Arden Cho reveals she was ready to retire before voicing Rumi in 'KPop Demon Hunters'
Arden Cho / Courtesy of Wavenine
"I think Korean Americans living in the U.S. all feel this — a desire to be recognized and loved in Korea. As an actor working in the States, I know people here might not know me well, but getting attention through 'KPop Demon Hunters' makes me incredibly proud."
Arden Cho, the voice behind lead character Rumi in the Netflix animated hit "KPop Demon Hunters," sat down for an interview at the ASEM Tower in Gangnam in southern Seoul on Friday.
Visiting Korea for a commercial shoot, Cho spoke about her deep connection to her heritage. "I’ve been coming to Korea often for vacations for the past six or seven years. I just love it here," she said. "Because I was born and raised in the U.S., I’m curious about so much of the culture. Every time I visit, I see and learn something new. It feels revitalizing."
She rattled off a list of her favorite foods — gimbap (seaweed rice rolls), tteokbokki (spicy stewed rice cakes), naengmyeon (noodles in a chilled broth), kimchi stew and spicy stir-fried squid — with the same enthusiasm as her character Rumi. "You just can't find jokbal (braised pig's trotters), bossam (boiled pork) or jajangmyeon (black bean paste noodles) that taste like this in the U.S.," she added.
Arden Cho / Courtesy of Wavenine
Cho’s path to Hollywood was anything but conventional. While majoring in psychology, she was selected as Miss Korea Chicago in 2004, which led to her official debut. She found inspiration in Korean films such as "A Moment to Remember."
"Watching Korean movies and dramas, I thought, 'These are so amazing — why doesn't the U.S. know about them?'" she recalled. She started acting driven by a desire to change how Americans view Koreans. She wanted to avoid stereotypical roles based on Western prejudices and instead portray characters that authentically represented the Korean American identity.
Her journey was arduous. She started as a commercial model, expanded her range into acting and even released an album, pursuing a childhood dream inspired by the first-generation K-pop group S.E.S.
However, after years of drifting between film and TV, she reached a heartbreaking conclusion, believing "My time has passed."
"It was an incredibly difficult road to finally take a No. 1 on the call sheet in the Netflix series ‘Partner Track’ (2022). When it ended after just one season, I felt like I had failed," Cho admitted. "I felt the reality of how hard it is for Asian actors to work in the U.S., and I thought about retiring."
She spent about a year and a half exploring other avenues, including production, hoping to give younger Asian actresses the opportunities she never had. That was when "KPop Demon Hunters" came her way.
"This project reminded me of the reason I started acting in the first place," she said.
From left, Arden Cho, May Hong and Yoo Ji-young Yoo pose with Best Animated Feature award for "KPop Demon Hunters" during the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., Jan. 4. Reuters-Yonhap
Just as EJAE overcame a failed K-pop debut to become the singing voice behind Rumi’s hit track "Golden," "KPop Demon Hunters" became a major turning point for Cho. She met EJAE in person only after the release. "Even though we walked different paths, I realized we shared many similarities, including the scars and challenges we endured," she said.
Playing Rumi also helped heal old wounds inflicted by racism.
"As an Asian person, I faced discrimination, disregard, assault and bullying for over 20 years. I always had this dream of showing a strong presence as an actor," she said. "Playing Rumi felt like a healing process for me."
Cho, who endured years of hearing insults such as "If you want a lead role, go back to your country," says she now feels a tangible shift in the industry.
"There is now a newfound respect for Korean writers and directors," she said. "I think ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ reached this point thanks to the groundwork laid by K‑pop and Korean works released through Netflix, such as ‘Squid Game.’ I hope Korea and the U.S. continue to collaborate on great projects like this to showcase Korea’s charm to the world."
Since "KPop Demon Hunters," Cho will appear in two upcoming films, including "Perfect Girl," a K-pop thriller featuring Jeon Somi, which Cho helped produce, and the romantic comedy "Chief AF."
"As director Maggie Kang believed in me, unexpected new paths have opened up," she said with a smile. "Life is truly fascinating."
Arden Cho, left, and Cha Eun-woo / Captured from Cho's social media
While she has built friendships with famous Korean celebrities following the animation's success, she recently faced backlash for a comment left on social media. After Cha Eun-woo posted an apology regarding allegations of tax evasion involving 20 billion won ($13.7 million), Cho commented, "Always supporting you dongseng, Hwaiting!"
Cho clarified her stance on the controversy.
"It was simply a word of comfort based on our personal friendship," she explained. "I had absolutely no intention of making a judgment on the issue or defending the act itself."
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.