Christian-Metal Band Demon Hunter Sues Netflix Over ‘KPop Demon Hunters’

Demon Hunter, a band that formed in 2000, has filed a lawsuit against Netflix and other entities associated with the production of KPop Demon Hunters . It seems they’re worried their fans (or perhaps K-pop fans) might confuse the Oscar- and Golden Globe–winning animated phenomenon with their brand of Chistian metal. They want a judge to tell Netflix to stop using the phrase KPop Demon Hunters in music releases, on DVDs, bumper stickers, wall calendars, “underclothes,” and live events, among other items.

“Simply put, Netflix is no more entitled to use the mark KPOP DEMON HUNTERS than it would be to launch a recording artist, live touring show, and merchandise under the marks KPOP METALLICA, KPOP U2 or KPOP BLACK SABBATH,” the suit claims.

The suit seeks to have the judge rule to prevent the use of the aforementioned by “directing the U.S. Marshall to seize and impound” anything with those words on it. It also seeks damages and attorneys’ fees. “KPOP DEMON HUNTERS subsumes the entire DEMON HUNTER mark,” the suit claims.

Reps for the band Demon Hunter and Netflix did not immediately responded to Rolling Stone’s requests for comment.

Though it may seem unlikely people would confuse the omnipresent “Golden” with any of Demon Hunter’s bountiful Number One–charting Christian rock hits (“The Last One Alive,” “Driving Nails”), the lawsuit details numerous instances where they claim a consumer could be disappointed by stumbling on the wrong thing.

At stake is Demon Hunter’s registered trademark for their band name, which the group’s company, Hyde Lane, has owned in various forms since 2001. The Patent and Trademark Office canceled the mark in February 2025 “due to an inadvertent failure to timely file the requisite Section 8 and 9 Declaration” but the suit claims they refiled for it in December.

In June 2025, Netflix placed KPop Demon Hunters on its streaming platform. “KPop is short for Korean Popular Music, a popular genre of music that originated in South Korea and has grown into a global phenomenon,” the lawsuit states. “The term ‘KPop’ is therefore a generic word for a particular genre of music.” Since the film is a musical, Demon Hunter suggest music consumers could be confused, but they also acknowledge Netflix’s claim that the film has been streamed more than 325.1 million times and that its songs have been streamed more than 10 billion times. Editor’s picks The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century

This past May, Netflix and concert promoter AEG started planning KPop Demon Hunters live events, which Demon Hunter, the band, object to in the suit, claiming Netflix seeks to “usurp” their mark by filing its own KPop Demon Hunters mark. “With the announcement of live concerts and the application for a trademark registration for live entertainment services, Defendants use of KPOP DEMON HUNTERS has moved to an almost complete overlap with Hyde Lane’s Marks,” the filing says.