On April 2, fans chose their side—and their meal—as McDonald’s and Netflix brought the world of KPop Demon Hunters off the screen and into the heart of Los Angeles. The 18+ ‘Battle for the Fans: After Dark‘ event transformed The Bellwether into an immersive playground, celebrating the nationwide launch of the HUNTR/X and Saja Boys meals with a night of good vibes, amazing cosplay, and friendly fandom rivalry.
The evening kicked off at 7:30PM with the first of several multi-gen K-Pop sets from DJ Ben Kang. From hit tracks from BTS and Stray Kids to K-Pop iconic hits from SNSD, SHINee, and Super Junior, he set the tone for the night of non-stop entertainment. Following a warm welcome from the night’s emcee DANAKADAN, the stage programming stoked the flames of the Hunter vs. Pride rivalry with a series of challenges, starting with a dance battle where fans took center stage and showed off their best moves.
A Sing-Along Challenge between Hunters vs Pride was held to see who knew their favorite artist’s music the best. Even McDonald’s icons Ronald McDonald and Grimace joined the fray, adding their own flair to the festivities.
Fueling everyone’s energy throughout the night were the two campaign meals — the Saja Boys Breakfast Meal (Spicy Saja McMuffin® with Spicy Saja sauce, hash browns, and a “Soda Pop”) and the HUNTR/X Meal (Ramyeon McShaker™ Fries, 10-piece Chicken McNuggets with limited-edition Hunter and purple Demon sauces, plus a soft drink). All partygoers also got to sample McDonald’s Derpy McFlurry, a first-of-its-kind McFlurry blend of creamy vanilla soft serve with blackberry popping pearls and wild berry sauce, inspired by everyone’s favorite derpy tiger. With each bite and sip, the crowd leaned further into their chosen side, casting their fan votes leading up to the final reveal at the end of the night.
A standout moment came with a special appearance by Kevin Woo, the singing voice of Mystery Saja. Serving as the Cosplay Contest surprise judge, Kevin was joined onstage by fans dressed to the nines as Rumi, Mystery Saja, Sussy, and even as one of the beloved fangirl ajummas. In the end, the ajumma and Sussy cosplayers tied for first place.
Before wrapping up his appearance, he addressed fans with a heartfelt message:
“It’s really been an honor to play such an amazing role in a movie that’s been the most massive movie ever. It’s all because of you guys who have brought us here to this level…I hope I get to see all you guys again real soon.”
– Kevin Woo
As the night reached its peak, the moment everyone had been waiting for finally arrived. After a night of neck-and-neck competition across the voting stations, HUNTR/X was officially crowned the winner, sending Hunters into a frenzy of cheers while some took over the dance floor for a stellar impromptu closing performance.
While the L.A. event offered an exclusive in-person experience, the campaign extends far beyond one night. Fans across the U.S. can participate in the “Battle for the Fans” through McDonald’s limited-time meals, each of which includes collectible photocards and a Derpy access card containing a QR code. Scan the QR code and enter the number code on the McDonald’s App by April 26 to unlock first-access content.