Lilliput Church of England Infant School in Poole, Dorset, has prohibited students from singing songs from Netflix's popular animated film "K-Pop Demon Hunters" due to concerns that the music conflicts with the school's Christian values.
The decision was communicated to parents in a letter last week, requesting they discourage their children from performing the songs on school premises.
Lloyd Allington, acting head of the school, explained the reasoning behind the ban in his correspondence to families. According to Allington, some community members hold the view that references to demons in the film's soundtrack create discomfort among those who follow Christian teachings. For Christians who interpret demons as spiritual forces opposed to God, even fictional or playful use of such language may contradict their faith's emphasis on rejecting evil rather than engaging with it, he stated.
The school emphasized its commitment to maintaining a Christian ethos and acknowledged that many parents chose the institution specifically for this reason. Allington added that the decision reflected the school's effort to be mindful of the diversity of beliefs within its community while supporting those whose faith makes them uncomfortable with the film's thematic content.
The announcement triggered mixed reactions from parents. One father, who identifies as an atheist, expressed strong disagreement with the measure, calling it ridiculous. He noted that his daughter and her friends found the K-pop songs to be a harmless activity that helped build their confidence through performance. Other parents highlighted the positive messages contained in tracks like "Golden," pointing to themes of teamwork, courage, and kindness that they believed benefited their children's development.
Following the feedback, Allington issued an updated communication acknowledging the positive values embedded in the film's music. The revised statement clarified that the school is not condemning the film or declaring the songs inherently problematic. Instead, Allington explained that the school's role is to help students understand that their peers may hold different religious perspectives and to foster mutual respect among those with varying beliefs.
Netflix announced in August that "K-Pop Demon Hunters" had become its most-watched film ever, generating 236 million streams since its June release. The film centers on Huntr/x, a fictional K-pop girl group whose members combine musical performance with combat abilities to protect humanity from demonic forces. The movie has achieved significant chart success, with the track "Golden" becoming the first K-pop song by a female artist to reach the top of Billboard's Hot 100 chart.
