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 the public. The lawsuit, filed by Hyde Lane Inc., the parent company of Demon Hunter, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on August 18, 2026, claims that the film’s title closely resembles the band’s trademarked name.
According to the complaint, Demon Hunter, founded by brothers Ryan Clark and Don Clark in Seattle in 2000, has a substantial history in the music industry, having released 13 albums and achieved impressive album sales, including streaming figures. Their most recent album, “There Was a Light Here,” debuted in 2025.
Netflix premiered “KPop Demon Hunters” in June 2025, a movie portraying members of Huntrix, a K-pop girl group engaged in demon-hunting activities. The film has broken viewership records for Netflix, garnering over 325.1 million views by March. However, since the film’s release, Demon Hunter has faced inquiries from individuals confusing the band with the movie “KPop Demon Hunters.”
In one instance highlighted in the complaint, Demon Hunter’s parent company received an email seeking a refund for concert tickets under the assumption that they were for a “KPop Demon Hunters” event. This mix-up underscores the confusion caused by the film’s title similarity.
Furthermore, the complaint mentions an incident where a producer from “Inside Edition” mistakenly contacted Demon Hunter’s manager to arrange an interview with “Yu-Han Lee,” a songwriter associated with the film’s soundtrack. This misinformation further demonstrates the impact of the movie’s title on public perception.
Social media users have also contributed to the confusion by inaccurately using the hashtag #DemonHunter when discussing “KPop Demon Hunters.” The complaint argues that Netflix’s use of the title infringes on Demon Hunter’s established trademark rights and likens the situation to hypothetical scenarios involving other renowned music acts.
While John Tehranian, the band’s legal representative, declined to comment on the ongoing case, Netflix issued a statement affirming its intent to contest the lawsuit, dismissing the allegations as unfounded. The streaming platform emphasized the global success and cultural impact of “KPop Demon Hunters” and expressed readiness to defend its position vigorously in the legal proceedings.