KPop Demon Hunters Actress Reveals The Ways Her Personal Path Mirrored Protagonist's Experience

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"{I disliked that I looked Asian, that I lacked blue eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," reveals the actress, who portrayed the lead character in Netflix's highly successful animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

Cho, 40, is describing her early years in Texas, as the eldest daughter of parents who emigrated from Korea 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 evil forces, Rumi has to come to terms with her true nature as part human, part demon – and when Cho first read the script, this resonated powerfully.

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

These elements were components of her early life that mirrored Rumi's journey.

"I can honestly say, at various stages in my existence, I despised a lot of myself and I wanted to be someone else.

"As kids, what you see influences who you become and I feel like I just didn't see enough people that shared my appearance."

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters registered millions of streams in just 14 days, and reached the top 10 of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To be part of the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the type that she lacked when she was young.

Cho notes many Korean-Americans have told her it's "a breath of fresh air", making them proud for the first time 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 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, now," she comments.

But the movie's triumph was not guaranteed and Cho admits she felt the team making it were "occasionally struggling against odds".

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

So, when she accepted the part, she made an effort to meet everyone working on the film in person, she says.

The movie was launched amid increased immigration raids in the United States as part of mass deportation efforts, which triggered demonstrations in many states.

As an person of Asian descent residing in America "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," says Cho. "Immigrants have shaped the nation."

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

As an adult, she understood that the prejudice she had experienced when in her youth was largely due to a lack of education, as many were unaware what it meant to be Korean or Asian.

"But now, in this day and age, when it seems the society and individuals ought to be more informed, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes it appears we feel so hopeless," she says.

Because of this, it's particularly meaningful, she notes, that the film could bring "hope and joy and love to all these different communities".

"Perhaps this explains it's sort of like the season's hit film, because we just needed some hope and something to unite us all together."

The growth of AI is a significant worry for the film industry, raising the possibility that in coming years it could be used to make a film like the animation.

Cho acknowledges she is conscious that technology is already being used to copy performers' vocals, but wants to "have hope in humanity" that individuals will still pursue art created by humans.

"Certainly, I'm sure they're going to have AI actors and vocalists. I'm aware they already exist. I know performers' voices are already being altered, but I trust the public have appreciation and want and love for authentic creations."

The film has also been leading the international music rankings, with multiple songs from its score featured on the prestigious charts. It has its own fan creations, 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 everyone involved will have to await the platform or the production company, which made the film, to approve the project.

"I know there's lots of murmurs, I've heard wonderful things," she says. "Only time will tell, and I believe fans everywhere would riot if there wasn't."

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