How "Free" from K-pop Demon Hunters Taught Me About Real Connection

By: Yosephine Mary Agipta Wijaya

From the first listen, "Free" from the K-pop Demon Hunters soundtrack resonated with me on a deep level. To me this song argues that true strength isn’t about being an unbreakable wall. It’s about having the courage to be vulnerable with someone you trust. From what I've seen of the music video and heard from the lyrics, the characters don’t hide their struggles; they share them, confessing their fears and desires to build a shared hope for a future where they can be free. The idea of facing obstacles as a united front, of lifting each other up instead of looking for someone to blame—it captivated me. It’s a powerful portrayal of courage rooted not in solitude, but in the promise that you don't have to face the dark alone.

From: Republic Records

While the song frames this bond within its own narrative, based on my description of the song, the message echoes painfully true in our everyday life, especially in friendship. If we think about these bonds, how often do we mistake sharing laughs for genuine friendship? I've seen—and felt—how some connections are conditional; they last only as long as you agree, as long as you're easy to be around. When a real struggle appears, or a differing view emerges, people often retreat into their comfort zones, surrounded by people who reflect their own view. Staying in that safe space might be comfortable, but it limits a friendship to something shallow, and it's about showing your morals through actions that are clear to those who are in need, the same as true empathy. To me, it isn't just about feeling sorry for someone. It's about showing you care through action—moving beyond easy words like "You can do it!" and instead asking, "What can I do for you?". To be willing to leave that comfort zone with them, you are willing to do it regardless of everything—how you would not judge, despise or even suspect them for who they are, rather you want to see them grow, by helping them out. Yet, this has been the hardest lesson for me to accept. To accept that even when you extend that kind of active help, with open arms, it isn't always welcomed, where I've poured effort into people who I realized were clinging to their own problems and prejudices. They seemed to prefer the familiarity of their misery over the uncertainty of a solution. They weren't ready to be helped, to be real, and my attempts to support them just faded into the background, unappreciated. It’s a lonely feeling, to offer your hand only to find the other person has chosen to keep theirs firmly in their pockets, choosing the comfort of their own struggle over the connection you're offering.

Witnessing these situations made me realize a difficult truth; clinging to your problems and thinking you can solve everything alone is an impossible task. Sometimes, even when help is right in front of them, people don't notice it, as they are too easily gnawed at by their own flaws and succumb to them. Obviously, you can't do this with just anyone—it requires someone who is transparently there for you, even when you aren't there for yourself. To face your own problems, you need not only the support of others who create a safe space to push you through, but also the courage to believe you can solve them and become a better version of yourself. It’s about learning to not carry the past wounds that always bleed, but to finally, slowly, begin healing.

This journey with the song's message is what truly taught me what it means to have a real connection. It’s a bond where both people benefit and lift each other up—a partnership where no one is meant to succumb alone in their darkness. It cannot be about taking advantage of someone, or worse, lashing out at innocent people who are genuinely trying to help you. When you are blinded by your own miseries, you end up clinging to the very things that corrupt you. A real connection is the opposite; it’s the courage to finally let go of what's hurting you, and to trust the hand that's reaching out to pull you into the light.