Animated Film KPop Demon Hunters Actress Shares How Her Personal Path Mirrored Protagonist's Story

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"{I disliked that I looked Asian, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," says Arden Cho, who voiced Rumi in Netflix's chart-topping movie, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, forty, is describing her early years in the southern state, as the eldest daughter of parents who emigrated from Korea and her journey toward belonging in American society.

In the movie, which tells the story 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 she first saw the screenplay, this resonated powerfully.

"Growing up in the US, feeling American but having others view me like a foreigner, grappling with my sense of self as an Asian-American, as a Asian-American, as a woman," she explains.

These were all aspects of her early life that mirrored the character's path.

"I can honestly say, at different points in my life, I hated many parts of me and I wanted to be someone else.

"During childhood, your surroundings influences your development and it seems I lacked exposure to sufficient individuals that look like me."

When it debuted on the platform in June, KPop Demon Hunters achieved 33 million views in just two weeks, and reached the highest positions of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To be part of the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Asian protagonists, was for her "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the type that was missing when she was young.

Cho notes many individuals of Korean descent have told her it's "a breath of fresh air", making them feel pride for the first time of their dual heritage and cultural roots.

"In my view Korean pop music has genuinely broken barriers. K-beauty has had such a big impact on Korea being loved. 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 the actress says she felt the team making it were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"I feel like it's unfortunate to mention this, but any time there's an Asian-led project, people feel like a gamble," she says.

So, when she accepted the part, she made an effort to connect with everyone working on the film face-to-face, she says.

The movie was released against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of mass deportation efforts, which triggered demonstrations in numerous regions.

As an person of Asian descent living in the US "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Immigrants have shaped the nation."

Korean news sources have estimated that up to 150,000 Korean immigrants without proper documentation, including adopted children, are among those who could be deported.

As an adult, she understood that the racism she had experienced when she was younger stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as people didn't know what it signified to be of Asian descent.

"But now, in this day and age, when I feel like the society and people ought to be more informed, it's deeply disheartening and at times it appears there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

Because of this, it feels very special, she notes, that the film 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 all together."

The growth of AI is a significant worry for the entertainment sector, creating the potential that in coming years it could be used to produce a movie like the animation.

Cho says she is conscious that AI is already being used to replicate actors' voices, but aims to "have hope in humanity" that individuals will still seek out human-made creativity.

"Certainly, I'm sure they're going to have digital performers and vocalists. I'm aware they already exist. I understand performers' voices are already being altered, but I trust the public have appreciation and desire for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been leading the global music charts, with multiple songs from its soundtrack featured on the prestigious charts. It has its own fan creations, and viewers globally are calling for a follow-up.

Cho tells us she wishes she could answer the inquiry of if a sequel is planned – but both she and fans will have to await the platform or the production company, which made the film, to give it the green light.

"I'm aware there's lots of murmurs, I've heard wonderful things," she says. "So we shall see, and I think fans everywhere would riot if there wasn't."

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