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

This feature explores remarkable conversations and stories from worldwide.

"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I didn't have blue eyes and blonde hair, because that's what was beautiful at the time," says Arden Cho, who portrayed the lead character in the streaming platform's highly successful movie, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, forty, is describing her childhood in Texas, as the eldest daughter of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.

In the movie, which narrates the tale of a girl group who must rescue humanity from dark powers, Rumi has to accept her identity as part human, part demon – 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 I'm not, trying to figure out my identity as an Korean-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she says.

These elements were components of her early life that mirrored the character's path.

"I can honestly say, at various stages in my life, I hated many parts of me and I wanted to be a different person.

"As kids, your surroundings influences who you become and I feel like I lacked exposure to sufficient individuals that shared my appearance."

When it launched on Netflix in June, the animated feature registered millions of streams in just two weeks, and reached the top 10 of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To be part of the first Hollywood animated film set in Korea, with Korean leads, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for young Asian-Americans, the kind that was missing when she was young.

She says many Korean-Americans have expressed it's "a breath of fresh air", making them feel pride for the first instance of their dual heritage and culture.

"In my view K-Pop really, truly, has paved the way. Korean cosmetics has had a significant influence on Korea being loved. But I feel like this movie is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, currently," Cho says.

But the film's success was uncertain and the actress admits she felt the production crew were "occasionally struggling against odds".

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

So, when she accepted the part, she took steps to connect with the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she says.

The movie was launched amid 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 heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Newcomers have shaped the nation."

Reports have estimated that up to one hundred fifty thousand Korean immigrants lacking legal status, including adopted children, are among those who could be deported.

As an adult, she came to realise that the prejudice she had encountered when in her youth stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as many were unaware what it meant to be Korean or Asian.

"But now, in this day and age, when it seems the world and people should know better, it is beyond disappointing and at times it appears we feel so hopeless," she says.

Due to this, it's particularly meaningful, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "hope and joy and love to various groups".

"Perhaps this explains it's sort of like this movie of the summer, because we just needed some hope and a unifying element all together."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a significant worry for the film industry, creating the potential that in future it could be used to make a film like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho says she is conscious that technology is already being used to replicate performers' vocals, 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 AI actors and vocalists. I'm aware they already exist. I understand performers' voices are already being altered, but I hope people have appreciation and want and love for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been leading the international music rankings, with multiple songs from its soundtrack appearing in the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and viewers around the world are calling for a sequel.

Cho 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 made the film, 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 believe everyone in the world would riot if there wasn't."

• Starting conversations, building connections and challenging misinformation through features, investigations, interviews and remarkable accounts