KPop Demon Hunters Star Shares The Ways Her Personal Path Mirrored Protagonist's Story

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"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I lacked blue eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful back then," says Arden Cho, who portrayed the lead character in Netflix's chart-topping animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

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

In the film, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must rescue humanity from evil forces, the protagonist has to come to terms with her identity as part human, part demon – and when Cho first read the script, this resonated powerfully.

"Being born in America, identifying as American but having people treat me like a foreigner, grappling with my identity as an Korean-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she explains.

These elements were aspects of her early life that paralleled the character's path.

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

"As kids, what you see influences your development and I feel like I lacked exposure to enough people that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in June, KPop Demon Hunters achieved 33 million views in just two weeks, 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 "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the type that she lacked when in her youth.

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

"I feel like K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. K-beauty has had a significant influence on global appreciation for Korea. But I feel like the film is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, inspiring travel to Korea, now," she comments.

But the movie's triumph was not guaranteed and Cho 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, it's perceived like a gamble," she reveals.

So, when she accepted the part, she made an effort to connect with everyone working on the film in person, she adds.

The movie was released amid heightened enforcement actions in the US 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. "Newcomers have shaped the nation."

Reports have estimated that up to one hundred fifty thousand individuals from Korea without proper documentation, including adopted children, are among those who could be deported.

As an grown-up, Cho came to realise that the prejudice she had experienced when in her youth stemmed mainly from a lack of education, as many were unaware what it signified to be Korean or Asian.

"However today, in this day and age, when it seems the society and people should know better, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes I feel like there's a sense of despair," she says.

Due to this, it's particularly meaningful, she says, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "optimism and happiness to various groups".

"Perhaps this explains it became this movie of the summer, because there was a need for some hope and a unifying element all together."

The growth of AI is a major concern for the film industry, creating the potential that in future it could be used to produce a movie like the animation.

The actress acknowledges she is conscious that technology is already being used to copy actors' voices, but aims to "have hope in humanity" that audiences will still pursue art created by humans.

"Sure, I'm sure they're going to have digital performers and singers. I know they already exist. I understand performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I hope people have appreciation and desire for authentic creations."

The film has also been leading the global music charts, with seven tracks from its soundtrack appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan art, and viewers around the world are calling for a follow-up.

Cho tells us she would like to confirm the inquiry of if a sequel is planned – but both she and fans will have to await the platform or the studio, which produced the movie, to give it the green light.

"I'm aware rumors are circulating, I've heard wonderful things," she shares. "So we shall see, and I think everyone in the world would protest if it didn't happen."

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