As K-pop Demon Hunters gains popularity worldwide, Chinese netizens are accusing it of "stealing Chinese culture." But Korean professor Seo Kyung-duk has a strong message in response: "Please, get a grip."

🔥 Professor Claps Back at Cultural Claims

On June 25, Professor Seo of Sungshin Women's University took to social media to speak out against claims from Chinese netizens that the new Netflix animation K-pop Demon Hunters plagiarizes Chinese culture.

"They're insisting that the Korean cultural elements in the series were stolen from China. Honestly, it's time they come to their senses," Seo wrote.

🌐 Netflix Isn't Even Available in China

Despite Netflix being unavailable in China, K-pop Demon Hunters reviews have flooded the Chinese review platform Douban—more than 1,000 of them.

"They're even watching it illegally and then turning around to criticize it," Seo said.

"Some are claiming that the movie features repeated use of Chinese knots and accusing it of cultural theft—these claims are completely absurd."

📛 The Real Issue: Piracy Without Shame

Seo didn't stop there. He also pointed out the normalization of piracy in China:

"What's worse than the piracy itself is the fact that there's absolutely no sense of shame about it," he added.

🙏 "Respect Other Cultures First"

Professor Seo concluded with a strong call for mutual respect:

"Rather than making baseless claims that Korea is stealing Chinese culture, it's time to learn to respect other cultures first."

🎧 About K-pop Demon Hunters

The animated film, directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, follows a group of K-pop idol girls who moonlight as demon hunters. Their mission? Battle an underworld boy band of reapers in a story packed with Korean folklore and pop-culture flair.