Maggie Kang

Maggie Kang
Kang in 2026
Born1981 or 1982 (age 43–44)[1]
Seoul, South Korea
EducationSheridan College
Occupations
  • Storyboard artist
  • writer
  • director
Notable workKPop Demon Hunters
SpouseRadford Sechrist
Children1
Honours Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit (2025)
Korean name
Hangul
강민지
RRGang Minji
MRKang Minji

Maggie Kang (born 1981 or 1982),[1] also known by her Korean name Kang Min-ji (강민지), is a South Korean and Canadian storyboard artist, writer, and director. She is best known for creating the story for KPop Demon Hunters (2025), which she co-wrote and directed with Chris Appelhans. The film earned them two Annie Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award.

Life and education

Kang was born in Seoul, South Korea, and moved to Toronto, Canada, when she was five. Originally moving there for her father's work, the family decided to stay in Canada, where Kang eventually grew up.[2] She studied animation at Sheridan College and in her third year was recruited to DreamWorks Animation.[3][4]

Career

Kang was head of story for The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017), as well as a story artist for animated films such as Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016), Rise of the Guardians (2012) and Puss in Boots (2011).[3][4][5] She directed KPop Demon Hunters (2025) with Chris Appelhans.[6] The film is based on an original concept she developed;[5][7] in March 2026, it was announced that a sequel is planned for release in 2029.[8]

Kang later attributed the demos of Ejae as one of the reasons KPop Demon Hunters was greenlit and cited the group Twice as an inspiration for the fictional K-pop girl group Huntrix in the film.[9][10][11] She also said that the group Monsta X was one of the inspirations for the fictional boy band, the Saja Boys, in the film,[12] and stated that Blackpink was another inspiration for Huntrix.[13][14] Additionally, Kang asserted, as did Appelhans, that the tone and style of The Host was an inspiration for KPop Demon Hunters.[15][16]

Personal life

Kang is married to Radford Sechrist, creator of Netflix series Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts.[17] Sechrist gave her the idea for merging Korean mythology and K-pop, which became the film K-Pop Demon Hunters. According to Kang, she and Sechrist thought up the concept for the animation film, which was bought by Sony, and began development, a week after it was pitched over lunch in 2018.[18]

Sechrist and Kang have a daughter, who had a role as a voice actor in KPop Demon Hunters, voicing the younger Rumi. Sechrist designed the Derpy Tiger character in the film, basing it upon minhwa and his cat Yumyan.[19][20][21] Sechrist also was said to have designed characters and written "a lot of the scenes" for the film.[17] Before this, in 2020, Sechrist revealed that Kang took him to BTS concerts, and said the K-pop genre was close to his heart.[22]

Accolades

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2025 Alliance of Women Film Journalists Best Animated Feature KPop Demon Hunters (with Chris Appelhans) Won [23]
Austin Film Critics Association The Robert R. "Bobby" McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Award KPop Demon Hunters Won [24]
Celebration of Asian Pacific Cinema and Television Animation Award Won [25]
The Female Lead Women of the Year Honored [26]
IndieWire Honors Spark Award KPop Demon Hunters (with Chris Appelhans and Ejae) Honored [27]
KALH Honors Pioneer Award KPop Demon Hunters Honored [28]
Korean Association of Film Critics Awards FIPRESCI Award (Foreign) KPop Demon Hunters (with Chris Appelhans) Won [29]
Marie Claire Asia Star Awards Director of the Year KPop Demon Hunters Won [30]
TikTok Awards Entertainment of the Year Award Won [31]
World Animation Summit Movie of the Year Award KPop Demon Hunters (with Chris Appelhans) Honored [32]
2026 Academy Awards Best Animated Feature KPop Demon Hunters (with Chris Appelhans and Michelle Wong) Won [33][34]
Annie Awards Best Direction – Feature KPop Demon Hunters (with Chris Appelhans) Won [35]
Best Writing – Feature KPop Demon Hunters (with Chris Appelhans, Danya Jimenez, Hannah McMechan) Won
Astra Film Awards Best Animated Feature KPop Demon Hunters (with Chris Appelhans and Michelle Wong) Won [36]
Chicago Indie Critics Best Animated Film Won [37]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Animated Feature Won [38]
Departure Honours Cultural Innovator Award KPop Demon Hunters Honored [39]
Golden Globe Awards Best Motion Picture – Animated KPop Demon Hunters (with Chris Appelhans and Michelle Wong) Won [40]
International Cinephile Society Best Animated Film KPop Demon Hunters (with Chris Appelhans) Nominated [41]
Latino Entertainment Journalists Association Best Animated Feature Won [42]

