KPop Demon Hunters has given us so much this year — fans have racked up over 541 million hours of golden entertainment watching the musical since its release in June. So it’s only right that we show gratitude to HUNTR/X for sealing the Honmoon — and serving up many hit songs in the process — all in time for Thanksgiving. And doing so will be as easy as flipping on the TV, heading to the theater on Thursday morning, incorporating some delicious Korean food into your Thanksgiving meal, or getting a head start on Black Friday shopping for your loved ones’ KPop Demon Hunters Holiday wish lists.
Read on for details on how to celebrate Turkey Day the Kpop Demon Hunters way.
EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI, the singing voices behind HUNTR/X, the girl group at the center of KPop Demon Hunters, are set to perform in New York City’s Herald Square during Macy’s 99th Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. The artists recently received five Grammy nominations for their musical contributions to the film, including Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. EJAE also made history as the first Korean American female songwriter to be nominated for Song of the Year. And you’ll be able to watch them belt out at Macy’s iconic parade live on NBC and streaming on Peacock, starting at 8:30 a.m. in all time zones. An encore telecast will also happen at 2 p.m. ET.
The pageantry doesn’t stop there. Two more familiar faces from the film will be featured in Thursday’s parade lineup. Derpy Tiger, Jinu’s clumsy but lovable magical messenger, will be floating over Manhattan in balloon form for the very first time. At two stories tall, let’s hope this version of Derpy doesn’t knock anything over. Plus, joining the charming feline on the parade route is Sussie, sitting on a flowerpot. A 12-foot-tall “Balloonicle” — balloon on wheels — of the supernatural spirit will also be making its way down 34th Street.
While you’re on the couch, couch, couch watching HUNTR/X slay at the Thanksgiving Day parade, it’s prime time to get into your comfiest eating clothes and do what you’re meant to do on Turkey Day: feast. Many of us who grew up in Korean American families know that traditional American Thanksgiving foods go surprisingly well with hearty Korean dishes, even if it’s just adding some banchan (side dishes) to the spread, the kind that HUNTR/X eat before their first live performance of the hit song “Golden.”
Perhaps the closest equivalent to Thanksgiving in Korea is Chuseok, the autumn festival in celebration of the harvest and paying respects to the spirits of ancestors. The traditional royal meal that Jinu enjoyed as a child, which we see in a flashback in the film, includes many food items that are associated with Chuseok, including songpyeon, yakgwa, and dongtaejeon.
Read much more about all the mouth-watering food in KPop Demon Hunters here.
If you’re in New York, there’s even more to be grateful for because the legendary Paris Theater will be holding a screening of KPop Demon Hunter Sing-Along on Thanksgiving at 10:30 a.m. Can’t make it on the actual holiday? No problem. There will be an additional special showtime on Saturday, Nov. 29, at the same time. Get your tickets right now, before they sell out.
If you have legions of HUNTR/X and Saja Boys fans to shop for, check out this comprehensive KPop Demon Hunters Holiday Gift Guide, which includes all the officially licensed clothes, toys, games, merch, and products currently available to purchase or preorder. Black Friday sales are already here for select items at Netflix Shop, Amazon, and other outlets. Happy hunting and happy Honmoon!
KPop Demon Hunters is streaming now, only on Netflix.
