Christian metal band Demon Hunter has taken legal action against Netflix for alleged trademark infringement related to the popular film “KPop Demon Hunters.” In a lawsuit filed on August 18, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Hyde Lane Inc., the parent company of Demon Hunter, claims that the film’s title is too close to the band’s trademark. According to the complaint, Hyde Lane holds the registered trademark for “Demon Hunter.”
The legal action states that the situation exemplifies the disregard of smaller entities’ rights by large corporations focused on maximizing profits while safeguarding their intellectual property. Demon Hunter, founded by brothers Ryan Clark and Don Clark in Seattle in 2000, has released 13 albums and achieved significant sales milestones, including the equivalent of one million albums when considering streaming figures. Their most recent album, “There Was a Light Here,” came out in 2025.
Released by Netflix in June 2025, “KPop Demon Hunters” narrates the story of members of Huntrix, a K-pop girl group engaged in demon hunting activities. The film has become Netflix’s most-viewed movie, amassing over 325.1 million views by March. Since the movie’s premiere, Demon Hunter has encountered instances of mistaken identity, with individuals confusing the band with the characters from “KPop Demon Hunters.”
An incident in February involved a parent mistakenly seeking a refund for concert tickets, assuming they were for a show by “KPop Demon Hunters.” Furthermore, a producer from the TV program “Inside Edition” erroneously reached out to Demon Hunter’s manager to book an interview with “Yu-Han Lee,” who actually won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for his work in “Golden,” featured in “KPop Demon Hunters.”
Social media users have contributed to the confusion by misusing the hashtag #DemonHunter in posts related to “KPop Demon Hunters.” The complaint emphasizes the inappropriate use of the film’s title by Netflix and draws parallels to hypothetical scenarios involving other established musical acts.
Legal representation for Demon Hunter declined to provide comments at this time, while Netflix has asserted its intention to contest the lawsuit, arguing that the allegations lack merit. Netflix praised the global success of “KPop Demon Hunters” as an Academy Award-winning phenomenon that resonates with audiences worldwide through its music, narrative, and characters. The company expressed readiness to vigorously defend its position in the legal dispute.