Meet Rumi from 'KPop Demon Hunters' at Long Island event
Rumi (Esther Chung, of Roslyn) from the animated Netflix film, “KPop Demon Hunters” will appear at The Ice Cream Party Shoppe in Smithtown for two events on Jan.19. Credit: Royal Princess Prep Entertainment
The arrival of 2026 is already looking bright as Rumi of the K-pop girl group Huntrix from the popular animated Netflix film, "KPop Demon Hunters" is set to appear at The Ice Cream Party Shoppe in Smithtown for a special event on Jan. 19 during two sessions, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Presented by Royal Princess Prep Entertainment of Glen Head, each session will include a live performance, dancing, photo-ops, games and food.
"‘KPop Demon Hunters’ has been such a popular thing with kids. We saw the explosion coming and requests started coming in," says owner Kelsey Edquist, whose company offers over 150 characters (Disney princesses, Marvel superheroes) for private parties. "Immediately, we had our costume designer start working on outfits to get ahead of the curve. They are our most popular offering right now."
Rumi, portrayed by impersonator Esther Chung, of Roslyn, will perform hits from the film soundtrack like "How It’s Done," "Golden," "Takedown" and "What It Sounds Like." Additionally, she will dance with the kids to "Soda Pop" by the Saja Boys and take some pictures during her 30-minute appearance.
"All our performers are professionally trained vocalists who all sing live to track," Edquist notes. "Each child will be fed pizza and ice cream. They all get a trading card to take home. It’s a fun memento at the end of a visit."
When asked why "KPop Demon Hunters" is so popular, Edquist says, "The music is fantastic because it’s both catchy and uplifting. There’s also representation. It’s rare that you get to see Asian lead characters in an animated movie like this. The last one was ‘Mulan.’ Plus, it has a great message of acceptance, self-love and friendship."
Sometimes, Royal Princess Prep Entertainment presents all three of the film's stars — Rumi, Mira and Zoey. Since debuting in October, the trio has appeared at the Deer Park tree lighting and The Buoy Bar in Point Lookout, and a large brunch event in Nassau County is being planned for February.
"Kids sing along with them and do their hair with a purple braid or a bun. It’s adorable," Edquist says. "Even the parents jump up and down singing. It’s become a family thing."
Tickets for the Jan. 19 event are $40 per child and can be purchased by phone at 631-864-3311.
The Ice Cream Party Shoppe is located in Vet’s Mall at 385-1 Veterans Memorial Highway in Smithtown. For more information, visit: icecreampartyshoppe.com.
David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.
