Romance
Member of Saja Boys
Basic Info
Combat Stats
Description
A charismatic member of the Saja Boys, Romance embodies the romantic archetype with his distinctive heart-shaped bangs. His alluring presence and seductive charm help the group captivate fans and drain their soul energy to weaken the Honmoon barrier.
Personality
Charismatic, seductive, and manipulative, Romance presents a captivating exterior that masks his darker intentions. His romantic appeal makes him particularly effective at drawing in fans.
Background
As a member of the Saja Boys, Romance works under Jinu to carry out the demon king Gwi-Ma's plan to weaken the Honmoon barrier. His character design was intentionally crafted with heart-shaped bangs to emphasize his romantic archetype.
About Romance from Saja Boys
Romance is a key member of the Saja Boys in Sony Pictures Animation's 2025 animated musical fantasy film KPop Demon Hunters, released on Netflix on June 20, 2025. As part of the demonic boy band, Saja Boys' Romance embodies the romantic archetype with his distinctive heart-shaped bangs and seductive charm.
Voiced by actor Joel Kim Booster for speaking parts and SamUIL Lee for singing, Romance brings a charismatic and alluring presence to the Saja Boys. His character design draws inspiration from various K-pop idols, particularly Yeonjun of TXT, blending modern K-pop aesthetics with a demonic undertone.
Saja Boys' Romance: Character Design & Inspiration
Romance's character design draws inspiration from various K-pop groups, including Tomorrow X Together (TXT), BTS, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, BigBang, and MONSTA X. Specifically, elements of Romance's character, particularly early concept designs, appear to be inspired by Yeonjun of TXT. Fans have noted similarities between Romance's outfits and Yeonjun's stage looks, including Romance's pink turtleneck and yellow sweater with jeans. His long pink hair has also been compared to Yeonjun's layered pink hairstyle from previous performances.
Director Maggie Kang intentionally designed Romance with heart-shaped bangs to emphasize his romantic archetype. The film's art director, Ami Thompson, shared early sketches of Saja Boy designs that featured outfits inspired by real K-pop idols, showing the careful attention to detail in creating Romance's distinctive look.
Personality and Role
Romance embodies the "romantic type" archetype, characterized by his charming and emotive persona. He is depicted as a charismatic and seductive figure, with a dual nature—charming on the surface but with a darker, manipulative side tied to the Saja Boys' mission to drain fans' energy and weaken the Honmoon barrier. His heart-shaped bangs were intentionally designed to emphasize his romantic appeal.
As a member of the Saja Boys—alongside Jinu (leader), Abby (or Abs), Baby, and Mystery—Romance participates in their plot to undermine Huntr/x and destroy the Honmoon. His romantic appeal and charismatic presence play a crucial role in captivating fans, furthering the group's sinister agenda to drain their energy.
Musical Contributions
The Saja Boys perform the song "Your Idol," which became a breakout hit from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack. The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at Number 77 and reached Number 2 on the US Spotify chart, making the Saja Boys the highest-charting male K-pop group in US Spotify history, surpassing BTS's "Dynamite".
Romance also contributes to the group's other song "Soda Pop," which gained popularity even among real-world K-pop stars, with BTS frontman RM reportedly singing it during a livestream. You can explore all of the Saja Boys' music on their official album page.
Key Moments for Saja Boys' Romance
Performances with Saja Boys
Romance performs with the Saja Boys on their hit songs 'Your Idol' and 'Soda Pop', which achieve significant chart success
Chart Success
Contributes to 'Your Idol' reaching Number 2 on the US Spotify chart, making the Saja Boys the highest-charting male K-pop group in US Spotify history
Confrontation with Huntr/x
Participates in the Saja Boys' plot against Huntr/x, attempting to weaken the Honmoon barrier
Implied Defeat
While not explicitly shown, Romance is implied to have been defeated off-screen during the film's climax, as Huntr/x overcomes the Saja Boys
Abilities & Powers
Soul Manipulation
Can steal human souls through performances to weaken the Honmoon barrier that protects the human world from demons
Seductive Charm
Uses his romantic appeal and charisma to captivate fans, making them more susceptible to energy drainage
Demonic Powers
Possesses supernatural abilities as a demon in disguise
Vocal Performance
Contributes to the Saja Boys' chart-topping performances, particularly in songs like 'Your Idol' and 'Soda Pop'
Fate in the Film
While Mystery and Abby are explicitly shown to be killed during fights with Zoey and Mira in the film's climax, Romance's fate is not explicitly shown. However, it is implied that he was also defeated off-screen. In the narrative, Jinu is the only member of the Saja Boys to redeem himself through his sacrifice to save Rumi.
Frequently Asked Questions about Saja Boys' Romance
Who voices Romance in KPop Demon Hunters?
Romance is voiced by Joel Kim Booster for speaking parts, while SamUIL Lee performs his singing voice in the film.
What is Romance's role in the Saja Boys?
Romance embodies the 'romantic type' archetype in the Saja Boys, using his charming and seductive persona to help captivate fans and drain their energy to weaken the Honmoon barrier.
What inspired Romance's character design?
Romance's design was influenced by real-life K-pop groups such as TXT, BTS, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, BIGBANG, and MONSTA X. His heart-shaped bangs were intentionally crafted to emphasize his romantic archetype. Specifically, elements of his character appear to be inspired by Yeonjun of TXT, including outfit choices and hairstyles.
What songs do the Saja Boys perform?
The Saja Boys perform two notable songs in the film: 'Your Idol' and 'Soda Pop'. 'Your Idol' was particularly successful, entering the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at Number 77 and reaching Number 2 on the US Spotify chart, making the Saja Boys the highest-charting male K-pop group in US Spotify history.
What happens to Romance at the end of the film?
While Mystery and Abby are explicitly shown to be killed during fights with Zoey and Mira in the film's climax, Romance's fate is not explicitly shown. However, it is implied that he was also defeated off-screen. Only Jinu, the leader of the Saja Boys, is shown to have a redemption arc.
What is the meaning of 'Saja' in the group's name?
The name 'Saja' carries a dual meaning in Korean, symbolizing both 'lion' (representing strength and fierceness) and, in certain Hanja contexts, 'grim reaper,' which reflects the group's demonic nature. This duality complements Romance's character, who presents a captivating exterior that masks darker intentions.
More Questions About Romance from Saja Boys
Who are Romance's real-life K-pop inspirations?
Fans have particularly noted similarities between Romance and Yeonjun of TXT. These include comparable stage outfits and hairstyles, such as Romance's pink turtleneck and yellow sweater with jeans matching Yeonjun's looks, and Romance's long pink hair resembling Yeonjun's layered pink hairstyle from previous performances.
What is the Saja Boys' goal in the film?
The Saja Boys, including Romance, serve as antagonists to the K-pop girl group Huntr/x. Their mission is to weaken the Honmoon, a protective barrier created by historical demon hunters to shield the human world from demons. By performing as a K-pop group, they secretly drain their fans' energy to fuel the demon king Gwi-Ma's power.
How successful are the Saja Boys' songs?
The Saja Boys' song 'Your Idol' was extremely successful, entering the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at Number 77 and reaching Number 2 on the US Spotify chart. This made them the highest-charting male K-pop group in US Spotify history, surpassing BTS's 'Dynamite'. Their soundtrack debuted at Number 8 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest-charting soundtrack of 2025.
What are Romance's distinctive physical features?
Romance is distinguished by his heart-shaped bangs, which were intentionally designed to emphasize his romantic archetype. He has been depicted with pink hair and outfits including a pink turtleneck and a yellow sweater paired with jeans.
Explore More
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