Animated Film KPop Demon Hunters Star Shares The Ways Her Personal Path Reflected Main Character's Experience

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"{I hated that I looked Asian, that I didn't have blue eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful at the time," reveals Arden Cho, who portrayed the lead character in Netflix's chart-topping animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho, 40, recalls her childhood in the southern state, as the firstborn child of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.

In the movie, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must save the world from evil forces, the protagonist has to come to terms with her identity as part human, part demon – and when she first saw the screenplay, this resonated powerfully.

"Being born in America, identifying as American but having people treat me like a foreigner, grappling with my sense of self as an Korean-American, as a Asian-American, as a female," she says.

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

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

"During childhood, what you see shapes your development and it seems I lacked exposure to enough people that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in the summer, the animated feature achieved millions of streams in just two weeks, and reached the highest positions of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Korean leads, was for her "an aspiration realized" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the kind that was missing when she was young.

She notes many individuals of Korean descent 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 a significant influence on Korea being loved. But I feel like this movie is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, inspiring travel to Korea, currently," Cho says.

But the movie's triumph was not guaranteed and the actress says she felt the production crew were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

"It seems it's unfortunate to say this, but any time there's an production with Asian leads, people feel like a gamble," she reveals.

So, when she accepted the part, she took steps to meet the entire cast and crew in person, she adds.

The film was released against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of mass deportation efforts, which triggered demonstrations in many states.

As an Asian-American living in the US "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," says Cho. "Immigrants have made America what it is."

Reports have suggested that up to one hundred fifty thousand Korean immigrants without proper documentation, including adopted children, are among those who could be deported.

As an grown-up, she understood that the racism she had experienced when she was younger stemmed mainly from a lack of education, as people didn't know what it meant to be Korean or Asian.

"However today, in this day and age, when it seems the world and people ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and at times I feel like there's a sense of despair," she says.

Due to this, it's particularly meaningful, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "optimism and happiness to all these different communities".

"Perhaps this explains it's sort of like the season's hit film, because there was a need for some hope and something to unite us as one."

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

The actress acknowledges she is aware that AI is already being used to replicate actors' voices, but wants to "maintain faith in people" that individuals will still seek out art created by humans.

"Sure, I'm sure they're going to have AI actors and vocalists. I know they're already here. I understand performers' voices are already being altered, but I trust the public have appreciation and want and love for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the global music charts, with seven tracks from its score appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and audiences globally are calling for a sequel.

Cho tells us she would like to confirm the inquiry of if a sequel is planned – but both she and fans will have to wait for the platform or the studio, which made the film, to approve the project.

"I know there's lots of murmurs, I've heard wonderful things," she shares. "Only time will tell, and I believe everyone in the world would riot if there wasn't."

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