Christian metal band Demon Hunter has initiated legal action against Netflix over the streaming platform’s animated series “KPop Demon Hunters,” claiming the title infringes on their trademarked band name. The lawsuit argues that Netflix’s use of the phrase across merchandise, music releases, and live events creates confusion among consumers who may inadvertently purchase Demon Hunter products expecting K-pop content instead.
The band, which has used the Demon Hunter trademark since 2001, contends that Netflix’s wildly successful show—which has been streamed over 325 million times with songs garnering more than 10 billion streams—unfairly capitalizes on their established brand identity. Demon Hunter’s legal filing compares Netflix’s actions to hypothetically launching products under names like “KPop Metallica” or “KPop U2,” arguing such usage would be equally inappropriate for other established musical acts.
Supporting their case, the lawsuit references multiple instances of consumer confusion, including emails from parents who purchased Demon Hunter concert tickets for their young children under the mistaken belief they were buying tickets to KPop Demon Hunters events. The band seeks a court order prohibiting Netflix from using the phrase across all merchandise and platforms, along with damages and legal fees. Neither Demon Hunter nor Netflix has publicly commented on the lawsuit.
Originally reported by Rollingstone →
About the Author
