KPop Demon Hunters has taken Netflix by storm, and there’s no denying that the raw aura of its primary cast of characters is a huge part of its draw and popularity. One of Netflix’s biggest original successes, KPop Demon Hunters is a Sony Pictures Animation musical project released exclusively on the streaming service, centering on a K-pop girl group who moonlight as demon hunters.
In addition to the amazing soundtrack and standout visual style continuing Sony’s signature animation dominance following the Spider-Verse movies, the eccentric and well-defined ensemble is a huge contributor to the film’s popularity. From the Saja Boys to Huntr/x, the movie’s cast is undeniably strong, with every main character being someone’s favorite.
That being said, it’s hard to claim that the broad appeal of each cast member of KPop Demon Hunters is equivalent to one another. In fact, there’s a clear hierarchy to the film’s characters when it comes to the level of sheer aura each of them has.
But to measure aura, it first must be defined. “Aura” refers to a character’s coolness and appeal, often in relation to their physical appearance, demeanor, and capabilities. Aura can usually be attributed to nonchalant characters whose reputation doesn’t require a lot of showboating or overcompensation – just quiet, unquestionable skill and charisma.
8
Jinu
At first glance, Jinu might seem like a very surprising character to be burdened with the title of the least aura in KPop Demon Hunters. Between his leadership status among the Saja Boys, his dashing conventional good looks, angelic voice, and menacing demon appearance, Jinu seems like he should be topping the aura charts nearly uncontested.
While it’s true that he may begin the film with the most aura of any character, Jinu is a perfect example of how it can be gained and mercilessly taken away. The fact of the matter is, Jinu suffers some of the most tremendous aura loss of any fictional character ever created, let alone among the KPop Demon Hunters rogue’s gallery.
Jinu’s tragic backstory and syrupy sweet words are all revealed to be lies, and it soon becomes clear his confidence is nothing more than a carefully-manicured facade. The real Jinu turns out to be clumsy and even dorky, burning through all the aura he was able to farm in the intro over the course of a single goofy jog cycle.
7
Romance
Aura can be a fickle thing to maintain, and no Saja Boy illustrates that more than Romance. The soft-spoken heartthrob of a group full of heartthrobs, everything about Romance is scientifically engineered to illicit a romantic reaction, from his name to his heart-shaped hair to his relaxed, flirty demeanor.
Unfortunately, Romance’s tendency to try so hard to come off as nonchalant ironically makes him less cool, with the efforts he goes to in order to appear effortless shining painfully through. He might start off with a decent amount of aura, but his disastrous attempts at flirting with Mira and his awkward-looking demon transformation leave him in the dust.
6
Zoey
The most aura-deficient member of the Huntr/x trio, Zoey is an adorable, lovable character despite her shortcomings in this particular regard. The more bubbly, energetic, and happy-go-lucky of the three, Zoey is easily the Bubbles to Mira’s Buttercup and Rumi’s Blossom. She has a lot of great qualities, but aura isn’t one of them.
Zoey’s tendency to wear her heart on her sleeve and her inability to hide her emotions drains her aura relentlessly. Her infantile crush on Mystery and cartoonish facial expressions during the hilarious pig-out scene are fun to watch, but they don’t do her any favors in the aura department. Zoey’s excitable personality simply isn’t cut out for aura farming.
5
Abby
Many of the Saja Boys other than Jinu suffer from a lack of characterization, and Abby might have the worst of them. Marketed as the “eye candy” member of the group, Abby’s name comes from his signature physique, standing out as the most muscular, chiseled, and masculine Saja Boy.
Handing out signed pictures of his abs for rabid fans to fight over is certainly worth noting, as Abby’s generally collected demeanor and confidence in his strength and attractiveness grant him a lot of aura. Sadly, he suffers a catastrophic loss of it during the final battle, when he expects to distract Huntr/x with his abs only to get whooped.
4
Rumi
As the main protagonist of KPop Demon Hunters, Rumi ends up in the middle of the pack. She is in a unique position compared to the other two members of Huntr/x due to her demonic heritage, which secretly manifests unbeknownst to her fellow pop stars. Rumi is a decisive and powerful leader, but she has some aura deficiencies.
Because she’s the primary viewpoint character, the audience spends a lot more time with Rumi, meaning she has more chances to appear vulnerable and weak. This is great from a storytelling perspective, but from an objective aura standpoint, having her insecurities so plainly on display and affecting the narrative isn’t exactly helpful.
Still, Rumi’s fierce idol persona and prowess with her sword do a lot of carrying when it comes to her final aura score placements. Factoring in the self-consciousness of Rumi’s half-demon heritage with her undeniable presence as the star of the show both on stage and hunting demons, Rumi is solidly average in terms of aura.
3
Baby
True to his name, Baby is the most baby-faced and child-coded member of the Saja Boys, but that doesn’t mean he can’t accumulate some aura over the course of the movie. Baby might be something of a sleeper powerhouse when it comes to aura, easily overlooked because of his pouting and affliction for sweets.
Unlike Romance, whose nonchalance comes across as overtly manufactured, Baby’s uninterested demeanor throughout most of the film seems genuine. He doesn’t get involved in any drama at the singing event, and he even wins the hot sauce chugging contest with next to no effort. Baby might be cutesy, but that doesn’t mean he can’t have aura.
2
Mystery
Plenty of aura can be gained from being mysterious, and Mystery Saja certainly lives up to his name in this regard. At first glance, Mystery’s design might make him seem somewhat goofy, with a large, poofy hairdo permanently covering his eyes.
However, Mystery’s enigmatic nature makes him an intriguing specimen among the Saja Boys, hardly taking a break from aura farming to even speak if he can help it. Mystery wordlessly seduces Zoey simply by sitting next to her, and he isn’t afraid to jump right into the action when the situation calls for it, being the first Saja Boy to attack.
Even when Mystery is getting punched, he still astonishes his attacker with a mere glimpse of his eyes, usually hidden by his bangs. Mystery is the ultimate sleeper pick for the most aura among the cast of KPop Demon Hunters.
1
Mira
While the other members of Huntr/x occasionally falter in their responsibility to defeat demons and the expectations of their fans, Mira is the ultimate powerhouse of Kpop Demon Hunters. Mira is gruff, snarky, and occasionally calloused, keeping her aura alive and healthy between Zoey’s naïveté and Rumi’s insecurities.
It’s Mira that keeps the group on task throughout all these struggles, even if she does deal with her own emotions. Ruthlessly efficient in hunting demons with her Gok-Do and visually hypnotizing with her stage choreography, Mira is the undisputed aura champion of Kpop Demon Hunters.
