KPop Demon Hunters Actress Reveals How Her Life Journey Reflected Main Character's Experience

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"{I disliked that I looked Asian, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful back then," says the actress, who portrayed Rumi in Netflix's highly successful movie, KPop Demon Hunters.

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

In the film, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must save the world from evil forces, Rumi has to come to terms with her true nature as a hybrid being – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this resonated powerfully.

"Being born in America, feeling American but having people treat me like a foreigner, trying to figure out my identity as an Asian-American, as a Korean-American, as a woman," she says.

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

"Truthfully, at different points in my existence, I hated a lot of myself and I longed to become a different person.

"During childhood, your surroundings influences who you become and it seems I lacked exposure to enough people that look like me."

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters registered 33 million views in just 14 days, and secured the top 10 of the Netflix charts in dozens of nations. To star in the first Hollywood animated film with a Korean setting, with Asian protagonists, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the kind that she lacked when in her youth.

Cho says many Korean-Americans have expressed it's "such a refreshing moment", making them proud for the first time of their dual heritage and culture.

"I feel like K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. Korean cosmetics has had such a big impact on Korea being loved. But I feel like this movie is the one that pushed it further, of, inspiring travel to Korea, currently," she comments.

But the film's success was uncertain and the actress says she felt the team making it were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

"It seems it kind of sucks to say this, but any time there's an Asian-led project, it's perceived like a gamble," she reveals.

So, when she took on the role, she made an effort to meet the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she says.

The movie was launched amid heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of extensive removal policies, which sparked protests in numerous regions.

As an person of Asian descent residing in America "it's deeply saddening," she states. "Immigrants have shaped the nation."

Reports have estimated that up to 150,000 Korean immigrants lacking legal status, including adopted children, are among those who could be removed.

As an grown-up, Cho came to realise that the racism she had experienced when she was younger was largely due to a knowledge gap, as people didn't know what it meant to be of Asian descent.

"However today, in this day and age, when it seems the society and individuals ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and at times it appears we feel so hopeless," she says.

Due to this, it's particularly meaningful, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "optimism and happiness to various groups".

"Maybe that's why it became this movie of the summer, because we just needed some hope and something to unite us all together."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a major concern for the film industry, creating the potential that in future it could be used to make a film like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho acknowledges she is aware that technology is already being used to replicate actors' voices, but aims to "have hope in humanity" that audiences will still pursue art created by humans.

"Sure, I'm sure there will be digital performers and vocalists. I know they already exist. I understand our voices are already being manipulated, but I trust the public have some respect and desire for authentic creations."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been leading the international music rankings, with multiple songs from its soundtrack featured on the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and audiences globally are demanding a sequel.

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

"I'm aware there's lots of murmurs, the feedback is positive," she says. "Only time will tell, and I believe everyone in the world would riot if it didn't happen."

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