The Christian metal band Demon Hunter has filed a lawsuit against Netflix, alleging trademark infringement due to the confusion caused by the streaming platform’s popular movie KPop Demon Hunters.
According to a complaint dated August 18, 2026, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, lawyers representing Hyde Lane Inc., the parent company of Demon Hunter, argue that the film’s title bears too close a resemblance to the band’s trademark. The complaint states that Hyde Lane holds the registered trademark for “Demon Hunter.”
The complaint highlights the disparity in how larger corporations tend to protect their intellectual property rights while overlooking the rights of others, solely driven by profit motives.
Demon Hunter, founded by brothers Ryan Clark and Don Clark in Seattle in 2000, has released 13 albums and achieved the equivalent of one million album sales, including streaming figures. Their most recent album, There Was a Light Here, was released in 2025.
Netflix premiered KPop Demon Hunters in June 2025, depicting members of Huntrix, a K-pop girl group engaged in demon hunting activities. The movie has become Netflix’s most-watched film, amassing over 325.1 million views by March, as reported by the company.
Following the movie’s release, Demon Hunter received inquiries from individuals mistakenly associating the band with KPop Demon Hunters, as outlined in the complaint.
-
Musician Ashley MacIsaac ends lawsuit over Google AI summary falsely labelling him a sex offender
-
K-pop fever hits Toronto as BTS returns for 2-night stadium concert
In February, the complaint details an incident where Demon Hunter’s parent company received an email seeking a refund for a concert ticket. The request came from a parent who mistakenly believed they were purchasing tickets for a KPop Demon Hunters event.
The complaint further mentions another mix-up, where a producer from the TV show Inside Edition contacted Demon Hunter’s manager to arrange an interview with “Yu-Han Lee” for his Oscar win. However, Yu Han Lee is not affiliated with Demon Hunter but rather a songwriter who won the 2026 Academy Award for best original song in KPop Demon Hunters.
Social media users have also been observed incorrectly using the hashtag #DemonHunter when discussing KPop Demon Hunters.
The complaint asserts that Netflix lacks the right to utilize the title KPop Demon Hunters as it would be inappropriate for them to launch a recording artist, live tour, or merchandise under names like KPop Metallica, K