LEGO KPop Demon Hunters has been announced, but, the future wave of sets is even more mysterious than Mystery from the Saja Boys. Blocks considers what the theme will look like when it arrives.
The first LEGO KPop Demon Hunters set is arriving soon and will be available to preorder at LEGO.com. More sets will follow in 2027, but no information has been made available about what the range will be. It could be primarily aimed at children, adults or attempt to cover all the bases. It could be minifigure scale, mini-doll scale or something else.
KPop Demon Hunters follows Rumi, Mira, and Zoey as they use the power of K-pop music to protect the sacred Honmoon. Yet they are soon pitted against the increasing popularity of a rival group – the Saja Boys. They’re actually demons in disguise who want to harvest souls for the evil Gwi-Ma and it’s up to the girls to stop them. With its incredibly catchy songs and stunning animation, the film was a smash hit last year when it released on Netflix.
That popularity has not simmered down either. The songs have been covered by K-pop groups, like Seventeen, and HUNTR/X even performed at the Grammy awards. It’s not a huge surprise that LEGO KPop Demon Hunters has been announced. But what will the theme look like when it arrives in full in 2027?
Let’s get it done, done, done and clarify some LEGO language first. Display sets fall within the LEGO 18+ range and are mainly marketed at adults. They feature lots of pieces, more complicated techniques and focus on models that are meant to be looked at and appreciated on display. Meanwhile, minifigure scale sets are about the play value. These are usually smaller, include minifigures of the characters and are typically designed with roleplay in mind through lots of accessories – weapons, hairbrushes, outfits, furniture, musical instruments et cetera.
Previous collaborations between the LEGO Group and Netflix have chosen these different styles for the sets. LEGO Stranger Things focuses on impressive 18+ display sets based on key locations in the series like 11370 Stranger Things: The Creel House. Then in complete contrast, LEGO Wednesday highlights storytelling through interconnected mini-doll scaled sets that encourage play.
So, the LEGO designers could take either approach for KPop Demon Hunters. The better option would be minifigure (or mini-doll) scale sets, very similar to the LEGO Wednesday ones. KPop Demon Hunters is fundamentally a character driven story. Although there are plenty of amazing locations, all based on the city sights of Seoul, it’s the character arcs that the sets really need to capture.
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Minifigure scaled sets can focus on the play features that can recreate the story. There should be a stage for HUNTR/X to sing on, maybe with some turntables to let Rumi, Zoey and Mira dance. A set based on their penthouse could feature furniture, different costumes and the domestic life the girls lead when they’re not performing. Some of the locations would not translate easily into a display set, like the square where the Saja Boys perform My Little Soda Pop, but a few speakers and lights along with the demons would work well as a play set.
It would also create a wave of sets that can interconnect to tell the story of the movie, encouraging fans to get them all. While bigger display models are impressive, they are only a snapshot of a larger whole. Just a few larger sets might mean only a handful of the songs or key scenes in KPop Demon Hunters being delivered in the brick. That would be a missed opportunity as all of the sings are excellent. In fact, LEGO KPop Demon Hunters could take some cues from LEGO Wicked, which has a set for every major musical beat in that movie.
There is one major exception though. An 18+ display set would be absolutely perfect for Derpy and Sussie. Derpy is the adorable blue tiger in KPop Demon Hunters who is always accompanied by Sussie the magpie. They are magical creatures who deliver messages for Jinu and Derpy even takes Rumi flying down the Han River. A display set of these adorable sidekicks would be perfect for displaying on a shelf or desk, whether it’s in the style of 43247 Young Simba the Lion King or 10375 How To Train Your Dragon: Toothless. Either style could focus on Derpy’s expressive eyes and oversized teeth, while also incorporating a smaller build for Sussie that could then sit on the tiger’s head.
Blocks has long championed the idea of sets inspired by the film and has a guide to other LEGO sets that fans of the film might enjoy. LEGO Ideas users have submitted creations inspired by the animated epic.
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