This article contains spoilers.
The latest addition to Netflix’s top watches in India is a SONY animated movie with a premise that was sure to be a hit. A K-pop girl band that uses the power of music, friendship, and fandom to make the world safe. From demons. Introducing, K-pop Demon Hunters.
Despite the genre differences, the movie had a glaring similarity with MCU’s Thunderbolts*. And even the latest popular anime in the fantasy genre, Delicious in Dungeon.
While both K-pop: Demon Hunters and the Thunderbolts* talk about authenticity and acceptance, and how that is healing, especially in an accepting and wholesome friends group or community, today, we want to look at the concept of Found Family or Chosen Family that is present in all three IPs mentioned above. Yes, the trope that one might argue is the entire premise of shows like F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and has become an integral part of many genres, especially the American Sit-Com.
But what is found family? Simply put, it is a group of people, most likely not related by blood, who have formed some sort of familial unit, where they care for each other, accept each other, nag each other, and overall be a family. There are similar fears of being a disappointment, as shown in K-Pop: Demon Hunters, but often the idea is that as long as you’re a good person, this group is a place of love and acceptance. Essentially, the idea of what we want in a family.
Of course, such chosen families rarely, if ever, have legal recognition, but they do form a community. And there is a reason more and more people are turning to shows and media with such tropes for comfort. In our fast-paced world, we often feel lonely and alone. Some have even called it an epidemic. Now, there are arguments that this “loss of a village” is due to hyper-individualisation but others say it can happen in communities where one is too different and the group is too fixated on their ideas to be accepting of fresh blood. Of course, this is not to say boundaries and social rules are all bad, but the lack of acceptance of personal authenticity can push people away, but we are also social creatures longing to belong. Some might find a sense of that in participating in the latest trends and in paracoial groups- whether or not that’s actually fulfilling- while others seek that in stories like Delicious in Dungeon, and often the fandom does end up becoming a space for them, unless the fandom grows toxic.
But perhaps this trend shows something deeper. Near the end of 2024, social media saw how the West, especially America, was moving towards revitalising communities. People wanted to know their neighbours and share farmer’s market produce. A Canadian YouTuber also shared research on how having community and extended family, whether blood or found, can benefit children’s development and many creators have pointed out that the lack of this support is why mothers feel abandoned. In fact, some creators have gone and bought shared housing with their chosen family to have friends nearby and beat the cost of living crisis.
All this shows that people are not looking for escapism through Found Family stories, but fulfilling the need of an accepting community, which we all know is extremely important, especially in times of a climate crisis possibly looming at us. After the pandemic, we understood the importance of having someone to break bread with, and while many still value their personal space, we have realised rarely are we solitary creatures. Plus, banding together makes us less vulnerable to disasters and also redces resource use, as most items are shared among the group, ensuring its used to the fullest and thus, reducing it’s environmental pressure, more often than not.
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Of course, a wrong found family or community can be extremely harmful, but that is true of many things. Plus, like these shows and stories like Call Me Bae and Guardians of the Galaxy or even the X-Men stories have told us again and again, the right community ot found family could be a huge part in saving lives, unlearning negative biases, and ensuring we reach our maximum potential. The Huntrix, the party in the Dungeon, and our New Avengers are simply carrying on the tradition in a time where this message is solely needed and gladly received.
Stay tuned to NB News for more media insights.
