{"id":293265,"date":"2026-02-12T00:36:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T00:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/293265\/"},"modified":"2026-02-12T00:36:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T00:36:14","slug":"how-netflixs-oscar-nominated-kpop-demon-hunters-made-its-speaking-trio-the-voices-of-a-phenomenon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/293265\/","title":{"rendered":"How Netflix\u2019s Oscar-Nominated \u2018KPop Demon Hunters\u2019 Made Its Speaking Trio the Voices of a Phenomenon"},"content":{"rendered":"

The degree to which a performer mirrors their character varies wildly. Sometimes, I\u2019ll interview actors and find they\u2019re nothing like the role they embody. Other times, I\u2019ll notice that they echo their character to almost comical degrees. The experience of chatting with the actors behind the speaking roles of HUNTR\/X from the worldwide phenomenon KPop Demon Hunters<\/a> is definitely the latter.<\/p>\n

Upon sitting down with the trio at the Netflix offices in the heart of Hollywood, it\u2019s immediately clear that Arden Cho<\/a>, who voices the role of Rumi, the main vocalist and head of the group, is a natural-born leader. Sitting with impeccable posture in a sheer button-down shirt under a black dress, she almost always responds to the questions first, and her answers are confident, polished, and filled with passion. May Hong, who plays Mira, the trio\u2019s rebellious main dancer, is effortlessly cool, lounging back in her all-black outfit, edgy cutouts in her sleeves. Her words are often cloaked in the same wicked sense of deadpan humor as her character. Sandwiched in the middle and buzzing with energy is Ji-young Yoo in a ripped vest top and funky zippered pants. The youngest of the three by a decade, Yoo is similar to her character, Zoey, the group’s rapper and lyricist: contagiously enthusiastic, disarmingly friendly, and wise beyond her years.<\/p>\n

The three of them complement each other perfectly, with a lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry that casting directors dream of. They giggle at each other\u2019s jokes, affirm one another\u2019s experiences, and act as each other’s hype women. To put it simply, they seem to genuinely enjoy being around each other as friends in addition to co-workers \u2014 and thank goodness for that. They\u2019ve been running a press marathon since last June, when KPop Demon Hunters premiered, becoming an instant hit that has grown beyond anyone\u2019s wildest dreams. From becoming the most-streamed Netflix movie of all time<\/a> to earning two Oscar nominations<\/a>, the records continue to break, the accolades continue to stack up, and more people continue to discover this global phenomenon.<\/p>\n

For the Speaking Voices of HUNTR\/X, ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Couldn’t Be More Personal<\/p>\n

