9 Reasons Jinu from KPop Demon Hunters is the perfect pop culture heartthrob

With the songs breaking numerous records, KPop Demon Hunters has become one of the most popular animated films on Netflix. As seen in the film, the demon hunters’ girl band Huntr/x’s work becomes difficult when Gwi-Ma sends the boy band Saja Boys to sabotage them. Their goal is to destroy Huntr/x’s efforts at creating a golden Honmoon, which would make it impossible for demons to attack humans.

However, the leader of Saja Boys, Jinu—who proposed the idea of a boy band to Gwi-Ma—finds himself in a tough situation when he meets Rumi. He has to decide whether to help her or go along with Gwi-Ma’s plan. Due to his complex character and his good looks, he ticks all the boxes of becoming a pop culture heartthrob. Here is a list of 9 reasons from KPop Demon Hunters that prove the same.

Disclaimer: This entire article is based on the writer's opinion and contains spoilers. Reader discretion is advised.

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9 Reasons Jinu from KPop Demon Hunters is the perfect pop culture heart throb

9) Jinu doesn’t help Rumi after she stumbles onto the road

Jinu’s introduction in KPop Demon Hunters, along with all his band members, was one of the highlights of the movie and even caught the attention of Huntr/x, who were bowled over by their visuals. As they passed the girl K-pop band, Jinu knocked over Rumi’s cartons as she stumbled onto the ground.

As he notices her on the ground, he offers his hand to help her up. But just as she reaches for it, he pulls it back to brush off something from his shoulder, leaving Rumi on the ground. The move wasn’t kind—but it was stylishly cold, showcasing the kind of mysterious bad-boy charm that often defines a true pop culture heartthrob.

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8) The Saja Boys' performance of Soda Pop

Saja Boys performed their first song, “Soda Pop,” in the middle of the streets in KPop Demon Hunters, leaving the audience in awe of their talents. From singing and dancing to their visuals, they looked like the perfect and dreamy K-pop band with the potential to become globally popular.

During the performance, numerous close-up shots of Jinu depicted the confidence of the Saja Boys’ leader. It was one more reason Jinu is a complete heartthrob who even captured the hearts of Huntr/x.

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7) Calls Huntr/x to join the Saja Boys on stage

After finding out that the Saja Boys were just a bunch of demons trying to steal their fans in KPop Demon Hunters, Huntr/x follows them to attack. However, Jinu notices them and calls them to join the Saja Boys on stage, ruining their plan of ambush.

The scene becomes hilarious when Jinu announces they now play games and orders a slide to be brought out, through which Huntr/x would descend. But due to their leather outfits producing a squeaky sound, the scene becomes awkward for the girls. It creates an awkward moment for them—and a hilarious one for the audience—thanks to Jinu.

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6) Jinu helps Rumi hide her demon marks

Initially, Jinu seemed just like any other demon trying to hinder Huntr/x’s plan of creating the golden Honmoon. But as the demon hunters arrive to fight the Saja Boys, Jinu shows a different side of himself, which confuses Rumi.

While they are fighting, Jinu accidentally notices the demon marks on Rumi’s arm and sees that when her group members call for her help, she hesitates, trying to hide her arm. He then ties a cloth on her arm, helping her cover the marks so she can rejoin the fight with her team. This is one of the first scenes where Jinu reveals another layer of his personality, winning over the audience—and perhaps even Rumi—a little.

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5) Jinu secretly meets Rumi

Their first secret meeting was nothing short of hilarious in KPop Demon Hunters. While Rumi tried to kill him, he was all ready for it, having placed a mannequin in front of him. He also didn’t shy away from teasing Rumi about her pajamas, which had teddy bears and choo-choo trains printed on them.

While imitating a train, he made the scene one of the cutest among all of his moments with Rumi so far, showing that he is nothing short of a heartthrob on his way to stealing the demon hunter’s heart.

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4) Jinu talks about a demon’s feeling of shame

Jinu not only impressed everyone with his handsome looks and talent, but also showed his vulnerable side to Rumi in KPop Demon Hunters. When he tried to ask her about her marks, she dismissed it. He responded by saying he understood how she might be feeling. Rumi countered, saying that he’s a demon and doesn’t feel anything.

This prompted Jinu to ask if she really believed that. He continued, explaining that shame and misery are the two dominant feelings demons experience for being what they are—and that Gwi-Ma uses those feelings to control them. By telling the story of how he became a demon 400 years ago, he tried to help Rumi understand him and realize she could trust him.

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3) Saja Boys join Huntr/x fan meeting

While Huntr/x tried to maintain their hatred for the Saja Boys in KPop Demon Hunters, they couldn’t help but fawn over them whenever they were around. For instance, the Saja Boys joined Huntr/x’s fan meeting, where Rumi and Jinu learned that fans were cheering for them to end up together.

As they argued about Jinu helping Gwi-Ma—since he had promised to set him free—a fan approached Jinu and gave him a handmade sketch that described him as having a beautiful soul. It caught him off guard, as he couldn’t ignore the love he was receiving from fans. Torn between remembering his allegiance to Gwi-Ma and acknowledging his softer side, Jinu proved himself to be one of the most desirable characters—fully deserving of his heartthrob status.

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2) Jinu decides to help Rumi

Though initially skeptical of Rumi’s plan in KPop Demon Hunters, Jinu eventually agrees to help her by making the Saja Boys lose so that Huntr/x can create the golden Honmoon. They talk about their vulnerabilities—their dark sides—and how they both need each other’s support to win and free themselves from Gwi-Ma’s hold.

In their duet, “Free,” Jinu reveals yet another side of himself. Despite being a demon, he expresses a range of emotions and chooses the right path, showing he’s more than just a villain—he’s someone striving for redemption.

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1) Jinu sacrifices at the end

After Huntr/x is disbanded, the Saja Boys try to take control with Gwi-Ma stealing human souls. Rumi returns to fight Gwi-Ma, begins to sing, and is joined by Mira and Zoey. Together, they take on the demons.

As Gwi-Ma tries to strike Rumi, Jinu steps in between them, sacrificing himself. Rumi begs him not to, saying she wanted to set him free. Jinu replies that she already has—by giving him his soul back—and now he wants to return the favor by giving it to her in the fight against Gwi-Ma.

Jinu’s final act of sacrifice made him one of the most unforgettable characters—a pop culture heartthrob and a scene-stealer.

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Also Read: These 7 scenes from KPop Demon Hunters were absolutely hilarious