If your feed just screamed “First-gen legends back on my screen,” you’re not alone. H.O.T. appeared as a full group on JTBC〈Newsroom〉 and dropped a fun nugget: the boy group “Lion Boys” in Netflix’s upcoming animation K-POP Demon Hunters (nicknamed “케데헌” in Korean fandom) drew inspiration from—wait for it—H.O.T. themselves. The members said they were surprised by the connection and flattered by the homage. 다음+1

What happened on air?

• Full-group appearance: Moon Hee-jun, Jang Woo-hyuk, Tony An, Kangta, Lee Jae-won sat down for a rare, all-five interview—their first “complete” TV sit-down in years. The segment doubled as a mini-reunion vibe and promo moment. EduKorea News+1
• “Lion Boys” shout-out: When asked about the rumor that K-POP Demon Hunters’ in-story idol group Lion Boys was modeled after H.O.T., the members laughed that they hadn’t known—one even joked he assumed it might be modeled after a current-gen visual like Cha Eun-woo. Cue studio giggles and a wave of nostalgic tweets. 다음+1

Why fans are loving this

1. Cross-gen handshake: A 90s idol blueprint showing up in a 2025 K-pop animation? That’s like your bias list meeting your childhood playlist—canonized in cartoon form. 다음
2. The “OG stage DNA” lives on: Even if stylized, the Lion Boys idea nods to H.O.T.’s formation, choreography impact, and fandom culture that helped define the boy-group template. (First-gen invented the playbook; new-gen keeps remixing it.) 다음
3. Reunion energy: Seeing all five on a serious news program (not just a music show) gave fans that “this is pop history” feeling, and reminded newer fans why H.O.T. were once the definition of “idol.” EduKorea News

Quick refresher: What is “케데헌”?

• Full title: K-POP Demon Hunters — a Netflix animated project where K-pop meets supernatural action.
• The in-world group: Lion Boys—now hilariously (and sweetly) linked to H.O.T. lore after the Newsroom mention. 다음

Fandom soundbites you can quote

• “Lion Boys = H.O.T. easter egg? That’s peak multiverse.”
• “From ‘Candy’ to cartoons—the legacy arc we didn’t know we needed.”
• “First-gen blueprint, next-gen canvas. We see you, animators.”

Watch/Read pointers

• JTBC〈Newsroom〉 channels regularly clip interviews on YouTube after broadcast (check their official feed). YouTube
• Multiple Korean outlets already summarized key moments from tonight’s interview and the “Lion Boys = H.O.T.” chatter—handy for translation threads. 다음+1

TL;DR

H.O.T. appeared on JTBC〈Newsroom〉 as a full group and reacted—between laughs and nostalgia—to the idea that K-POP Demon Hunters’ Lion Boys were modeled after H.O.T. It’s a perfect cross-gen wink: first-gen DNA showing up in a new-school K-pop animation. Fandom timeline = delighted. 다음+1