Arden Cho, May Hong and Ji-young Yoo are excited for viewers of Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters to become fans of the film’s K-pop girl group, Huntrix.
The three actors spoke with Blavity about the new Netflix film and what it means to them to have superheroines whose strength is not at odds with their femininity.
Per the film’s logline, “When they aren’t selling out stadiums, Kpop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey use their secret identities as badass demon hunters to protect their fans from an ever-present supernatural threat. Together, they must face their biggest enemy yet – an irresistible rival boy band of demons in disguise.”
Why the film’s heroines celebrate strength and femininity
“I mean, I think what’s so great about this and other projects that have been similar to it is that women can be beautiful and be strong,” said Yoo, who voices Huntrix member Zoey. “These aren’t things that you need to compromise on. It’s not like they’re in conflict with each other. And I think that’s one of the best parts of this movie is that these women are imperfect and messy and funny, and silly and beautiful and they kick butt and these all can work in harmony with each other.”
“I mean, again, piggybacking off that…our feminine energy is not something to hide and be ashamed of, and I feel like, I love that the girls are all very empathetic and I feel like sometimes empathy is seen as weakness, but I love that,” Cho, who voices Huntrix leader Rumi, added. “In this film, we do really see it as something empowering. So yeah, I love that. The girls are beautiful. They’re empathetic, they’re strong. They kick butt and they look freaking gorgeous doing it.”
“I think this is just an example of how being multifaceted is one of the most powerful things you can be,” Hong, who voices fellow Huntrix member Mira, said.
Arden Cho on the layered challenges of playing Rumi
Cho also talked about how her character has a lot of pressure she’s facing as the group leader.
“Yeah, I mean, I think that’s the fun of Rumi is that she’s so layered and there’s so many things going on, right?” Cho said. “I mean, she’s trying to be a leader, she’s trying to save the fans, they’re trying to win the awards. They’re to be the best and obviously like. Do it all while also figuring out what is going on with herself and her identity and everything. And so, I think for me as an actor, it was so fun to get to voice a character like that.”
“I feel like, you know, as Asian Americans, we don’t often have as many leading roles that are so layered and interesting, and so I feel like Rumi, along with the other girls, are just very interesting, fun characters that I hope people will be excited to see their journeys,” Cho added.
Watch the full interviews below, including interviews with co-directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans.
KPop Demon Hunters, also starring Ahn Hyo-seop, Yunjin Kim, Joel Kim Booster, Liza Koshy, with Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong and Byung-hun Lee, is now streaming on Netflix.