State and cultural honors

Name of country or organization, award ceremony, year given, and name of honor
Country or organization Award ceremony Year Honor Ref.
South Korea Korea Content Awards 2025 Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit (4th class) [43]

References

  1. ^ a b Choi, Bo-yun (October 2, 2025). "KPop Demon Hunters' Maggie Kang Named Time100 Next Innovator". The Chosun Daily. Archived from the original on December 8, 2025. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
  2. ^ Kim, Ji-ye (June 26, 2025). "In 'KPop Demon Hunters,' Maggie Kang brings genre out of its comfort zone". Korea Joongang Daily. Archived from the original on July 20, 2025. Retrieved August 9, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Gheciu, Alex Nino (August 2, 2025). "How Toronto Director Created 'Kpop Demon Hunters': Filmmaker's Debut Animated Film has Become a Global Smash". Toronto Star. pp. C6. ProQuest 3235644122. Retrieved August 14, 2025 – via Proquest.
  4. ^ a b Gheciu, Alex Nino (July 29, 2025). "How Toronto's Maggie Kang created the Netflix smash hit 'KPop Demon Hunters'". CBC. Archived from the original on July 29, 2025. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Maggie Kang". Sony Pictures Animation. Archived from the original on August 11, 2025. Retrieved August 9, 2025.
  6. ^ Fell, Nicole (August 6, 2025). ""I Don't See the Fandom Slowing Down": How 'KPop Demon Hunters' Became One of Netflix's Biggest — and Most Unexpected — Hits". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 6, 2025. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  7. ^ Kim, Regina (July 21, 2025). "'KPop Demon Hunters' Took 7 Years to Make but a Lifetime of Experience". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 21, 2025. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  8. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (March 12, 2026). "'KPop Demon Hunters 2' Confirmed by Netflix and Sony: 'This Is Only the Beginning'". Variety. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
  9. ^ Kim, Eun-jae (July 1, 2025). "[INTERVIEW] EJAE on Writing the Hits and Singing for Rumi in KPop Demon Hunters" (Interview). Genius.
  10. ^ Kang, Maggie (June 19, 2025). "Director Maggie Kang reveals who inspired 'KPop Demon Hunters' characters" (Interview). Interviewed by Laura Sirikul. Forbes. Archived from the original on July 16, 2025. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  11. ^ Bell, Crystal (July 9, 2025). "How 'K-pop Demon Hunters' became a love letter to K-pop and its fandom". Mashable. Archived from the original on July 16, 2025. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  12. ^ Sirikul, Laura. "'KPop Demon Hunters' Director Reveals Who Inspired The Characters". Forbes. Archived from the original on July 16, 2025. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
  13. ^ Bell, Crystal (July 9, 2025). "How 'KPop Demon Hunters' became a love letter to K-pop and its fandom". Mashable. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
  14. ^ Berman, Eliza. "KPop Demon Hunters Is TIME's Breakthrough of the Year". Time. Archived from the original on January 28, 2026. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
  15. ^ Opie, David. "KPop Demon Hunters director Maggie Kang on how Bong-Joon-ho inspired the Netflix hit". Screen. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  16. ^ "'We all have inner demons': Why KPop Demon Hunters resonates globally". The Indian Express. October 4, 2025. Archived from the original on October 5, 2025. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  17. ^ a b Nguyen, Hanh (July 2, 2025). "KPop Demon Hunters' seriously derpy tiger: "It was genius"". Salon. Archived from the original on July 3, 2025. Retrieved September 5, 2025. Sechrist, who happens to be married to Kang ...
  18. ^ Kirichanskaya, Michele (July 16, 2025). "Interview with Maggie Kang, Creator of KPop Demon Hunters". Geeks Out. Archived from the original on August 8, 2025. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  19. ^ Kim, Soo (September 5, 2025). "'KPop Demon Hunters' Director Reveals Secret Cameo, 'Fun' Idea for Sequel". Newsweek. Archived from the original on September 5, 2025. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  20. ^ Byrne, Suzy (August 21, 2025). "Hairstyle of the Summer: How 'KPop Demon Hunters' Sparked a Beauty Craze". Yahoo! Entertainment. Archived from the original on August 22, 2025. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
