Illustrator Reveals Unused Scenes From Netflix’s ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ Featuring Idol Star Athletics Championship, Netizens Respond
The world of K-Pop just got a fascinating behind-the-scenes reveal from Netflix’s new series, K-Pop Demon Hunters. Apparently, early storyboards featured a scene set at the Idol Star Athletics Championship (ISAC), a major annual event in K-Pop where idols compete in various sports. The director, Maggie Kang, explained that this event was originally the backdrop for a key conversation between the characters Rumi and Jinu, where they discussed Rumi’s demon marks while doing archery.
However, this scene didn’t sit well with the Netflix executives. Kang recalled in an interview with Forbes,
"When we cut that scene in, all the executives were like, ‘What is this? Why are they suddenly doing the Olympics and running hurdles and doing archery?’ That eventually became a fan signing event. But, for a very long time, they had Rumi and Jinu doing archery, as they were having that conversation."
Because ISAC is such a specific part of K-Pop culture, the filmmakers decided to replace it with a more general fan signing event, knowing that the original concept might confuse viewers who aren’t familiar with Korean idol traditions.
Visualizing what ISAC might have looked like in K-Pop Demon Hunters, illustrator Henry Wong gave fans a treat on Instagram by sharing art inspired by those scrapped storyboards. The images capture the characters amid various sports, showing just how central the ISAC setting was originally meant to be before it was changed.
K-netizens had plenty to say about this tidbit. Many found the idea amusing and a bit odd, with comments like,
"I get why the Sony Pictures execs were thrown off kekekekeke. They dramatized it a bit too much kekekeke."
and
"They should have put the scene where Rumi shoots a perfect 10 in archery and breaks the camera lens!! Kekekeke."
Others agreed that ISAC isn’t something everyone outside K-Pop circles would instantly get.
"I agree that ‘ISAC’ is too difficult for normies to understand kekekekeke."
and
"‘ISAC’ would have been fun to see kekekekeke."
Some fans joked about comparing ISAC to something like the Hunger Games or Olympics because of how intense the storyboard scenes appeared:
"Are they sure that’s ‘ISAC’ and not the ‘Hunger Games’ kekekekeke."
and
"They made it a little too much like the real Olympics lol."
There were also plenty of playful calls to bring back the scene in future seasons.
"Okay let’s put the ‘ISAC’ scene back in during season 2!!"
plus
"Now I need to see Huntrix and Saja Boys sitting on the ground in their ‘ISAC’ uniforms or doing the relay race kekekekeke."
One fan even mused on the dynamic between the characters,
"Why are there metal bars between Rumi and Jinu kekekekekeke."
All these reactions highlight just how beloved — and quirky — ISAC is within K-Pop culture, even if it’s a bit too niche for the mainstream Netflix crowd. Still, it’s fun to imagine how different the story might have looked with idols competing in sports while unraveling supernatural mysteries.
