Hanukkah begins on the 25th of Kislev, as always, ushering in traditions we can count on. The rainy season in Israel; snow here. Short, dark days brightened by menorah lightings in public and at home. The glory of fried food and spinning dreidels.
But in modern times, the festival really wouldn’t be complete without new parody music videos, and this year’s theme is all about being keen on the K-pop craze.
Doughnuts, Dreidels and…Demon Hunters?
The Maccabeats and Six13 have both struck the perfect chord with their creative, meaningful takes on the music from KPop Demon Hunters, a 2025 animated film that has become the most-watched original title in Netflix history and whose soundtrack has earned critical acclaim and fan fervor.
The Maccabeats
The Maccabeats appear in avatar form in this year’s video, but their talent and messaging are as real as ever.
K-pop’s colorful visual appeal and hybrid hip-hop-rock-techno music are perfect for conveying the fun of Hanukkah, as exemplified in these lyrics:
‘Cause the recipe’s rad and the kitchen is clean
Put the applesauce next to the good sour cream…
I don’t think you’re ready for my latkes
Since Oct. 7 and with the past two Hanukkahs spent with living hostages held captive in Gaza, Israel at war, and rising global antisemitism, the group incorporated poignant subjects in their videos. After all, such themes echo the festival’s origin story, a fight for survival.
This year’s work reflects a new balance.
“For two years after October 7th, we included a communal singing of Acheinu, the traditional Jewish prayer for those in distress or captivity, in every one of our live performances,” Julian Horowitz, founding member and Musical Director of the Maccabeats, told TC Jewfolk. “That lasted until the ceasefire and hostage releases of this past October, when it seemed like our community was finally ready to breathe again. While there’s still plenty we’re all carrying, this feels like the right moment to let some light and laughter back in.”
The Maccabeats aren’t K-pop novices.
“Back in 2020 we released our take on Dynamite by BTS,” Horowitz said. “But while we immediately fell in love with the music from KPop Demon Hunters, we were less excited about the idea of prancing around in pink wigs. So we put our heads together and tried to figure out how we could do something different this year.”
Do new technology and animation mean less work for the performers?
“A popular misconception!” Horowitz said. “Most of the movement in our video came from motion capture tools, so we had to film ourselves singing the song in order to create the final product. Maybe we’ll release some ‘behind the scenes’ footage showing how it all works.”
Fans will still recognize all the singers, right down to Noey Jacobson’s avatar sporting an orange spacesuit, a costume choice that harkens back to the Maccabeats’ first viral video.
Six13
Six13, another other iconic Jewish acapella group, likewise conjures K-pop’s glittering style in their catchy commemoration of the Maccabee-led Jewish rebellion.
The group mixes humor with serious content, Jewish pride with gold-sequin jackets, and their make-you-wanna-dance-and-sing lyrics honor our history and resilience:
It’s our time, no fears, we rise
We’re Jewish, proud and free…
While our joy is increasing
We’ll sing Al HaNissim
Just please, no shins
The K-pop vibe is potent, with choreographed stage scenes and even a visit to Times Square to round out the blockbuster feel.
Inspiration from KPop Demon Hunters
Beyond its flashy entertainment style and musical appeal, the plot of KPop Demon Hunters explores universal lessons – including some that are especially relatable for the Jewish community.
Characters discover pride and strength in how they’re different from, yet still belong to, a larger world. Friendships and solidarity among community members help them embrace their identities and move forward after difficulty.
These substantive motifs, not only the style, are carried forward into the Hanukkah parodies by the Maccabeats and Six13.
“The final song in our medley, mostly unchanged from the original What It Sounds Like, is about transforming the pain of the past into something powerful,” said Horowitz of the Maccabeats. “This also feels very true to the moment that we’re in.”
Just as last year’s Wicked mania made it onto the bima, so too has the K-pop trend, with renowned Cantor Azi Schwartz – who visited St. Paul earlier this year to perform at Temple of Aaron – singing Adon Olam to the tune of Golden from Kpop Demon Hunters.
Give these works a listen – and see if you can resist being captured by the charisma of K-pop.
