'KPop Demon Hunters' star Arden Cho on language challenges, kimbap scenes, and what's next
Arden Cho voices the character Rumi in "KPop Demon Hunters." Captured from Netflix, Cho's social media
With “KPop Demon Hunters” continuing its strong run near the top of Netflix’s global charts, Korean American actor Arden Cho is reflecting on the journey that made the project so special. Cho, who voices the character Rumi, said stepping into voice acting for the first time — and doing so in Korean — was both intimidating and deeply rewarding.
“The fact that 'KPop Demon Hunters' isn’t just another animated film but one that captures Korean rhythm and culture makes it truly meaningful,” Cho said, looking back on her experience.
Taking on a new challenge in voice acting
“What’s special about this film is that even though it’s an American animation produced in English, it’s infused with Korean sensibility and cultural nuance,” she said. “Even Jinu’s mannerisms and tone of speech carried a Korean flavor. We all put a lot of thought into how to make the English dialogue sound natural to Korean audiences.”
Recording lines in Korean was one of Cho’s biggest challenges. “My Korean isn’t perfect, so I was really worried — especially with words like honmun, which were difficult to pronounce,” she said. “The director didn’t go easy on us and demanded perfection, which helped us capture that Korean feel. I was so grateful when Korean audiences recognized and appreciated that effort.”
Arden Cho / Captured from Cho's social media
A lifelong K-pop fan
Cho emphasized that her love for K-pop runs deep. “I grew up listening to H.O.T., Turbo, Fin.K.L, and S.E.S. You even see some of those older artists referenced in the film,” she said. “I’m also inspired by today’s artists like TWICE, aespa, and Girls’ Generation. Because I love K-pop so much, I also felt a lot of pressure — I kept worrying, ‘Can I really capture this energy?’”
Despite her extensive acting career, Cho earned the role of Rumi through an audition. “Even though I’ve been acting for more than 10 years, I really wanted to audition for this role. The moment I read the script, I thought, ‘I have to do this.’ Since so many people — from the director to Netflix executives — were involved in the decision, auditioning felt like the fairest and most comfortable way. I wanted to prove myself on such a big project.”
She described the audition as a kind of “safety net.” “It’s not enough for just the director or producer to like you — everyone has to agree. So auditioning was actually easier. If I gave it my all, no one could question the result.”
Awkward at first, but increasingly fun
“KPop Demon Hunters” marked Cho’s first time doing animation voice work, which she admitted was awkward at first. “It was strange and embarrassing to record alone while everyone was watching,” she said. “But the more I did it, the more fun it became. I didn’t need hair and makeup, and I could act comfortably in casual clothes — it was a dream come true as an actor. Watching the animation evolve after each session was another big joy. When the final recording ended, I even thought, ‘Shouldn’t I come back one more time?’”
The toughest scene, she recalled, was recording Rumi’s eating sounds during a kimbap scene. “The director had a very specific sound in mind, and I’d never done anything like it before. It had to be comedic, and that was really hard at first,” she said. Romantic scenes with Jinu were also tricky to perform alone, requiring her to synchronize voice, emotion, and visuals. “On the other hand, angry or comedic scenes were much easier and more fun.”
Sharing Korean culture on set
Throughout production, Cho enjoyed introducing Korean culture to her colleagues. “Even in the U.S., I would take the staff out to Korean restaurants — for samgyeopsal, galbijjim, japchae, fried chicken, and chimaek,” she said. “It was so rewarding to watch them go from hesitant to enthusiastic about Korean food. I loved showing our culture with pride and confidence.”
Some scenes even resonated with Cho on a personal level. “In one scene, Rumi goes to a traditional clinic, which reminded me of my childhood. I was often sick, and my mom would give me herbal medicine,” she said. “The bathhouse scene, too — even though the lines were in English, it carried a very Korean ‘feel.’ Those details were so special and fun for me.”
Following the global success of “KPop Demon Hunters,” Cho is already preparing for her next project: “Perfect Girl,” a film exploring the competitive world of K-pop trainees and the psychological journeys of young women. The cast includes Cho, actor-model Adeline Rudolph, and singer Jeon Somi.
“The next film is a Hollywood project directed by a Korean filmmaker,” Cho said. “It’s a beautiful story about women’s emotional journeys set against the backdrop of K-pop. The script has already won multiple awards in the U.S., and I’m excited to share a piece of Korean pride with audiences around the world.”
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.