It makes sense that the actors reflect their characters, as they\u2019re each quick to share how strongly their backgrounds and identities allowed them to connect to their roles. \u201cI felt like Rumi’s story paralleled a lot with my life and my journey,\u201d Cho says, recalling being an \u201cangsty teenager\u201d growing up as a first-generation Korean American in a traditional, conservative family in Texas and the Midwest. \u201cThere was an expectation of what a good little Asian girl should be. It\u2019s not like I was trying to be bad, but I was creative, and I loved art.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rumi\u2019s relationship with her adoptive mother, Celine (Yunjin Kim), resonated especially hard, and Cho found acting out the storyline to be therapeutic. \u201cWhen Celine tells Rumi, \u2018No, you have to hide. You can’t let them see,\u2019 for me, that was not just about her patterns \u2014 it was about everything. \u2018You have to be perfect. You have to be this way.\u2019 I found a lot of healing through voicing Rumi. It was really nice for me to break down with my invisible mic wall of Celine. So much of ourselves goes into our projects and our roles. It was really nice to say it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hong can relate, admitting that she, too, pulled from her upbringing to embody Mira. \u201cIt was something that I definitely was able to use. My dad was super strict, so it seeps out \u2014 the rage and confusion. I have, in the past probably five years, found a lot of healing with my family, but it was really tough. I definitely thought about that a lot and the rebellion that I felt but still feeling trapped.\u201d Like Mira, Hong remembers being a bit of a wild child \u2014 something she believes was fundamental in making her the person she is today. \u201cI think, if I was really obedient, that would have prevented me from meeting and spending time with lots of different types of people. Ultimately, you learn a lot about yourself as a result of the connections that you make.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Colorado-born daughter of Korean immigrants, Zoey\u2019s identity is where Yoo found her strongest entry point. \u201cShe feels like she’s split between two universes and can’t really figure out where she fits. I didn’t really have to invent too much for that.\u201d Yoo confesses that she also shares Zoey\u2019s people-pleasing tendencies, often burning the candle at both ends, though she also believes there\u2019s a quiet power in trying to make others happy. \u201cRei Ami [Zoey\u2019s singing voice actor] said this awesome thing where she felt that Zoey is the strongest of the main women of HUNTR\/X because it takes a lot of strength to be gentle and kind in a world that is not often kind or gentle. I hope I share that quality with Zoey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yoo remembers her upbringing being less strict than that of her castmates, crediting her family with getting her interested in film. Her mother is an avid horror movie fan who learned English through The Omen<\/a> and Bela Lugosi<\/a> films, while her father picked it up from the children\u2019s show The Electric Company<\/a>. She fondly remembers going to Blockbuster every week to browse and purchase the $3.99 DVDs. \u201cI definitely think that I was raised in a household that really appreciated film and the arts.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFollowing your passion will usually lead you to the right place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their familiarity with cinema helped Yoo convince her family to support her acting dreams. Though she originally wanted to be a professional dancer, her family was encouraging but concerned about the lifestyle and short lifespan of the career. The pivot actually came as something of a relief to them. \u201cWhen I said I wanted to be an actor, they went, \u2018Oh, Maggie Smith and Ian McKellen are super old. They’re still working, so go for it.\u2019 At that time, the big movie franchises were X-Men and Harry Potter, so those were the ones that came to mind. And Donald Sutherland as President Snow in the Hunger Games.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cho and Hong didn\u2019t always dream of becoming actors either. Though her parents pressured her into pursuing a career in law, after getting into the K-pop scene in her teens, Cho was always inspired by music. \u201cH.O.T., S.E.S., Fin.K.L, Baby Vox \u2014 these were the groups that I was like, \u2018Whoa, super cool. Hot Asians dancing and singing.\u2019 But we didn’t have the internet back then, so it was really hard to see it. You\u2019d have to fly all the way to Korea to go to a concert. I remember sneaking out to go to an H.O.T. concert with my cousin and being like, \u2018Mom, there are Asian singers \u2014 they’re just not in America, but they’re there.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Hong was drawn to the visual arts, even attending the prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts for the specialty after making a portfolio of around 20 pieces for the rigorous application process. \u201cIt\u2019s crazy to make a body of work as a 12-year-old,\u201d she laughs. \u201cNot to diminish what you’re able to do at that age or anything, but I think it’s a seriousness in your practice that you’re required to prove \u2014 that you feel passionate enough to create something, to really dedicate a lot of time to it.\u201d Despite her traditional household, Hong\u2019s parents supported her attendance. \u201cIt was part of the confusion of my dad being so strict,\u201d she admits. \u201cHe was in theater, and that was his passion when he was younger in Korea. It’s really rare for immigrant parents of that generation to be so encouraging of following what you want to do, but they’ve always been really supportive of that and the \u2018if you do what you love, money will follow\u2019 attitude \u2014 don’t chase the bag.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yoo lives by that motto, too, and she knows firsthand how well it can work out. Several of her hobbies and interests have actually helped her book jobs, including learning her parents\u2019 native language. \u201cI taught myself Korean,\u201d she reveals. \u201cI have used it on almost every single job I’ve worked on, including this one. I didn’t do it because I was hoping that it would turn into some professional advantage; I did it because it was important to me and was something I felt passionate about. Following your passion will usually lead you to the right place.\u201d<\/p>\n

The \u2018KPop Demon Hunters\u2019 Cast Reveals What Exactly Went Into Making a Masterpiece<\/p>\n

\"\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200bArden
\n Ji-young Yoo, Arden Cho, and May Hong, the speaking voices of HUNTR\/X in KPop Demon Hunters, pose for portraits photographed by Madi Atkins for Collider in Los Angeles, California, on Jan. 6, 2026.Photography by Madi Atkins for Collider<\/p>\n

