KPop Demon Hunters Star Shares The Ways Her Life Journey Mirrored Protagonist's Story

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"{I hated that I looked Asian, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," reveals the actress, who voiced the lead character in Netflix's chart-topping movie, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, forty, recalls her childhood in the southern state, as the firstborn child of Korean immigrant parents and her journey toward belonging in the United States.

In the movie, which narrates the tale of a girl group who must rescue humanity from evil forces, the protagonist has to come to terms with her identity as part human, part demon – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Growing up in the US, feeling American but having people treat me like a foreigner, grappling with my identity as an Asian-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she says.

These were all aspects of her formative years that mirrored Rumi's journey.

"Truthfully, at various stages in my existence, I despised many parts of me and I longed to become someone else.

"During childhood, your surroundings shapes your development and I feel like I lacked exposure to sufficient individuals that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in June, the animated feature registered millions of streams in just two weeks, and secured the top 10 of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To be part of the first Hollywood animated film with a Korean setting, with Korean leads, was for Cho "an aspiration realized" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the type that she lacked when in her youth.

Cho notes many individuals of Korean descent have expressed it's "a breath of fresh air", making them proud for the first time of their mixed background and cultural roots.

"I feel like Korean pop music really, truly, has paved the way. K-beauty has had a significant influence on global appreciation for Korea. But I believe this movie is the one that pushed it further, of, inspiring travel to Korea, currently," she comments.

But the film's success was not guaranteed and the actress admits she felt the team making it 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 says.

So, when she took on the role, she made an effort to connect with the entire cast and crew in person, she says.

The film was launched amid heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of extensive removal policies, which sparked protests in many states.

As an Asian-American residing in America "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Newcomers have shaped the nation."

Korean news sources have suggested that up to 150,000 individuals from Korea lacking legal status, including adopted children, are among those who could be removed.

As an adult, Cho came to realise that the racism she had experienced when she was younger was largely due to a knowledge gap, as many were unaware what it signified to be of Asian descent.

"But now, in the modern era, when I feel like the society and people ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes it appears we feel so hopeless," she says.

Due to this, it feels very special, she says, that the film could bring "optimism and happiness to various groups".

"Perhaps this explains it became the season's hit film, because there was a need for some hope and a unifying element 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 KPop Demon Hunters.

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

"Certainly, I'm sure they're going to have digital performers and vocalists. I'm aware they already exist. I know our 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 seven tracks from its score featured on the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and viewers globally are demanding a sequel.

She reveals she wishes she could answer the question of whether that will happen – but both she and fans will have to wait for the streaming service or the production company, which produced the movie, to approve the project.

"I know rumors are circulating, the feedback is positive," she says. "So we shall see, and I think fans everywhere would riot if there wasn't."

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