In memory of our late colleague and Film Studies founder Professor Franco Tonelli, the Department of Film and Media Studies awarded two prizes for the best undergraduate essays in the following two categories: film studies, or television and/or digital media studies. These awards recognize the scholarship and research of Film and Media Studies students.
This year’s recipient of the Tonelli Award in Film Studies is Ruixaun Pan, for her essay, “Performing Empowerment: Asian Female Power and Idol-Industry Commodification in K-Pop: Demon Hunters”. We were lucky enough to sit down with Ruixaun, who talked to us about her inspiration for this essay.
Abstract: This paper examines how the Netflix animated film K-Pop: Demon Hunters constructs Asian female empowerment while containing the commercial logic of the K-pop industry within the narrative of the film. Through a close analysis of the film, it demonstrates how it attempts to construct the concept of female empowerment, but is still structurally constrained. The early scenes of the film showcase the heroines as confident and powerful individuals, but also those who are reliant upon the power of the fans to continue to exhibit their power. Empowerment is also constructed through the song lyrics and the journey of the female characters towards self-acceptance. However, the expansion of that empowerment within the film instead leads to the collective emotion of the fans of the song rather than the empowerment of the female characters. Finally, I explore how the film has inspired many young female viewers while simultaneously romanticizing aspects of the K-pop industry, including body management, labor conditions, and idol culture. By examining these tensions, the paper argues that K-Pop: Demon Hunters reflects both the possibilities and limitations of contemporary feminist representation in commercial media.
Q: What sparked your interest to the topic?
A: As a longtime K-pop fan, I have always had mixed feelings about the industry. On one hand, I deeply admire the creativity of K-pop performances, the innovation of its music, and the incredible idols. On the other hand, I have often felt frustrated by the ways female idols are objectified, disciplined, and exploited within the industry. This tension between admiration and criticism has stayed with me for years.
When K-Pop: Demon Hunters became a global hit, I noticed K-pop reaching audiences far beyond its traditional fan communities. Many of my friends who had never followed K-pop before became interested in the genre. Their popularity made me realize how powerfully the film was shaping perceptions of K-pop culture. At the same time, I felt that some of the values and images presented in the film did not fully reflect the realities of the industry. The film exaggerates female empowerment and friendship in the real K-pop industry and romanticizes aspects of idol life that are often far more complicated in reality.
That contradiction ultimately inspired this project. I wanted to explore how a film could simultaneously empower audiences and promote an idealized version of the very industry from which that empowerment emerges.
Q: What was the most rewarding part of your research?
A: The most rewarding aspect of this project was discovering that empowerment and commodification need not be understood as simple opposites. At the beginning of my research, I expected to argue either that the film was empowering or that it was commercially exploitative. Instead, I found that both could be true at the same time. By analyzing the film’s visuals, music, narrative structure, and audience responses, I explored how meaningful representation can coexist with commercial constraints. This project helped me think more critically about the media I enjoy and showed me how film analysis can connect questions of different aspects.