Grammy Award–winning musician Anderson .Paak is known to audiences as the man behind the mic and one half of the sensually hypnotic duo Silk Sonic. He changes tempo with his directorial debut Kpops!, co-written with Khaila Amazan, trading the stage for the director’s chair while still drawing heavily from his musical roots.
It feels fitting that a working musician would center a story on one. Beginning in 2009 Los Angeles, the film follows singer and pianist BJ (Paak), self-described as the “biggest undiscovered since Phil Collins,” performing for small crowds in karaoke bars. BJ embodies the familiar image of the struggling artist. Someone who lives, sleeps, eats, and dreams music; yet whose ambition outpaces his resources. Just like many aspiring creatives, drifting through the city, he moves forward on passion more than stability, caught between artistic longing and emotional immaturity.
An unexpected romance with fellow singer Yeji (Jee Young Han) briefly brings harmony to his life, their connection unfolding in rhythm with shared musical aspirations. The relationship eventually falters, as BJ frames his divided priorities with the telling admission that “me, you, and the music, we’re in a polyamorous relationship.” Unable to sustain equal devotion to both love and art, BJ finds himself out of tune with the very life he hopes to build.
Twelve years later, life has barely changed. BJ is still performing at the same bar, cycling through his “broke-ass originals,” nursing both a stalled career and a heartbreak that never fully resolved. Shifting to the colorful spectacle of Korea, a long-shot opportunity finally arrives: Wild Card. A Korean karaoke survival competition, essentially American Idol reimagined through the glossy intensity of K-pop culture, with a dash of Squid Game pressure. Amongst 52 talented contestants, BJ is branded as the “Soul of Seoul” to compete in becoming the next K-pop star.
While competing, BJ discovers that his long-lost son Tae Young (Soul Rasheed) is also chasing stardom, transforming the journey into something more personal than a late-career comeback. The unknown musician suddenly finds himself confronting both legacy and responsibility, as he does not want to be “a broke musician father doing Bruno Mars covers in Santa Monica.”
Paak uses Kpops! as a lively celebration of his biracial identity as both Korean and Black, weaving cultural pride into the film’s humor and heart. References comparing BTS to the Jackson Five and jokes about shared love of hip-hop and fried chicken underscore the cultural bridge he’s eager to highlight. While simultaneously BJ’s bond with his son becomes the film’s emotional anchor. As a father in real life, .Paak drew inspiration from his son Soul, whose interest in the world of K-pop sparked the project. That curiosity led .Paak to reflect on cultural awareness from both sides, jokingly posing the question: Soul may know about BTS, but does he know about BET? Kpops! is his way of trying to bridge two cross-cultural identities through the shared language of music.
In collaboration with seasoned K-Pop musicians and DemJointz, .Paak created original music for the fictional competition. The upbeat score complements the film’s playful, unpretentious tone, a natural strength for a director with .Paak’s musical instincts. .Paak brings an easy charisma to the lead role alongside his spirited son, Soul and on-screen mother played by Yvette Nicole Brown. The film unmistakably carries the imprint of a musician with an supporting ensemble like Diplo, Jaden Smith, Vernon from Seventeen, and YouTuber, Speed. It is evident that Kpops! fueled as much by enthusiasm as by craft and when the storytelling wavers, the film’s sense of joy and creative passion remains strong.
The problem with Kpops! lies in its tonal inconsistencies and the absence of a strong narrative foundation. The screenplay struggles to maintain emotional weight, leaning too heavily on rapid-fire jokes that makes for a unforgettable debut. There is still fun to be had watching Anderson .Paak and his son chase K-pop stardom, especially seeing him trade his signature ’70s-inspired bob for a polished K-pop-flavored Pitch Perfect.
CHRISKRATING★★★☆☆
