KPop Demon Hunters Adds Battle for the Spotlight, KAYOU & Magic

KPop Demon Hunters is extending its reach beyond Netflix with a tabletop game adaptation, collectible trading cards, and an upcoming Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair collaboration. The animated film has already expanded into collectibles, games, clothing, and food partnerships.

It has also become Netflix's most-watched original film and earned Golden Globes, Oscars, and a Grammy.

KPop Demon Hunters: Battle for the Spotlight Turns Fans Into Players

The newest interactive addition is KPop Demon Hunters: Battle for the Spotlight, a tabletop adaptation of Seiji Kanai's award-winning Love Letter card game from Z-Man Games. The new version replaces the original game's courtly setting with the conflict between HUNTR/X and the Saja Boys, placing the fate of the Honmoon at the center of the game.

Players work in teams to protect or destroy the Honmoon while drawing and playing character cards against their opponents. Each round combines strategy, deception, and luck as players attempt to support their chosen side and collect enough tokens to secure victory.

The game uses a board divided between HUNTR/X purple and Saja Boys pink, with a neon stage positioned at the center. The visual design also extends to the cards and game tokens.

Among the playable characters are Jinu, Rumi, and Bobby, alongside cards representing fans. The character cards resemble K-pop photocards, featuring individual characters in recognizable poses and explaining their abilities.

The mechanics are also connected to the personalities of the characters. Jinu, for example, can provide a token when a player's team has at least four Saja Boys in play. Rumi has a comparable team-focused effect.

One of the game's central mechanics involves reading opponents.

A card such as Mystery allows a player to inspect an opponent's hand before comparing cards. The outcome can allow a player to move a game piece, but the result depends on both the card drawn and the player's ability to judge their opponent.

Battle for the Spotlight Changes the Love Letter Formula

Z-Man Games has likewise changed an important part of the traditional Love Letter experience. Players cannot be eliminated, allowing everyone to remain involved instead of sitting out after losing a round.

The cooperative structure further changes how the original formula works. Rather than relying solely on individual competition, players coordinate with teammates while attempting to deceive opposing teams.

The approach follows Z-Man Games' broader use of Love Letter as a foundation for licensed adaptations. The publisher previously released Disney Stitch: The Fix for 626, which incorporated characters including Jumba, Stitch, and Lilo into its version of the game.

Battle for the Spotlight was designed by Waleed Ma'arouf, whose previous work includes the Arkham Horror LCG expansion Film Fatale.

KPop Demon Hunters Collector Boxes Arrive at Costco

The franchise is additionally expanding through KAYOU's trading card products. Its KPop Demon Hunters Collector Box is available through Costco for $53.99 USD, with separate Huntrix and Saja Boys editions.

The bundle offers more than 20% savings compared with purchasing the products individually, which would total about $69.89.

The two versions include group-specific packaging and an acrylic display frame:

• Saja Boys version: Includes Saja Boys-themed packaging and a dedicated Saja Boys acrylic card frame.
• Huntrix version: Includes Huntrix-themed packaging and a dedicated Huntrix acrylic card frame.

Each box contains 82 cards and a display component:

• 10 Energy Edition Card Packs: 80 cards in total, with eight cards per pack from KAYOU's Wave 1 collection.
• SDCC Promo Card: Features Derpy Tiger and Sussie Bird and previously debuted at San Diego Comic-Con.
• Three-Layer Acrylic Card Frame: A layered display piece designed to showcase a selected card.
• Wave 1 collection: Contains 130 possible cards across 11 rarity levels, ranging from character illustrations to chibi artwork.

The Costco release is restricted to members. Online and warehouse purchases are capped at one transaction containing a maximum of two units per membership every 24 hours.

Magic: The Gathering x KPop Demon Hunters Collaboration Teased

KPop Demon Hunters is further heading into Magic: The Gathering through an upcoming Secret Lair release.

Hasbro CEO, Chris Cocks, previously confirmed that a KPop Demon Hunters Secret Lair product was being developed after Hasbro established its broader partnership with Netflix for merchandise and toys.

During Hasbro's third quarter (Q3) 2025 earnings call, Cocks stated, "I think Magic has proven that it can fit a large number of IPs." He also pointed to the success of previous licensed Secret Lair products as evidence that the card game could accommodate properties outside its traditional fantasy setting.

The collaboration received a new indication on Sep 29 when Secret Lair teased the Corn Maze Superdrop, which is scheduled for Oct 12, 2026.

The teaser identifies three properties through its copyright and trademark information:

• KPop Demon Hunters
• Marvel
• Jim Henson's Labyrinth

The artwork also contains clues connected to each property.

A bird wearing a traditional Korean ‘gat’ appears in the teaser.

The design points toward Sussie, the demon bird associated with Derpy and the Saja Boys' Jinu in KPop Demon Hunters. By the end of the film, Sussie and Derpy become connected with Rumi after previously serving as companions and messengers for Jinu.

Other teaser elements point toward Labyrinth. A prominent 13-hour clock references Sarah's time limit in the 1986 film, while a hand holding crystal balls points toward David Bowie's Jareth, the Goblin King.

The Marvel component continues an existing Magic licensing relationship that has already included Marvel products such as Marvel Super Heroes and Marvel's Spider-Man.

Wizards of the Coast has not yet revealed the cards included in the KPop Demon Hunters Secret Lair. Details about the number of drops, card mechanics, and whether the cards will be mechanically unique remain unconfirmed.

Taken together, the three releases point to a franchise increasingly built around letting fans engage with its characters in different ways beyond simply watching the film.