Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters will arrive soon on the Criterion Collection, sparking online discourse about what types of movies should really be featured there.
This week, Variety reported that the hit animated film would be joining the collection, along with another successful Netflix film, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein.
The Criterion Collection is known for licensing, restoring, and distributing "important classic and contemporary films." Both Frankenstein and KPop Demon Hunters fall under the contemporary category.
Bringing these movies to such a revered collection is good for multiple reasons. First, it could bring younger audiences into the collection and hopefully lead to more discoveries.
More importantly, with Netflix's looming deal with Warner Bros., it shows that the company isn't averse to physical media. With some streaming originals disappearing forever, art should have a chance to live on in other ways.
The internet debates KPop Demon Hunters coming to Criterion
Some people seem to think KPop Demon Hunter's immense popularity, particularly with children, deems it unworthy of being in the Criterion Collection. This is an odd take for a movie that's sweeping awards season.
The film has been awarded over 100 times from various guilds, festivals, and more. That includes two Golden Globes, one Grammy, and ten Annie Awards. It's also nominated for Best Animated Film and Best Song for "Golden" at the Academy Awards, and could very likely win both. Not to mention the fact that the movie is beloved by critics and audiences. The film has a 92% critics' score and 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Despite all of that, some snobs don't want to see the movie on Criterion.
"So we’re just adding more garbage to the pile, great," wrote @radres. "Nothing ever improves, just more noise."
@KaiserBeamz wrote: "KPop Demon Hunters getting into the Criterion Collection before any film from Satoshi Kon, Ralph Bakshi, Mamoru Oshii, Don Bluth or Sylvain Chomet might actually kill me."
@Carlos_Film explained his theory on the backlash, saying, "A lot of 'cinephiles' don’t care for animation. They don’t watch it, they don’t write about it." They continued, "They still see it as a lesser medium, so it’s not surprising that some people are upset about KPOP DEMON HUNTERS being added to Criterion. I hope Criterion adds more animated films."
However, the majority seems excited about it.
"I'm always glad when streaming films get a physical release," said u/justanotherladyinred. "I can see how KPop Demon Hunters isn't for everyone, but it's obviously earned its place as a notable film at this point, whether people like it or not," pointed out u/murcielag0_.
u/HackMeRaps wrote: "This is SOOOO amazing. For school-related events under our license, we need the physical copy of a film to show, so it's been tough as this would clearly be the movie to show at our elementary! Netflix, unfortunately, isn't available to stream through any of our digital licenses, so this is going to be a game-changer!"
"I thought the Criterion Collection was about preserving cinema for future generations, and KPop Demon Hunters, a movie that went straight to streaming, which is popular now but might disappear decades from now, makes sense to me," said @kaludiasays.
Most agreed that people need to chill.
"This is so funny to me," wrote @daveleedwnundr. "Criterion completists waiting for the next Tarkovsky, Truffaut, Varda, or Kieślowski drop being forced to buy KPop Demon Hunters."
"This is like 50 9/11s for people who think the Criterion Collection is a meaningful arbiter of Good Taste and not just a boutique Blu-ray label," wrote @AJBurlap.
You gotta laugh.
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