A Christian metal band named Demon Hunter has filed a lawsuit against Netflix for trademark infringement, citing confusion caused by the popular movie “KPop Demon Hunters.” The legal complaint, dated August 18, 2026, and submitted in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by Hyde Lane Inc., the parent company of Demon Hunter, claims that the film’s title is too closely related to the band’s trademark, which Hyde Lane owns.
The lawsuit accuses Netflix of prioritizing its own intellectual property rights over those of others to maximize profits. Founded in Seattle in 2000 by brothers Ryan Clark and Don Clark (who left the band in 2009), Demon Hunter has launched 13 albums and achieved sales equivalent to one million albums, including streaming figures, as per the complaint. Their latest album, “There Was a Light Here,” was released in 2025.
Netflix premiered “KPop Demon Hunters” in June 2025, a storyline revolving around 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, according to the company.
Post the movie’s release, Demon Hunter has encountered inquiries from individuals who mistakenly associate the band with “KPop Demon Hunters.” One incident cited in the complaint involved a parent seeking a ticket refund for a concert, assuming it was for a “KPop Demon Hunters” show.
Furthermore, the complaint mentions an erroneous booking request from the TV show “Inside Edition” for Yu Han Lee, a songwriter linked to the movie’s soundtrack, mistaking him for a band member. Social media users have also misused the hashtag #DemonHunter when discussing “KPop Demon Hunters.”
The band’s attorney, John Tehranian, declined to comment on the matter at this point. Netflix, on the other hand, responded via email to CBC News, expressing plans to contest the lawsuit and dismissing the allegations as baseless. The company emphasized the global success of “KPop Demon Hunters” as an Academy Award-winning phenomenon that has captivated audiences worldwide with its music and storytelling.