Rei Ami says KPop Demon Hunters success changed her life
The HUNTR/X singer got emotional with TMZ as she teased new music, touring plans and a Shark Week team-up with Ken Jeong.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
Rei Ami is still feeling the aftershock from KPop Demon Hunters, a year after the animated hit turned HUNTR/X into a fan obsession.
TMZ caught up with the artist outside TODAY on Friday, where she spoke about the Netflix movie’s continued popularity and what the Zoey role has done for her career.
Rei, one of the three singing voices behind HUNTR/X, became emotional while discussing the response from viewers. She told TMZ she was “so proud” and “so eternally grateful” for the fans and the community that formed around the movie.
The moment came after a fast career swing. According to TMZ, Rei had previously said she was close to walking away from the music business months before she landed the Zoey job.
That changed after KPop Demon Hunters blew up in 2025. TMZ reported that Rei now has double-platinum plaques, a sharp turn from the point where she had been considering quitting.
More Rei Ami is on the way
Fans looking for more Zoey energy will not have to sit around waiting for another movie appearance. Rei told TMZ she has a new single and an album coming soon.
She also said touring is “definitely” in the plan, framing it as something for the HUNTR/X fanbase that helped push the project so far.
The singer did not give TMZ release dates for the single, album or tour plans in the exchange.
Zoey meets Bobby for Shark Week
Rei also has a TV crossover coming up. TMZ reported she is teaming with fellow KPop Demon Hunters star Ken Jeong to host KPop Shark Heroes for Shark Week on Discovery Channel.
The pairing brings together Rei’s Zoey and Jeong’s Bobby, according to TMZ, shifting the KPop Demon Hunters universe from animated demon battling to shark-themed programming.
The role adds another lane to Rei’s post-movie run, which now includes new music, touring plans and television hosting tied to one of Discovery’s biggest annual programming events.
For Rei, the big takeaway from the movie’s rise was the fan community. In her conversation with TMZ, she focused on gratitude rather than numbers, while the outlet pointed to the double-platinum plaques as proof of how far the project has traveled since its release.
KPop Demon Hunters has kept its place in pop culture conversation since arriving in 2025, with HUNTR/X and its performers continuing to draw attention beyond the movie itself.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.