‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Songs Banned by England Catholic School: ‘References to Demons Can Feel Uncomfortable’ and Nod to ‘Forces Opposed to God and Goodness’

A religious school in England is currently making headlines for banning its students from singing the original songs from Netflix‘s animated blockbuster “KPop Demon Hunters.” As reported by the BBC, the school had concerns over certain song lyrics not being in line with its “Christian ethos.”

“Lilliput Church of England Infant School in Poole, Dorset sent a message to parents on Friday saying some members of the community are ‘deeply uncomfortable’ with references to demons,” the BBC wrote. “It said this was because they ‘associate them with spiritual forces opposed to God and goodness.’ In an update on Monday, acting head teacher Lloyd Allington said he had since received feedback from parents, highlighting positive messages from the songs, but said the school was seeking to support those who found the themes ‘challenging.'”

The school originally asked students “not to sing these songs at school out of respect for those who find the themes at odds with their faith,” but it soon found backlash from some parents. One parent told the BBC: “I thought it was ridiculous. My daughter is very into K-pop and her and all of her little friends love it.”

Other parents notified the school that popular “KPop Demon Hunters” songs like the Grammy-nominated smash hit “Golden” had positive effects on their children such as teaching them to build teamwork.

“While we fully respect your right to make choices about the content your child engages with at home, we also want to be mindful of the diversity of beliefs within our school community,” head teacher Lloyd Allington responded. “For some Christians, references to demons can feel deeply uncomfortable because they associate them with spiritual forces opposed to God and goodness. We are not asking parents to tell their children that there is anything wrong with enjoying the film or its songs if it aligns with your own views and beliefs. Our role will simply be to help children understand that some of their peers may hold different views and to explore how we can respect and support those peers in upholding their faith.”

“KPop Demon Hunters” debuted in June on Netflix has gone on to become the streamer’s most-watched movie of all time with more than 325 million views and counting. Three of its original songs — “Golden,” “Your Idol” and “Soda Pop” — were mainstays on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for weeks, with “Golden” topping the charts and earning a Grammy nomination for song of the year.

Variety reported earlier this month that Netflix and Sony have finalized a deal for a “KPop Demon Hunters” sequel, with plans to release the movie in 2029. Franchise co-director Maggie Kang, who helmed the film with Chris Appelhans, had long expressed her desire for a sequel.

“We’ve set up so much for potential backstory,” Kang told Variety in July. “Obviously, there’s a lot of questions that are left unanswered and areas that are not explored. We had to do that because there’s only so much movie you could tell in 85 minutes.”