Animated Film KPop Demon Hunters Star Shares How Her Personal Path Mirrored Protagonist's Experience

This feature delves into remarkable conversations and narratives from around the globe.

"{I hated that I looked Asian, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and fair hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," says the actress, who portrayed Rumi in Netflix's highly successful animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

The performer, 40, recalls 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 film, which narrates the tale of a female K-Pop trio who must save the world from evil forces, the protagonist has to come to terms with her true nature as a hybrid being – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this resonated powerfully.

"Growing up in the US, 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 woman," she says.

These elements were components of her formative years that paralleled Rumi's journey.

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

"As kids, your surroundings influences your development and I feel like I lacked exposure to enough people that shared my appearance."

When it debuted on the platform in June, KPop Demon Hunters registered millions of streams in just 14 days, and reached the highest positions of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To be part of the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Korean leads, was for Cho "an aspiration realized" – but it has also established her as a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the kind that she lacked when in her youth.

She notes many Korean-Americans have told her it's "such a refreshing moment", making them feel pride for the first instance of their mixed background and culture.

"In my view K-Pop 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, inspiring travel to Korea, now," Cho says.

But the movie's triumph was uncertain and Cho says she felt the production crew were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

"I feel like it kind of sucks to mention this, but whenever there's an Asian-led project, people feel like a gamble," she says.

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

The film was released against the backdrop of increased immigration raids 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 deeply saddening," she states. "Immigrants have shaped the nation."

Reports have estimated that up to one hundred fifty thousand individuals from Korea lacking legal status, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be deported.

As an adult, she understood that the racism she had encountered when she was younger was largely due to a lack of education, as many were unaware what it meant to be Korean or Asian.

"But now, in the modern era, 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 says.

Because of this, it's particularly meaningful, she says, that the film could bring "hope and joy and love to various groups".

"Maybe that's why it's sort of like this movie of the summer, because there was a need for some hope and something to unite us as one."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a major concern for the entertainment sector, raising the possibility that in coming years it could be used to produce a film like the animation.

Cho says she is aware that technology is already being used to replicate actors' voices, but wants to "maintain faith in people" that audiences will still seek out art created by humans.

"Certainly, I'm sure there will be digital performers and vocalists. I'm aware they already exist. I understand performers' voices are already being altered, but I hope the public have appreciation and desire for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been leading the global music charts, 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.

Cho reveals she would like to confirm the inquiry of whether that will happen – but both everyone involved will have to await the platform or the studio, which made the film, to give it the green light.

"I'm aware there's lots of murmurs, the feedback is positive," she shares. "So we shall see, and I think fans everywhere would riot if there wasn't."

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