Watch: How Sony Designed ‘KPDH’s’ Rumi And Reimagined CG Facial Animation (EXCLUSIVE)

Awards season is entering its final stretch, and studios are beginning to offer closer looks at the films that defined the past year. Today, we’re excited to share three exclusive behind-the-scenes videos from Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks that break down how the studio built the year’s breakout hit and current frontrunner for the animated feature Oscar, KPop Demon Hunters.

Animation director Josh Beveridge and environments lead Rafael Lescano narrate the clips, which include a how-to on animating Rumi, a VFX breakdown, and a sweeping tour of the film’s expansive take on Seoul.

In the first video, we learn how the KPDH team designed Rumi, winner of the Annie Award for best character design in 2025. Beveridge walks through the stylistic decisions that shaped the character’s multiple looks, setting up a design that will almost certainly anchor one of the biggest animated franchises of the coming years. Pay particular attention to his explanation of the Chibi system, which played a key role in helping the film connect with audiences worldwide who are used to more expressive animation styles than CG typically allows.

The second video offers a detailed look at some of the film’s most impressive VFX sequences. These effects were also recognized by the Annie Awards as the best in any animated feature released last year. Beveridge explains how the team balanced spectacle with clarity, and discusses the new tools and techniques developed to animate the hyper-stylized facial features and exaggerated emotions of the film’s often over-the-top characters.

In the third video, Lescano takes viewers on a wide-ranging tour of the KPDH version of South Korea’s vibrant capital city. Authenticity was especially important in the environments, perhaps more than anywhere else in the film. Architecture, street layouts, and even the placement of power lines were inspired directly by the real city of Seoul, helping ground the film’s world in a convincing sense of place.