Animated Film KPop Demon Hunters Star Reveals The Ways Her Personal Path Mirrored Protagonist's Story

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"{I hated that I looked Asian, that I lacked light-colored eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful at the time," reveals Arden Cho, who portrayed the lead character in Netflix's highly successful movie, the K-pop themed animation.

Cho, 40, recalls her childhood in the southern state, as the firstborn child of parents who emigrated from Korea and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.

In the film, which narrates the tale of a girl group who must save the world from dark powers, the protagonist has to accept her true nature as a hybrid being – and when Cho first read the script, this struck a deep chord.

"Being born in America, identifying as American but having others view me like a foreigner, trying to figure out my identity as an Korean-American, as a Asian-American, as a female," she explains.

These were all aspects of her early life that mirrored Rumi's journey.

"I can honestly say, at different points in my existence, I despised a lot of myself and I wanted to be a different person.

"As kids, your surroundings influences your development and I feel like I just didn't see enough people that look like me."

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, the animated feature registered millions of streams in just two weeks, and secured the highest positions of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. 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 powerful role model for young Asian-Americans, the kind that she lacked when in her youth.

Cho notes many Korean-Americans have expressed it's "such a refreshing moment", making them proud for the first instance of their dual heritage and cultural roots.

"In my view K-Pop really, truly, has paved the way. K-beauty has had such a big impact on Korea being loved. But I believe this movie is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, inspiring travel to Korea, currently," she comments.

But the film's success was uncertain and the actress says she felt the team making it were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

"It seems it kind of sucks to say this, but any time there's an Asian-led project, people feel like it's a risk," she says.

So, when she took on the role, she took steps to connect with the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she adds.

The film was launched amid increased immigration raids in the United States as part of mass deportation efforts, 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 150,000 individuals from Korea 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 experienced when she was younger was largely due to a lack of education, as many were unaware what it signified to be of Asian descent.

"But now, in this day and age, when it seems the society and people ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes it appears we feel so hopeless," she expresses.

Because of this, it feels very special, she says, 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 positivity and a unifying element as one."

The growth of AI is a major concern for the film industry, creating the potential that in coming years it could be used to make a movie like KPop Demon Hunters.

The actress says she is conscious that technology is already being used to copy actors' voices, but wants to "have hope in humanity" that audiences will still pursue human-made creativity.

"Sure, I believe they're going to have digital performers and vocalists. I'm aware they're already here. I understand our voices are already being manipulated, but I hope people have some respect and want and love for something real."

The film has also been dominating the international music rankings, with seven tracks from its score featured on the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and viewers around the world are demanding a sequel.

She tells us she wishes she could answer the inquiry of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to wait for the platform or the studio, which produced the movie, to approve the project.

"I'm aware there's lots of murmurs, the feedback is positive," she says. "So we shall see, and I believe everyone in the world would protest if it didn't happen."

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