NETFLIX On DEMON HUNTER's Lawsuit Over 'KPop Demon Hunters' Trademark: 'These Allegations Are Without Merit'

Netflix has released a statement in response to a lawsuit filed by the Christian metal band DEMON HUNTER (pictured) over the use of the "KPop Demon Hunters" name.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday (August 18) by Hyde Lane, the corporate entity for DEMON HUNTER, against Netflix, Netflix Studios and AEG Presents, the live-entertainment division of AEG, with claims that the defendants have "created a substantial likelihood of confusion" among consumers.

A spokesperson for Netflix has since issued the following statement: "These allegations are without merit. Netflix has created an Academy Award-winning global phenomenon with 'KPop Demon Hunters' that has inspired fans around the world with its powerful music, storytelling, and characters. We look forward to vigorously defending this matter."

DEMON HUNTER filed the trademark lawsuit in the Central District of California, accusing the above-mentioned companies of "jealously guard[ing] and enforc[ing] their own intellectual property rights" while "willfully disregarding the rights of others in pursuit of profits."

DEMON HUNTER, which was formed nearly a quarter century ago and has released a dozen studio albums, wrote in the complaint: "DEMON HUNTER [is] a well- known and celebrated metal band. DEMON HUNTER was formed at the turn of the century and, in the quarter-century since, it has consistently released albums, toured, and sold merchandise to a large and dedicated audience. Unfortunately, in 2025, Netflix and Netflix Studios — despite almost certainly being aware of DEMON HUNTER — chose to release a movie titled 'KPop Demon Hunters' … [which] reached unprecedented levels of success, not only as a film on Netflix's streaming service, but also via the 'KPop Demon Hunters' movie soundtrack album and merchandise."

Referencing Netflix's partnership with AEG to launch the "KPop Demon Hunters" world concert tour, which is coming in 2027 with 150 cities mapped out, DEMON HUNTER's lawsuit added: "In short, in just a year's time, Defendants have taken step after step to move into almost complete overlap with the goods and services offered by Hyde Lane under the DEMON HUNTER mark. As a result of their adoption and exploitation of the 'KPop Demon Hunters' brand, which is confusingly similar to senior user Hyde Lane's established DEMON HUNTER mark, junior users Netflix, Netflix Studios, and AEG have created a substantial likelihood of confusion (and, indeed, actual confusion has already resulted),leading consumers to believe the parties' goods or services are affiliated, sponsored, or otherwise connected with one another."

The filing alleges that the similarity between "KPop Demon Hunters" and DEMON HUNTER's has created "a substantial likelihood of confusion" and that "actual confusion has already resulted", with consumers allegedly believing the businesses are affiliated or connected.

In February 2026, someone requested a refund after purchasing $500 tickets to a DEMON HUNTER show in Albany, New York, mistakenly believing it was for a "KPop Demon Hunters" concert, according to the suit. "If I dont get it refunded I will not be able to purchase tickets to the actual 'K pop demon hunters show,'" the e-mail read.

"Even more devastatingly, by leveraging their superior resources and reach, Defendants can, and do, eclipse Hyde Lane's DEMON HUNTER marks in the marketplace and effectively misappropriate the marks' source-identifying significance," the lawsuit added. "Thus, Defendants' greater size and strength overwhelms Hyde Lane's established identity, causing consumers to perceive Hyde Lane as affiliated with, sponsored by, or derived from Defendants and denuding Hyde Lane of power over its commercial fate."

The band said it had "established the mark first and invested in the goodwill associated with it for decades," describing itself as the "senior user".

The complaint added: "The brand that Hyde Lane has carefully built over the course of the past quarter century now faces an existential crisis, thereby necessitating the filing of this action and the granting of the requested relief from this Court."

Hyde Lane went on to say the inclusion of the word "KPop" before "Demon Hunters" does not "overcome the likelihood of confusion" because "KPop" is too generic a term. "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 lawsuit claims.

DEMON HUNTER has asked the court to stop Netflix using the "KPop Demon Hunters" name for recorded music, live shows and merchandise, and to award unspecified damages.

Hyde Lane originally trademarked "Demon Hunter" in 2014 under entertainment, namely live performances. Eight years later, in 2022, the company submitted other trademark protections for recorded music and merchandise.

Starting in August 2025, Netflix filed 10 applications under the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for "KPop Demon Hunters" for merchandise purposes.

Last September, DEMON HUNTER released its twelfth studio album, "There Was A Light Here", via the band's own Weapons MFG label. The record was produced by frontman Ryan Clark and guitarist Jeremiah Scott, mixed and mastered by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, HATEBREED, SUFFOCATION),except for the title track, which was mixed by Eric Stenman (AWOLNATION, THRICE, DEFTONES).

DEMON HUNTER has been a defining force in heavy music since emerging in 2002, helping lay the groundwork for modern metalcore. They've released a number of Billboard 200-charting albums, including two No. 1 Independent Albums, and six Top 5 Hard Rock Albums. They have 350,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.

Directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, "KPop Demon Hunters" follows the global K-pop sensation HUNTR/X (Rummi, Mira and Zoey),who lead secret double lives as elite demon hunters dedicated to protecting their fans from supernatural threats. The film, which premiered in late June 2025 on Netflix, became the streamer's most popular English-language film of all time. The film's soundtrack received five Grammy nominations, and its record-breaking song "Golden" took home the Oscar for "Best Original Song" at the 98th Academy Awards.

Photo credit: Tyler Byars