KPop Demon Hunters Actress Reveals How Her Personal Path Reflected Protagonist's Story

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"{I hated that I looked Asian, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful at the time," reveals Arden Cho, who voiced Rumi in the streaming platform's highly successful animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

Cho, 40, recalls her childhood in Texas, as the firstborn child of Korean immigrant parents and her journey toward belonging in the United States.

In the movie, which narrates the tale of a female K-Pop trio who must rescue humanity from dark powers, the protagonist has to come to terms with her identity as a hybrid being – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Growing up in the US, feeling American but having others view me like a foreigner, trying to figure out my sense of self as an Asian-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she explains.

These were all components of her formative years that mirrored the character's path.

"Truthfully, at different points in my life, I hated a lot of myself and I wanted to be someone else.

"As kids, your surroundings shapes who you become and I feel like I just didn't see sufficient individuals that shared my appearance."

When it debuted on the platform in June, KPop Demon Hunters registered millions of streams in just 14 days, and secured the highest positions of the Netflix charts in dozens of nations. To be part of the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, was for her "an aspiration realized" – but it has also established her as a inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the type that was missing when in her youth.

Cho says many individuals of Korean descent have expressed it's "such a refreshing moment", making them feel pride for the first instance of their mixed background and cultural roots.

"I feel like K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. K-beauty has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I believe this movie is the one that pushed it further, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, currently," she comments.

But the film's success was not guaranteed and Cho says she felt the team making it were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

"I feel like it kind of sucks to say this, but any time there's an production with Asian leads, people feel like it's a risk," she says.

So, when she took on the role, she took steps to connect with everyone working on the film face-to-face, she adds.

The film was released against the backdrop of increased immigration raids in the United States as part of extensive removal policies, which sparked protests in numerous regions.

As an Asian-American residing in America "it's deeply saddening," she states. "Immigrants have made America what it is."

Reports have estimated that up to one hundred fifty thousand Korean immigrants without proper documentation, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be deported.

As an grown-up, Cho came to realise that the racism she had encountered when in her youth stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as people didn't know what it meant to be Korean or Asian.

"But now, in this day and age, when I feel like the society and individuals should know better, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes it appears there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

Due to this, it feels very special, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "optimism and happiness to various groups".

"Maybe that's why it became the season's hit film, because we just needed some hope and a unifying element as one."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a major concern for the film industry, raising the possibility that in future it could be used to produce a movie like KPop Demon Hunters.

The actress acknowledges she is aware that AI is already being used to copy actors' voices, but wants to "maintain faith in people" that individuals will still pursue human-made creativity.

"Certainly, I'm sure there will be AI actors and vocalists. I know they're already here. I understand our voices are already being altered, but I hope the public have appreciation and desire for authentic creations."

The film has also been leading the international music rankings, with multiple songs from its soundtrack appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and audiences globally are calling for a follow-up.

Cho reveals she wishes she could answer the inquiry of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to await the platform or the production company, which made the film, to approve the project.

"I'm aware rumors are circulating, I've heard wonderful things," she shares. "Only time will tell, and I believe everyone in the world would protest if there wasn't."

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