Rei Ami's Halloween costume this year didn't break the mold of the golden box, but rather embraced it with an unapologetic flair. The singer behind KPop Demon Hunters' Zoey's musical voice transformed into the animated character for Heidi Klum's 24th Annual Halloween Party, recreating the iconic look from the film - the patchwork parachute pants as she leaped from a plane - down to the last detail.
"Oh my god, it's everywhere, I can't escape it," Rei told E! News on the red carpet outside New York's Hard Rock Hotel on October 31st, referring to the ubiquitous KPop Demon Hunter-inspired costumes this year. "And I'm not complaining, please!"
The 30-year-old showcased the intricate embroidery, noting the symbolic sea turtle and a hibiscus, the national flower of South Korea. To complement Zoey's shin-kal (her magical throwing knives), Rei also sported a fierce manicure.
"It only took me 'like three hours,'" she shared with E!, assuring them, "It wasn't bad." But she admitted, "I really put my tailor through it. I sent my measurements in a week ago. He hasn't slept." A heartfelt apology to Rei's tailor, indeed.
But the effort was worth it, and it came together "in the span of 36 hours. I literally walked in earlier today for my fitting."
Meanwhile, Rei is still in awe of the mega-success of KPop Demon Hunters, who could have predicted just how much the Netflix film would dominate the summer? Now it's fall and "I can't and I still haven't," she marveled. "This is a cultural phenomenon."
"I'm so honored and in awe," she gushed, "and truly humbled by the power of music and good art and how it can truly - it sounds so cliché - change the world. That's exactly what this film and this soundtrack did, and it brought so much hope and light into such a dim, grim world. I feel truly privileged to be a part of it."
With one-third of the weight of the world resting on Zoey's shoulders, Rei is planning on "world domination" for herself in 2026. Though asked if she could share details about whether a sequel to Netflix's most popular movie of all time is in the works, Rei told E!, "I'm waiting for the call, just like you! You'll find out when I do, so we'll chat then."
