KPop Demon Hunters singer Andrew Choi says actor Ahn Hyo-seop’s cover of Free is ‘perfect’

SINGAPORE – South Korean singer-songwriter Andrew Choi felt a tinge of bitterness when he first heard Canadian actor Ahn Hyo-seop’s cover of the song Free from KPop Demon Hunters. 

Ahn voices male lead Jinu in the hit Netflix animated film, while Choi provided the character’s singing voice.

“It’s unfair that Ahn is not only good-looking, but he’s also a great actor and such a good singer. I was pretty upset,” says Choi, laughing. 

The Sony Pictures Animation-produced movie follows K-pop girl group Huntrix, who use their secret identities as demon hunters to protect their fans from a growing supernatural danger in the form of the irresistible boy band Saja Boys, a quintet of demons in disguise, led by Jinu.

Ahn, who starred in K-dramas such as Lovers Of The Red Sky (2021) and Business Proposal (2022), posted a video of himself singing the ballad Free on Instagram on July 1. The clip has garnered more than 17 million views and more than two million likes.

Choi, 44, has nothing but praise for 30-year-old Ahn’s rendition, calling it “perfect”.

He adds: “It’s a 10 out of 10 for me. Ahn brings the song to a completely different level. He has this airiness and depth to his voice that I don’t have.

“He has the kind of voice that I love, that I wish I had. My voice is more high-pitched.”

While Choi acknowledges that Ahn had singing experience after debuting in 2015 with the group One O One, he says not all K-pop trainees or idols are at Ahn’s level. 

“I’m surprised that Sony Pictures did not get Ahn to record the songs too,” Choi adds, joking that he would have then lost the job.

Choi was in town from July 25 to 29 to conduct vocal workshops at K-pop training academy SM Universe (Singapore), where he held one-to-one and group lessons.

The former offered personalised vocal guidance, while the latter sessions focused on how to perform Soda Pop, a popular Saja Boys track from KPop Demon Hunters.

Signed under South Korean label SM Entertainment since 2024, Choi is a regular trainer at SM Universe in Seoul, the K-pop academy of SM Entertainment. He has also worked with K-pop groups such as NCT 127, Day6 and Shinee.

How KPop Demon Hunters became a global sensation still baffles him. “It is so surreal. The show was out not too long ago,” he says. 

Released on Netflix on June 25, the animation shot straight up the charts. It is holding strong at No. 2 on the streaming platform’s Global Top 10 English Movies chart. 

The film’s soundtrack is equally successful. It debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the US dated July 5, and is now at No. 3. The three songs featuring Choi as the primary singer – Your Idol, Soda Pop and Free – are also on the Billboard Top 100 chart. 

Additionally, Your Idol and Huntrix’s Golden have beaten real-life K-pop titans such as BTS and Blackpink on the US Spotify chart. 

“It still doesn’t feel real, and to have such support from fans and the broader K-pop community is mind-blowing,” he says.

Born in Busan, South Korea, Choi grew up in the US. His family migrated to New Jersey when he was five.

“I wanted to go to music school, but wasn’t fortunate enough,” he says, adding that he has always been involved in music and pursued it on his own. 

Currently based in Seoul, he credits Korean-American music producer Ejae for getting him involved in KPop Demon Hunters. She provides the singing voice for Huntrix’s lead vocalist Rumi, and served as the vocal producer and songwriter for the film.

Choi recorded a guide demo tape for Soda Pop, and was subsequently asked if he was keen to be the singing voice for one of the Saja Boys. “I think it was either Romance or Mystery,” he recounts. 

He was initially apprehensive, as he was not sure whether his voice would be the best fit. “But I said yes anyway, as it was a great opportunity,” he adds. 

He did not hear from the film-makers until after a few months, when he suddenly received a call from them saying they were in Seoul and would like for him to record as Jinu in the studio. 

For Choi, the icing on the cake is receiving the endorsement of the K-pop community, especially when he learnt that his favourite idol, Jungkook, is a fan of both the movie and its music. 

The BTS member held a live stream on global fan platform Weverse on July 14 while watching KPop Demon Hunters. He not only sang along to Soda Pop, but also got emotional, laughing and tearing up at dramatic and emotional scenes. 

On Jungkook’s take, Choi gushes about how he sang with such ease. “He makes it sound so simple, which is a mark of a true vocalist.”

Choi calls home-grown singers Nathan Hartono and Estelle Fly “super talented” when he heard their duet for Free, adding that Hartono’s tone reminds him of American singer Bruno Mars. 

“I also love how Estelle added some softness, which goes to show that you don’t need to sing aggressively on songs like this. It’s all about expression and style.” 

If Choi were to assemble his dream real-life Saja Boys, Jungkook would be his pick to be Jinu.

Choi names actor-singer Cha Eun-woo – who is said to have been the inspiration for Jinu – as the visual member of the boy band.

“There is no one better-looking than Cha Eun-woo,” declares Choi, adding that he had recently met Cha in Seoul when the member of boy band Astro recorded a cover of Free with American actress Arden Cho, who voices Rumi.

Completing Choi’s dream group would be Mark Lee from NCT, Exo’s Doh Kyung-soo or Baekhyun, and Young K from Day6.

Life is definitely golden for Choi, who has received a lot of attention and supportive comments from strangers.

“Everything happened so quickly and it feels like a blur,” he says. “I never imagined experiencing something like this, and I’m so honoured that I have played a small part. It’s just an incredible blessing.”