KPOP DEMON HUNTERS director Maggie Kang named one of TIME’s most influential rising stars

KPop Demon Hunters director Maggie Kang has been named one of TIME’s Most Influential Rising Stars of 2025.

Listed under the Innovators category alongside names such as GloRilla, Ashleigh Shanti, and Fatoumata Ba, Kang’s entry was written by Tony-nominated actor and producer Daniel Dae Kim, who praised her creativity and dedication in a heartfelt tribute.

“Maggie Kang makes magic. But like most magic, the illusions seem easy only because of the hard work that goes into making them look that way,” Kim wrote. “It wasn’t only the months it took to tape actors like me for her record-setting 2025 film, KPop Demon Hunters, but also the seven years she spent creating and developing it. That’s not even to mention the more than a decade she’s spent honing her craft, from positions on the lowest rung of the ladder to where she is today.”

“I’ve heard some say this movie came ‘out of nowhere,’ but for visionaries like Maggie, it’s hardly the case. She knew exactly where it was coming from right from the start: great storytelling imbued with a spirit of love and hope, as well as empowerment for a whole new generation.

In creating strong Asian female superheroes for our screens, she’s done something even more remarkable in the process. She’s become one herself.”

Kang, also known by her Korean name Kang Min-ji, is a Korean Canadian filmmaker with an impressive resume. She served as Head of Story for The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017) and worked as a story artist on Puss in Boots (2011) and Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016).

KPop Demon Hunters, which Kang co-directed with Chris Appelhans, is based on an original concept she developed herself. According to The New York Times, the record-breaking Netflix film took seven years to complete, blending K-Pop flair with Korean folklore and female empowerment in a way that resonated worldwide.

As Kang’s star continues to rise, her inclusion on TIME’s list cements her not just as a creative force in animation but as one of the leading voices shaping the future of global storytelling.

Source: TIME