Will Jinu Return in K-Pop Demon Hunters 2 - What We Know So Far
Yes. Next Question.
Ok, so it’s obviously not that simple, but when I see people arguing all day about whether Jinu’s gone for good, I have to laugh.
Death is not the end
In supernatural fantasy, the lines between the living and the dead are often blurred. Living characters converse with dead ones, dead characters are resurrected with varying degrees of success, characters meet alternate versions of their dead loved ones etc. Death frequently serves as a pit stop on a journey, rather than a destination. Sometimes, it's a necessary consequence (i.e, a character really screws something up and this is the only way to fix it), but it’s also an opportunity for characters to evolve. That can be literal (e.g, a human being who is exalted to a god-like figure) or it can be a change in a character’s outlook and behavior. This is especially common when a character sacrifices their life; either as atonement or for the sake of someone else. Dead is NEVER dead until the final credits roll.
Some examples:
WARNING: Spoilers for Once Upon A Time, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Alchemy of Souls
Captain Hook; Once Upon A Time
This idiot threw a tantrum and almost sent everybody to the Underworld, had to die to set everything right, and then his hero girlfriend had to follow him down there to bring him back to life.
Spike; Buffy the Vampire Slayer
In the series finale, Spike, a reformed vampire, sacrifices his life to close the Hellmouth (a portal to hell). He is later brought back to life on the spin-off series Angel, where it's revealed that his soul was inside the amulet he was wearing when he died.
Jang Uk and Mu-deok; Alchemy of Souls
Mu-deok is a soul shifter, a powerful mage who can swap bodies with another person. She ends up hypnotized in the season finale and kills Jang Uk. They both die. Then he is brought back to life by the power of the Ice Stone, a magical stone with enormous mystical power. She is also brought back.
Deciphering Creators Intentions
So, we’ve established there is precedence for characters dying and getting brought back in one form or another. Now, how do you figure out if the creator intends to bring them back? Well, there are a couple of indicators.
Something just feels off:
The story makes no effort to provide closure. It’s not clear whether the person has actually died. Think big emotions: A somber tone. Sad music. A character breaks down in tears. Paramedics cover a body. Some acknowledgment that the character is really gone.
There is a great deal left unsaid between the characters. Unresolved feelings. A secret they must share with another character. The writers have teased their potential, and haven't followed through. It feels like their story has ended abruptly when there is so much left to tell.
It’s probably not the end.
For Jinu, this is tricky. Sometimes a character’s arc does conclude with their death, but this is usually reserved for minor characters or characters who have been around a while. Creators don’t often create characters like Jinu just to kill them off after 15 minutes of screentime. First, Jinu is a morally ambiguous character. Writers and viewers alike love morally ambiguous characters because there is so much you can do with them. Jinu has finally broken free of Gwi-ma and done something completely selfless. Now, what does the journey look like for him to become someone he’s proud of? Second, Jinu is positioned as a main love interest for Rumi. This is now also a love story and death is a classic obstacle that couples face in fantasy.
The creators are cagey as hell:
Here's your crash course on producer speak. You can usually tell there are big plans ahead when creators won’t confirm a character is dead. They say things like “can’t say”, “who knows”, “never say never”. They smile coyly when asked, as though they know something you don't, or they ignore the question completely.
Exhibit A: This reel from 3 days after the movie released.
They would not have bothered to make this video if the intent was not to tease fans. This is deliberate.
Exhibit B: Arden Cho and Maggie Kang were interviewed about Jinu becoming a Dokkaebi in the sword theory. Maggie smiles, puts her fingers together, and basically says she can’t talk about it because it’s a secret.
Exhibit C: Arden Cho and Ji-young Yoo have said the writing staff will not tell them what happened to Jinu.
Exhibit D: More recently, Maggie was asked about Jinu again. The following is the rough translation:
“The dead can come back to life, things that are closed can open…so what’s really accomplished in this film is that it might not be the end, and I hope you see it that way”
Exhibit E: SBS Star Article
“At a press conference held Aug. 22 at CGV Yongsan in Seoul, Kang smiled when asked whether Jinu―arguably the film’s male lead―might join a follow-up. “Who knows,” she said with a grin.
Jinu, the charismatic leader of the boy group Saja Boys and the film’s chief villain, became a breakout favorite. In the movie, he makes an exit that suggests a fatal end, but his fate is left deliberately ambiguous.
Kang declined to confirm whether Jinu lives or dies, repeating that it’s “hard to say,” then added with a laugh, “Don’t Korean stories love a good tragedy?”
These people have now essentially said, “Yes" about 20 different ways. They can’t answer that question without spoilers. They probably don't even have a fleshed-out plan in place.
Popularity Matters
This leads me to my final point. Popularity matters. A LOT. Now I know what you're thinking: That's just fan service, they shouldn't bend to the will of fans. Just bear with me here.
Jinu is an extremely popular character. A shrine was dedicated to him at a convention one week after release. I have seen hundreds upon hundreds of comments across social media platforms requesting (let's be real here, demanding) a sequel to see Jinu return. I have seen a video of an entire theater of tween girls screaming when he first appears on screen. I even saw a two-year-old light up at the mere sight of him on a phone.
Seriously…do you HEAR this??
When a character develops this kind of devotion, they become nearly untouchable (unless it's the final season/movie...then watch out). Studios take notice of popular characters, and when they do, they *strongly encourage* the creative team to keep them around. We like to believe in full creative freedom, but things don't happen in a vacuum. Some of the most beloved characters in fiction were only able to blossom because they were too popular to kill. This is just a few of the ones I found while researching this topic:
Joker; DC Comics
Spike; Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Steve Harrington; Stranger Things
Jesse Pinkman; Breaking Bad
Daryl Dixon; The Walking Dead
Felicity Smoak; Arrow
Captain Hook; Once Upon A Time
Personally, I don't believe Jinu was ever intended to stay dead, but if he was...uh, probably not anymore. The most important thing to remember is that resurrection only "cheapens" a character's sacrifice if it's done poorly. Maggie Kang and her team have proven themselves to be incredibly competent and passionate storytellers. We're in good hands no matter where they choose to go. Now, where do I think we're going, and why do I believe Jinu is not intended to stay dead? Stay tuned for part 2.
