted daily access to MP’s disputed Bhojshala complexThe site will continue to be a protected monument under the AMASR Act 1958, with worship timings to be determined by the superintending archaeologist Published on: May 18, 2026 2:02 PM IST By Harsh Yadav
3 hours ago
Who is Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff who said he will not hire any more engineers?Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, announced no new engineer hires due to reliance on AI for coding tasks. While AI increased productivity by 30%. Updated on: May 18
3 hours ago
Feeling backed up for days? Gastroenterologist shares a simple bathroom hack that can help with constipationIf you're struggling with constipation and incomplete bowel clearing, try out this simple hack. Dr Salhab explains why it works. Updated on: May 18
3 hours ago
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake in China’s southwest region of Guangxi early on Monday (May 18, 2026) killed two and forced more than 7,000 in the city of Liuzhou to evacuate as search and rescue operations continue and authorities warn of transport disruptions.A magnitude 5
3 hours ago
An Indian court has told Apple to "fully cooperate" with investigators in an antitrust case related to the , not agreeing with the U.S. company's request to put the case on hold while it challenges the law governing antitrust penalties.The Delhi High Court said in an order posted on its
3 hours ago
₹3 lakh stipend, hotel stay: IIT student’s Bengaluru internship sparks debateAn IIT student’s internship package in Bengaluru has sparked a wave of reactions online after investor and entrepreneur Kush Agarwal shared details of the offer Updated on: May 18
3 hours ago
Drinking iced drinks in summer? Gastroenterologist warns why it actually may backfire and make you feel ‘hotter’The cooling effect of iced drinks may actually be a deception. Know why the instant cooling feeling in your body may be unhealthy. Updated on: May 18
3 hours ago
