Christian metal band Demon Hunter has taken legal action against Netflix for trademark infringement, alleging that the popular movie “KPop Demon Hunters” has caused confusion among viewers. The lawsuit, filed on August 18, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by lawyers representing Hyde Lane Inc., the parent company of Demon Hunter, claims that the film’s title closely resembles the band’s trademarked name.
According to the complaint, the lawsuit highlights the issue of large corporations prioritizing their intellectual property rights while disregarding the rights of others for financial gain. Founded in Seattle in 2000 by brothers Ryan Clark and Don Clark (who left the band in 2009), Demon Hunter has released 13 albums and achieved the equivalent of one million album sales, including streaming figures. Their latest album, “There Was a Light Here,” was released in 2025.
Netflix premiered “KPop Demon Hunters” in June 2025, showcasing the story of members of Huntrix, a K-pop girl group engaged in demon hunting. The film became Netflix’s most-viewed movie, amassing over 325.1 million views by March. The lawsuit outlines instances where individuals have mistakenly associated Demon Hunter with the movie, prompting confusion among fans.
In one incident mentioned in the complaint, Demon Hunter’s parent company received an email in February requesting a refund for concert tickets, as the parent mistakenly believed they were for a “KPop Demon Hunters” show. Additionally, a producer from “Inside Edition” contacted Demon Hunter’s manager seeking an interview with “Yu-Han Lee,” the songwriter behind the award-winning song “Golden” featured in “KPop Demon Hunters,” mistaking him for a member of the band.
Moreover, social media users have incorrectly used the hashtag #DemonHunter in posts related to “KPop Demon Hunters,” further exacerbating the confusion. The legal representatives of Demon Hunter argue that Netflix has no right to use the “KPop Demon Hunters” mark, likening it to unauthorized use of established musical acts’ names like KPop Metallica or KPop U2.
Despite these allegations, Netflix has asserted that they will contest the lawsuit, emphasizing the global impact and acclaim of “KPop Demon Hunters.” The company stated that the claims against them lack merit and expressed their commitment to defending the matter vigorously. John Tehranian, the band’s legal representative, declined to provide a comment at this time.
