Movies
‘KPop Demon Hunters’: Should Rumi & Jinu Get Together in a Sequel? (POLL)
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for KPop Demon Hunters.]
KPop Demon Hunters having one of the most heartbreaking romances of the year wasn’t on our 2025 bingo card, but we’re glad that the animated Netflix movie surprised us.
Some fans might argue that the film is completely devoid of a love story, but our interpretation — and star Arden Cho — differs. Even though there are no outright declarations of love from Rumi (Cho) or Jinu (Ahn Hyo-Seop), they went from enemies to what seemed like almost lovers. As we wait on news of a sequel, which is rumored to be in the works, we can’t help but wonder if Rujinu should defy all odds and get together for real.
From the moment they first cross paths, there’s obvious chemistry between Rumi and Jisu, but there’s a catch: Rumi’s a demon hunter trying to save the world, and Jinu is one of the (seemingly) evil creatures bent on destroying it. Their connection becomes even more complicated when Jinu learns that Rumi is half-demon with a deep hatred of herself. However, Jinu not only protects her secret from her HUNTRI/X bandmates (Ji-young Yoo and May Hong), but he also challenges her to think differently about her heritage. Her deteriorating singing voice starts to repair itself after that.
Cho views said protection scene as enough confirmation that Rujinu is romantic. “In what world is that platonic?” she told Collider. “He is the first person — soul demon — to see her and accept her and protect her, but also, like… was he kind of calling out who you are, right? He might have called her out.”
We’re also inclined to agree with Cho’s take that Jinu’s relationship with Rumi was transformative, changing her for the better. “Like the fact that Jinu sees her, and the second she starts accepting it and being like, ‘Okay, you’re right. This is who I am,’ her voice healed,” the actress explained. “Jinu helps her heal and helps her voice come back.”
From there, they engage in a will-they-won’t-they dance. Jinu reveals his complicated past, which makes Rumi believe he has good in him. She tries to recruit him to support her band’s mission to restore the mystical barrier protecting Earth from demons. Rumi thinks Jinu’s on her side, but then he goes and betrays her. He aligns himself with the villainous demon overlord Gwi-ma (Lee Byung-hun) and sabotages the HUNTRI/X performance that would’ve saved the world.
On one hand, that move might’ve been enough to convince us that Jinu is past the point of no return and absolutely not the one for Rumi. But then, he goes and sacrifices himself for Rumi when Gwi-ma is about to finish her off. The romantic undertones are obvious at that point, in our opinion, and doesn’t an ultimate sacrifice like that make him worthy of Rumi’s love?
Cho hopes KPop Demon Hunters is not the end of their story. “How dare he sacrifice himself and disappear like that?” she told Deadline. “I really hope there’s a sequel, and I really hope that, I don’t know, their love gets a chance. They never even kissed.”
What do you think? Should Jinu be brought back, allowing him and Rumi to be together? Or do you think they aren’t meant to be? You might fall somewhere in between: You ship Rujinu, but you also think that bringing Jinu back would undermine his romantic sacrifice. Either way, we want to hear from you! Give us your answer in the poll below.
Kpop Demon Hunters, Streaming Now, Netflix