In addition to the visual arts, Hong also worked as a model for several years. Though she confesses she \u201cdidn\u2019t love it\u201d and considers herself retired now, only occasionally working with friends and those she admires, she says it was an invaluable experience when it came to developing confidence and a sense of self. \u201cYou really learn what you don’t like and how much you’re willing to compromise or sacrifice, or how much you allow people to push or pull you in any direction. Modeling teaches you how to carry yourself in a way that commands more respect. It’s \u2018very fake \u2018til you make it\u2019 with body language.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite her background, Hong was more excited than ever to jump into voice work with KPop Demon Hunters. \u201cIt’s the exact opposite of modeling. It\u2019s just the inside and not the outside at all. I really wanted to know what it felt like to spend an extended amount of time developing a character, working on a project, and committing to something that’s really, truly just internal.\u201d<\/p>\n

KPop Demon Hunters marked the first time Hong did voiceover work, but it wasn\u2019t Yoo\u2019s introduction to the medium. She\u2019s credited as a voice actor on an episode of We Baby Bears and did loop grouping<\/a> \u2014 providing background noises like screams and chatter \u2014 for Spider-Man: Far from Home<\/a>. Yoo says this was a big plus when she stepped into the soundbooth to perform as Zoey. \u201cThere’s a sense of play and improv in the loop grouping where you give them a lot of options. I think it helped a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

The actors fit into their roles so perfectly it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing the character, but Yoo and Hong initially auditioned for all three members of the trio. \u201cI auditioned for Rumi first,” Yoo reveals, “and then they called me back about six months later for Mira, and then, about six months after that, for Zoey. I pushed my voice really low for Mira, and I\u2019m not an alto, so I was just having trouble.\u201d Hong, hilariously, had the opposite problem. \u201cIt was very clear from the beginning that Mira was the one for me,\u201d she laughs. \u201cIt was really funny to do Zoey. Imagine me being super bubbly in my tone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cho\u2019s experience was a bit different, as she first read for Celine. \u201cI pitched my voice as low as I could to be as \u2018mature adult mom\u2019 as I could,\u201d she recalls. \u201cI thought I did a pretty good job.\u201d A year later, however, she got a callback for Rumi, despite never auditioning for the role. Her experience with Celine\u2019s material turned out to be a blessing in disguise. \u201cI can’t share too much because of the NDA, but when I auditioned for Celine, I was given some information that I think was helpful to understand Rumi later. So many people experience love in a way that can actually be traumatizing. There’s no rule book or guidelines for parents, so they’re just trying to love and protect you in the way that they know best. Celine was just doing her best, but I 100% understand and empathize with Rumi being like, \u2018This is not fair. This is not right, and you’ve pushed me to this point.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The news that they each had booked the role was exciting but, by their own admission, a bit anticlimactic. \u201cNone of us knew that this would happen,\u201d Yoo says, referencing the surprise success of the film. \u201cI didn’t actually know this was still possible, really, to happen at this global scale, so it’s not very romantic. I got a call from my agents when I was probably in my room or cooking lunch or something. There was no Zoom call where they recorded my reaction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cho was relieved that her decision to fly in and do her final callback in person, rather than opting for a Zoom session, had been worth it. \u201cI’ve definitely booked things on Zoom,\u201d Cho disclaims, \u201cbut I feel like, every once in a while, if it’s possible, I do love doing it in person. I love meeting directors, writers, and producers in the room and just vibing it out. It was the one time where I was like, \u2018Yes, it was definitely worth it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Hong\u2019s enthusiasm stemmed less from her own involvement in the project and more from the fact that the project was moving forward at all. \u201cI was very, very excited that the project was moving through and that it was going to happen. It was like, \u2018Thank God it’s being made.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

I didn’t actually know this was still possible, really, to happen at this global scale.<\/p>\n

