Christian metal band Demon Hunter has taken legal action against Netflix, alleging trademark infringement due to the confusion caused by the popular film, “KPop Demon Hunters.” According to a complaint filed on August 18, 2026, 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 closely resembles the band’s trademark, which is owned by Hyde Lane.
The complaint describes the situation as a clash between large corporations protecting their intellectual property rights while overlooking the rights of others for financial gain. Demon Hunter, founded by brothers Ryan Clark and Don Clark in Seattle in 2000, has released 13 albums and achieved significant success, selling the equivalent of one million albums when factoring in streaming numbers. Their latest album, “There Was a Light Here,” was released in 2025.
Netflix premiered “KPop Demon Hunters” in June 2025, a film following members of Huntrix, a K-pop girl group doubling as demon hunters. The movie has become Netflix’s most-viewed film, amassing over 325.1 million views by March. However, since the film’s release, Demon Hunter has encountered instances of mistaken identity, with individuals confusing the band with the characters from “KPop Demon Hunters.”
In a peculiar incident outlined in the complaint, Demon Hunter’s parent company received an email in February requesting a ticket refund for a concert, as the parent mistakenly believed they had purchased tickets to a “KPop Demon Hunters” show for their young daughters. Another mix-up involved a producer from the TV show “Inside Edition” reaching out to book “Yu-Han Lee” for an interview about winning an Oscar, although Yu-Han Lee is not associated with Demon Hunter but is a songwriter recognized for his work in “KPop Demon Hunters.”
Furthermore, social media users have erroneously used the hashtag #DemonHunter when discussing “KPop Demon Hunters,” adding to the confusion. The complaint emphasizes that Netflix’s use of the “KPop Demon Hunters” mark is unjustifiable, comparing it to hypothetical scenarios of the company launching products under the names of established bands like Metallica, U2, or Black Sabbath.
The band’s legal representative, John Tehranian, declined to comment on the matter, while Netflix responded with a statement expressing their intent to contest the lawsuit, dismissing the allegations as groundless. Netflix highlighted the global success of “KPop Demon Hunters,” which has garnered acclaim for its music, storyline, and characters, stating their commitment to defending the case vigorously.
