Wong Fu’s Phil Wang says ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ proves Hollywood still doubts Asian-led stories

Wong Fu Productions co-founder Phil Wang says the surprise success of “KPop Demon Hunters” shows how Asian-led projects continue to be underestimated in Hollywood.

Wang, whose studio is known for pioneering Asian American storytelling through short films and web series, shared his message in an Instagram video posted on Aug. 30. He described the animated film, which has become Netflix’s most-streamed movie ever with 236 million total views, as “the movie and soundtrack of the summer.” He noted, however, that its status as an “underdog” came from the fact that “it was an Asian-centered and led story, but no one really wants to say it.”

Wang said Asian-centered projects are often dismissed during development. “If you have an idea that’s centered on Asians, development execs will immediately say that there’s not enough bankable Asian American stars or that general audiences won’t be interested, or that they already have one Asian project in the works so they’re covered,” he explained. He noted that he has heard this feedback directly while pitching ideas, and that it sometimes comes from Asian executives themselves.

He added that Asian-led projects face unrealistic expectations compared to their peers. “We have to be performance outliers, literally the No. 1 movie in all of Netflix history now, with zero margin of error to be deemed a success,” he said. “Which is honestly not very realistic nor fair when you consider the countless mediocre or just plain awful white led films and TV shows that get produced much more frequently.”

“KPop Demon Hunters” features a mix of new and established talent, including Lee Byung-hun, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong and Arden Cho. Wang, however, said the success came from the story itself. “These names aren’t the main reason most people tuned in and definitely not why a bunch of kids are watching either, which totally debunks every studio’s excuse that we need Asian American stars to make a successful film,” he said.

Wang closed his message by urging industry leaders to recognize the wider potential of Asian-led films beyond a single success. “This movie proves that there’s a lot more potential out there as long as you have a great idea, execution, and product,” he said. “I hope the success of this film is a lesson to all studio executives, especially the ones who decided to write it off. How many more times, how many more times, do we have to prove our stories, our voices, our faces are not too risky.”