  21. ^ Sarkar, Ishani (November 7, 2025). "Who created Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters? Meet Maggie Kang". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on December 19, 2025. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  22. ^ Bishop, Rollin (October 20, 2020). "Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts: Rad Sechrist and Bill Wolkoff Talk Season 3, Jamack, and Prom at the End of the World". Comic Book. Archived from the original on May 6, 2025. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  23. ^ "The 2025 Alliance Of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ) EDA Award Nominations". Archived from the original on December 30, 2025. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
  24. ^ Whittaker, Richard (December 18, 2025). "One Battle After Another Tops Austin Film Critics Association Awards". The Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on December 19, 2025. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  25. ^ Hammond, Peter (October 1, 2025). "Lucy Liu, Chloé Zhao, 'KPop Demon Hunters' Among Honorees For Critics Choice 4th Celebration Of AAPI Cinema & Television". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 1, 2025. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  26. ^ "The Female Lead's Women of the Year 2025". December 30, 2025. Archived from the original on January 5, 2026. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  27. ^ Jones, Marcus (November 12, 2025). "IndieWire Honors to Toast Adam Sandler, Kristen Stewart, Chase Infiniti, and More". IndieWire. Archived from the original on November 13, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  28. ^ Cordero, Rosy (November 21, 2025). "Park Chan-wook, Maggie Kang & Lee Byung Hun To Be Honored By Korean American Leaders In Hollywood". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 1, 2025. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
  29. ^ Seong, Chan-eol (November 6, 2025). "시상식은 없었지만 수상 라인업은 화려 ...45회 영평상 수상작·자 발표" [There Was No Awards Ceremony, but the Lineup of Winners Was Impressive ... The 45th Critics Choice Awards Winners Announced]. Cineplay. Archived from the original on November 13, 2025. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  30. ^ 2025 마리끌레르 아시아스타어워즈’에서 ‘올해의 감독상’을 수상했다. September 21, 2025. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  31. ^ "3000명 모인 ‘틱톡 어워즈’‘케데헌’ 메기 강 감독 “틱톡 팬 영상 보며 혼문 닫히는 것 같아”" (in Korean). October 27, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  32. ^ "The World Animation Summit Reveals 2025 Hall of Fame Honorees". Animation Magazine. October 3, 2025. Archived from the original on October 24, 2025. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
  33. ^ Bernabe, Angeline Jane; Leib, Mason (January 22, 2025). "Oscar nominations 2026: Full list of nominees". ABC News. Archived from the original on February 10, 2026. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  34. ^ "The 98th Academy Awards | (2026)". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on February 8, 2026. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  35. ^ Lewis, Hilary (January 5, 2026). "2026 Annie Awards Nominations: 'Elio,' 'Kpop Demon Hunters' Lead Film Nods". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 22, 2026. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  36. ^ Williams, Aidan (January 9, 2025). "Astra Film Awards Recap: "Sinners," "KPop Demon Hunters" Take Home Top Awards". Los Angeles Magazine. Archived from the original on January 16, 2026. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  37. ^ Chicago Indie Critics. "Chicago Indie Critics Announce 2025 Windie Award Nominations". The Rolling Tape. Archived from the original on January 6, 2026. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  38. ^ Lang, Brent (January 4, 2026). "Critics Choice Awards 2026: 'One Battle After Another' Wins Best Film, 'The Pitt,' 'Adolescence' and 'The Studio' Dominate TV Prizes". Variety. Archived from the original on February 19, 2026. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  39. ^ "Creator Maggie Kang, Russell Peters, Kevin Lyman, More May 4–10". January 21, 2026. Archived from the original on February 26, 2026. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  40. ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (January 11, 2026). "Golden Globes: Winners List (Updating Live)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 6, 2026. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  41. ^ "2026 ICS Awards Nominations". January 18, 2026. Archived from the original on January 31, 2026. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  42. ^ "Latino Entertainment Journalists Association (LEJA) Film Awards: 'Sinners' Wins 6, Including Best Picture". February 9, 2026. Archived from the original on February 18, 2026. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
  43. ^ "Director Maggie Kang Awarded Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit". December 11, 2025. Archived from the original on February 26, 2026. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
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