Why 'KPop Demon Hunters' Voice Actor Arden Cho Refused to Change Her Name

Arden Cho sounds a lot like Rumi, the character she voices in Netflix's animated film "KPop Demon Hunters." She is open, quick to laugh and currently working her way through the "Dubai chewy cookies" that are trending in South Korea. Cho sat down with K-POPIT for an interview in Seoul's Gangnam district on Oct. 30.

Cho voices Rumi, the lead character in Netflix's animated film "KPop Demon Hunters." It was her first voice acting role, but she earned praise for capturing the character's emotions and personality in detail. Critics particularly highlighted how naturally she handled scenes rooted in Korean culture and everyday humor, helping viewers connect more deeply with the film.

She was cast through an audition. At first, she did not even read for Rumi. "I originally auditioned for Celine," she said. "Then they reached out and said my voice fit Rumi better, and asked if I could take that role. I was really surprised, and of course I was thrilled."

The director later told her the casting process had not been easy. "He said Rumi had to show so many different emotions that they spent a long time thinking about it," Cho said. "For me, it was a huge opportunity."

Cho is Korean American, and that identity shaped how she approached the character. "There were times when I didn't really know who I was," she said. "I was born in the United States, but I always felt Korean too."

She said she often heard that actors in the U.S. needed to appear more American to succeed. "Some people told me to change my last name from Cho to something else. I absolutely didn't want to do that. I am a Cho, and I am Korean. I wanted to succeed as a Korean American actor and help open doors for people like me."

Those experiences made her connection to Rumi feel especially personal. "I faced a lot of racism as a kid," she said. "I was born in America, I was American, and people still hit me, pushed me and told me to go back to my country. I ended up in the hospital about three times."

She said she was often teased for her appearance and went through a period of rejecting parts of herself. "Rumi also hides her patterns and can't fully show who she is. Watching her, I thought about the times I couldn't live as myself."

Cho became emotional as she reflected on the project. "I've been acting for more than 20 years, and I never thought a moment like this would come in my career," she said, wiping away tears. "This is why I wanted to be an actor. I wanted to show a Korean character like this in America. But projects like this didn't exist when I was younger. Making this film brought back memories of myself as a kid and felt like healing. That's what makes it so meaningful. It gave me new strength and passion."

Her love for Korean content goes back years. Cho shot her first film at 18 and began acting then, but she did not watch a Korean movie until college.

"I really loved 'A Moment to Remember.' I love Son Ye-jin," she said. "I also loved the drama 'Thirty-Nine.' It wasn't easy to find Korean content in the U.S. back then. I received 'A Moment to Remember' as a DVD gift, and 20 years later I still have it."

Though American, Cho speaks fluent Korean and has spent years splitting her time between the two countries. "I've been going back and forth for four or five years now," she said. "I spend most of my vacations in Korea. When I was younger, I didn't get to come often and I barely spoke Korean. I'm still learning. My Korean definitely improves when I'm here."

Since "KPop Demon Hunters," she has gained many young fans. "People keep asking me to record video messages for their kids," she said. "Kids love the movie, so I can't say no. I tell them things like, 'Study hard, we'll meet someday.' My friends say their kids actually listen when they hear, 'Rumi told you to.' It's fun and kind of amazing."

Her ties to K-POP have also drawn attention. She recently recorded a cover of "Free," the duet between Rumi and Jinu from the film, with singer and actor Cha Eun-woo. "Cha Eun-woo reached out first and said he really enjoyed 'KPop Demon Hunters,'" Cho said. "It naturally led to the cover."

She also addressed the recent criticism surrounding a comment she left on Cha's social media.

On Oct. 26, Cha posted an apology regarding allegations that he had evaded roughly 20 billion won in taxes. Cho commented, "Always supporting you dongseng, Hwaiting!" The message drew criticism online. Her team later said the comment stemmed from a personal friendship and was intended as comfort, not as a defense of the allegations. The team added that Cho regretted the misunderstanding and would be more careful moving forward.

"In more than 20 years of acting, my dream has been to do a Korean project," Cho said. "I don't want to do it casually. I want to challenge myself with something really good."

She said she has mostly been reading scripts from Korea lately. "I have offers from American projects too, but I want my next project to be Korean. I'm not in a rush. I want to enjoy this moment and choose my next step carefully."