🔗 Share this article

This feature delves into remarkable conversations and narratives 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 back then," says Arden Cho, who voiced the lead character in the streaming platform's chart-topping animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, 40, is describing her early years in the southern state, as the eldest daughter of parents who emigrated from Korea and her struggle for acceptance in American society.

In the movie, which narrates the tale of a female K-Pop trio who must rescue humanity from dark powers, the protagonist has to come to terms with her identity as part human, part demon – and when she first saw the screenplay, 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 explains.

These were all aspects of her early life that paralleled Rumi's journey.

"Truthfully, at various stages in my life, I hated a lot of myself and I wanted to be a different person.

"As kids, what you see shapes who you become and I feel like I lacked exposure to enough people that shared my appearance."

When it debuted on the platform in June, the animated feature registered millions of streams in just 14 days, and secured the highest positions of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, was for her "a dream come true" – but it has also established her as a powerful role model for young Asian-Americans, the kind that was missing when in her youth.

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

"In my view Korean pop music has genuinely broken barriers. K-beauty has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I believe this movie is the one that pushed it further, of, inspiring travel to Korea, currently," Cho says.

But the film's success was not guaranteed and Cho admits she felt the production crew were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"It seems it's unfortunate to mention this, but any time there's an Asian-led project, it's perceived like it's a risk," she reveals.

So, when she accepted the part, she took steps to connect with everyone working on the film in person, she says.

The movie was released against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions 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 heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Newcomers have made America what it is."

Korean news sources have estimated that up to 150,000 individuals from Korea without proper documentation, including those who were adopted, 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 was largely due to a lack of education, as people didn't know what it signified to be Korean or Asian.

"But now, in this day and age, when it seems the world and people ought to be more informed, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes it appears there's a sense of despair," she says.

Due to this, it feels very special, she says, that the film could bring "optimism and happiness to all these different communities".

"Maybe that's why it became this movie of the summer, 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, creating the potential that in coming years it could be used to make a film like the animation.

The actress acknowledges she is aware that AI is already being used to copy performers' vocals, but aims to "have hope in humanity" that audiences will still pursue human-made creativity.

"Sure, I believe there will be digital performers and singers. I'm aware they already exist. I know performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I hope the public have some respect and desire for authentic creations."

The film has also been dominating the global music charts, with seven tracks from its soundtrack featured on the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and viewers globally are demanding a follow-up.

She tells us she would like to confirm the question of whether that will happen – but both everyone involved will have to await the platform or the studio, which produced the movie, to approve the project.

"I'm aware rumors are circulating, I've heard wonderful things," she shares. "Only time will tell, and I believe fans everywhere would riot if there wasn't."

• Initiating discussions, building connections and combating false narratives through features, in-depth reports, conversations and extraordinary stories