Pupils have been asked by their infant school not to sing songs from the Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters as the lyrics’ references to demons could make Christians feel ‘deeply uncomfortable.’
Lilliput Church of England Infant School in Poole, Dorset have asked parents to tell their children not to sing songs from the hit animated film musical due to the school’s ‘Christian ethos.’
Lloyd Allington, acting head of the school, wrote: ‘While we fully respect your right to make choices about the content your child engages with at home, we also want to be mindful of the diversity of beliefs within our school community.
‘For some Christians, references to demons can feel deeply uncomfortable because they associate them with spiritual forces opposed to God and goodness.
‘From their perspective, even fictional or playful use of this language can conflict with their faith, which emphasises rejecting evil rather than engaging with it – even in entertainment.’
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He added: ‘This is a valuable opportunity to explore the diversity of beliefs within our community and consider how we can support those of faith who find these themes challenging – particularly as we are a faith school, chosen by many parents for our commitment to fostering and upholding a Christian ethos.’
The school’s decision to ban songs from Netflix’s most viewed movie ever faced criticism both from parents and people online.
One parent’s daughter loves K-pop. He told the BBC: ‘It’s just a harmless, a nice little thing for them to do to get their confidence up.’
The father, who describes himself as an atheist, said the ban felt like ‘a bit of an imposition and probably a bit unfair and silly.’
One user on Facebook commented: ‘To be honest, it’s a really positive film about friendship, acceptance, love and even sacrifice – guess these guys where looking to be offended. The songs are also really good.’
Another person commented: ‘Kids aren’t summoning demons in the assembly hall they’re just belting out songs they like.
‘A little cultural crossover never hurt anyone, and it’s hardly going to derail a Christian ethos.
‘If anything, it’s a missed opportunity for a more constructive conversation about stories, symbolism, and imagination.’
Someone else on Facebook jokingly suggested another name for the film: ‘Fighting evil is literally implied in their name KPop Demon Hunters.
‘I suppose they could change the name to KPop “Demon Huggers” if you think that’ll promote a more positive message?’
Should K-Pop Demon Hunters’ songs be banned from schools?
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Yes
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No
Following feedback from parents, the school issued an updated letter where Mr. Allington added: ‘Thank you to those parents who have shared your thoughts around the positive themes you see in KPop Demon Hunters and its music.
‘We completely agree that values like teamwork, courage, and kindness are important for children, and it’s clear from your feedback that many of you feel songs like Golden have helped your children learn about these themes.
‘However, we want to reassure you that we are not asking parents to tell their children that there is anything wrong with enjoying the film or its songs if it aligns with your own views and beliefs, and this will not be the messaging we share in school either.
‘Our role will simply be to help children understand that some of their peers may hold different views and to explore how we can respect and support those peers in upholding their faith.’
Both Lilliput Church of England Infant School and Netflix have been approached for comment.
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