KPop Demon Hunters Star Admits She Once “Hated That I Looked Asian”

Arden Cho, the voice of Rumi in Netflix’s animated smash hit KPop Demon Hunters, has recently shared a personal struggle that’s probably familiar to many Asian Americans who grew up without seeing themselves reflected in media. In an interview with the BBC World Service’s Global Women series, Cho spoke about her childhood in Texas and the self-reflected racism she battled.

“I hated that I looked Asian,” she admitted to the BBC. “That I didn’t have blue eyes and blonde hair, because that’s what was beautiful at the time.” This feeling of not belonging, of "being born in America, feeling American but having people treat me like I’m not", deeply connected her to her character, Rumi, who grapples with being half human and half demon. For Cho, Rumi’s journey was a powerful reflection of the "in-between feeling" of being an Asian American woman.

Despite industry concerns that "any time there’s an Asian-led project, people feel like it’s a risk," the film was a colossal success. KPop Demon Hunters pulled in 33 million views in just two weeks and hit the top 10 in 93 countries. Cho feels the film has been a "refreshing moment," giving Korean Americans immense pride in their identity and solidifying the global cultural impact started by K-Pop.

The article also touched on the socio-political climate at the time of the film’s release, including immigration raids that affected an estimated 150,000 undocumented Korean immigrants. While heartbroken by the news, stating "Immigrants have made America what it is”, Cho ultimately returns to the film’s message. She says it feels special that KPop Demon Hunters brought "hope and joy and love to all these different communities," cementing its place as an unexpectedly profound movie of the summer.

Now with fans all over the world looking forward to a sequel, Cho stands front and center as the representation she once desperately needed, as a beacon for the next generation of young Asian Americans.

Photo by MattGray0727/Wikimedia Commons