The record-breaking success of Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters has hit a discordant note with the release of a new high-end toy line. Mattel and American Girl recently unveiled a collaboration featuring the film’s lead trio—Rumi, Zoey, and Mira—but the response from the community has been anything but celebratory.
The dolls, which retail for a substantial $165 (£130) each, have sparked a firestorm of criticism online. Many fans argue that the figures bear little to no resemblance to the Korean characters they are meant to portray, leading to accusations of cultural erasure and “nightmare fuel” aesthetics.
‘Whose white baby is that?’
The core of the controversy lies in the physical design of the dolls. Critics have been quick to point out that American Girl appears to have reused existing head molds rather than producing features specific to the characters’ East Asian ethnicity.
Read more: Oscars 2026: ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ Secures Historic Animation Nomination
On social media platforms, the backlash has been swift and unforgiving. “For $165, you would think they could have made them look vaguely Korean,” one user noted, while another simply asked: “Whose white baby is that?”
The heavy makeup applied to the dolls has also come under fire. Observers argue that the thick eyeliner makes the dolls’ eyes appear “rounder and heavier,” further distancing the products from the distinctive animation style of the film.
Beyond the visual inaccuracies, the collaboration has been labeled “cringe” by those who feel the American Girl brand is an ill fit for a story about global K-pop superstars. One disgruntled fan pointed out the irony of the branding: “They are not even American… this is a stretch to make money.”
Read more: Arden Cho Auditioned For Different ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Character — Before Landing Lead Role, Rumi
The decision to include weapons—the swords used by the characters to hunt demons—with the child-targeted dolls has also raised eyebrows. While some former fans joked they would “riot” without the accessories, others found the combination of a traditional toddler-style doll and a bladed weapon to be “cursed.”
Representation or ‘money grabbing’?
This controversy follows a history of complaints regarding the lack of permanent Asian-American representation in the American Girl roster. The brand famously discontinued Ivy Ling, its only permanent Asian-American character, in 2014.
While the company has released limited-edition dolls like Corinne Tan in 2022, fans argue that the K-Pop Demon Hunters line feels like a “money grab” rather than a sincere attempt at diversity. “I kinda miss when American Girl was focused on America and showcased various girls from different points of history,” one commenter wrote. “This just feels like money grabbing.”
Despite the outcry, the dolls are currently available for pre-order and are expected to ship in late 2026. For many in the community, however, the damage to the “Snow Princess” image of the characters has already been done.
‘KPop Demon Hunters’ x ‘American Girl’ dolls are now available for preorder.
Each doll is listed for $165 each, and are planned to ship on November 27th. pic.twitter.com/Ug8fKa6ZiT
— ToonHive (@ToonHive) January 27, 2026
