Christian metal band Demon Hunter has taken legal action against Netflix for alleged trademark infringement, claiming that the popular movie “KPop Demon Hunters” has caused confusion among viewers. The lawsuit, filed on August 18, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by Hyde Lane Inc., the parent company of Demon Hunter, asserts that the film’s title bears striking similarities to the band’s trademarked name.
According to the complaint, Demon Hunter, founded by brothers Ryan Clark and Don Clark in Seattle in 2000, has released 13 albums and achieved significant commercial success, including selling the equivalent of one million albums through streaming services. Their most recent album, “There Was a Light Here,” was released in 2025. In contrast, Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters,” released in June 2025, tells the story of members of Huntrix, a K-pop girl group doubling as demon hunters, and has become Netflix’s most-watched movie with over 325.1 million views as of March.
Since the release of “KPop Demon Hunters,” Demon Hunter claims to have received inquiries from individuals mistakenly associating the band with the movie. For instance, in February, the band’s parent company received an email seeking a refund for a concert ticket under the assumption that it was for a “KPop Demon Hunters” show. Additionally, a producer from the TV show “Inside Edition” contacted Demon Hunter’s manager to book an interview with “Yu-Han Lee,” a songwriter unrelated to the band but associated with the winning song “Golden” from the movie.
The complaint highlights instances where social media users erroneously used the hashtag #DemonHunter when referring to “KPop Demon Hunters.” Lawyers representing Demon Hunter argue that Netflix’s use of the “KPop Demon Hunters” title infringes on the band’s trademark rights and equates it to unauthorized use of established band names like KPop Metallica or KPop U2.
While John Tehranian, the band’s legal representative, declined to provide a comment, Netflix responded to the lawsuit by stating that the allegations are baseless. The streaming giant emphasized the global success of “KPop Demon Hunters” and expressed its commitment to defending against the lawsuit vigorously.