Netflix superstar Arden Cho has made a shocking confession about her childhood, revealing she once despised her Asian features despite now leading one of the streaming platform's biggest animated hits.
From Texas childhood to global stardom
The K-Pop Demon Hunters actress grew up as the eldest daughter of Korean immigrants in Texas, where she spent her early years feeling completely out of place with American beauty standards. Arden Cho admitted on the BBC World Service's Global Women series that she desperately wanted blue eyes and blonde hair during her formative years.
"I hated that I looked Asian," the actress stated bluntly during her interview. She explained feeling fundamentally American while constantly being treated as an outsider, creating a painful internal conflict that would shape her youth.
Cho revealed the profound impact of never seeing people who resembled her in media: "As kids, what you see shapes who you become and I feel like I just didn't see enough people that look like me." This lack of representation led to periods where she "hated a lot of myself and I wanted to be someone else."
The turning point: K-Pop Demon Hunters
Everything changed when Cho encountered the script for K-Pop Demon Hunters, Netflix's animated phenomenon about a girl band battling demons to save the world. She immediately connected with her character Rumi, whose experiences mirrored the push-and-pull dynamic Cho had navigated for decades.
The film has achieved staggering success, with 33 million views in just two weeks and reaching the Top 10 in 93 countries worldwide. This explosive popularity has transformed Cho into the exact type of role model she lacked during her own childhood.
Families have personally approached the actress to share how the film has helped their children feel proud of their Korean-American identity. Cho attributes this shift partly to the broader Korean cultural wave, noting that K-beauty and K-pop have propelled Korean identity into the global spotlight.
Ongoing challenges and future hopes
Despite these positive developments, Cho highlighted persistent industry challenges. She expressed frustration that projects featuring Asian-led casts continue to be treated as financial gambles rather than mainstream opportunities.
"I feel like it kind of sucks to say this," Cho admitted, "but any time there's an Asian-led project, people feel like it's a risk."
The actress also addressed current political concerns affecting immigrant communities, describing rising immigration raids and political scapegoating as "heartbreaking and disappointing." With Korean news outlets estimating that up to 150,000 undocumented Korean immigrants could face deportation, these issues hit particularly close to home for Cho.
The film's cultural impact continues to grow, with seven soundtrack tracks charting on the Billboard Hot 100 and fan art flooding social media platforms. Demands for a sequel are intensifying, though Cho acknowledges the final decision rests with Netflix and Sony. She joked that "the world would riot" if a follow-up doesn't materialise.
Cho's journey from self-doubt to becoming a beacon of representation demonstrates the powerful impact of diverse storytelling in mainstream media. Her story serves as both a cautionary tale about the damage caused by limited representation and an inspiring example of how cultural shifts can transform individual lives.