Once the trio had booked their respective roles, it was time to get to work, and they each had different strategies for getting into character. For Hong, it was all about the perfect look. \u201cI got really sick nails before recording that whole week in LA,\u201d she reveals. \u201cGetting a fresh set puts you in a different headspace. And my friends have a sweatsuit company \u2014 the silhouette is so good, and they feel like really sexy sweatpants. They\u2019re really baggy, so it felt very \u2018off-duty K-pop star\u2019 with the nails.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the past, Cho has relied on wardrobe to get her into character, too \u2014 particularly Ingrid\u2019s stilettos for Partner Track<\/a> \u2014 but this project forced her to find alternative methods. \u201cFor voiceover, it’s interesting. We are in our street clothes or in pajamas most often, because you have to be in clothes that don\u2019t make a lot of sound,\u201d Cho explains. \u201cYou don\u2019t want to be jingling with buckles and zippers, so I struggled a lot with feeling really cool and badass. I felt like it was really easy to record Rumi when she was broken or soft and vulnerable, but every time she had to be the leader, the badass demon hunter, I would be in my head.\u201d Cho once again looked to music for inspiration, listening to \u201canything bad girl, bad bitch vibes,\u201d including 2NE1\u2019s \u2018I\u2019m the Best,\u2019 K\/DA\u2019s \u2018I\u2019ll Show You,\u2019 and the discography of Blackpink, Aespa, and even BTS.<\/p>\n

Yoo also relied on music to get her in the zone, she reveals, \u201cI make playlists for all my characters. There’s a lot of traveling and waiting you do as an actor, so I’d rather be listening to music and kind of getting into the zone rather than ultimately scrolling on my phone.\u201d As far as what her curation looked like? \u201cAnything that made me feel like I had the energy to do Zoey for several hours, because she speaks so fast and is so energetic.\u201d These playlists included everything from K-pop to \u201880s Brit pop<\/a> to Kendrick Lamar<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But for these voice actors, getting into character was just the first part of the challenge of KPop Demon Hunters. It turns out activities you might not think much of, including snacking, screaming, and panting (known as \u201cefforts\u201d in the business), are no joke in an animation booth. While it may sound like a luxury, getting to eat on the job, Cho explains that it\u2019s often more of a necessary evil for the voice work to sound more authentic. She even recalls getting physically ill from a combination of eating and efforts. \u201cI happened to do a day where I did all my food sounds and then all the efforts after, which included running around the room, doing jumping jacks, all sorts of crazy things. I legit threw up after work because I felt so sick from eating all these random things \u2014 clementines, three bags of chips, so much water \u2014 then jumping up and down and then eating more things.\u201d But her most difficult non-food-related effort comes from Rumi’s reaction to Jinu\u2019s first appearance. \u201cDisgusted to adoration in one breath is very hard to do without words. I think we spent a good, I’m not even kidding, two hours on that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yoo recalls her now iconic battle caw being the trickiest to master. \u201c[Directors] Maggie [Kang] and Chris [Appelhans] went, \u2018Could you just caw like a bird, but make it like you’re going to battle?\u2019 I think that had been the same session where we had been working on the popcorn coming out of my eyes, so that request was no longer weird.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hong\u2019s favorite effort is when Mira and Healer Han growl at each other (though she reveals she still hasn\u2019t met Daniel Dae Kim<\/a>, who voices him, in person yet). \u201cKids love that so much. I think the best thing about efforts is that they make everyone laugh. Often, when you\u2019re doing lines, everyone’s listening for the takes and waiting for the right one to happen, but the efforts are so silly that everyone kind of has to hold their laughter. Once the take is over, everyone’s giggling together, and that’s so fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to the unique physical challenges of voice acting, there are also psychological difficulties. Hong explains that there were cameras in each of their booths for the animators to use as references \u2014 a fact that proved highly intimidating. \u201cI was spiraling. It\u2019s like a look into your diary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cho agrees, recalling her first meeting with the artists and animators. \u201cThey know us so well,” she says. “They were hugging me and being like, \u2018Oh my gosh, all I’ve been doing is looking at your face for three years,\u2019 and you\u2019re like, \u2018Hi, I’m so sorry, we’ve only just met.\u2019 There\u2019s all this weird footage of me, after every take, being super self-critical and doing all of these warm-ups, face stretches, and sound stretches \u2014 things that would normally be \u2018off camera\u2019 \u2014 because it’s recording from when we walk in to when we leave that in that six-hour session. It makes me feel so vulnerable and naked.\u201d Still, Cho believes the discomfort was ultimately worth it. \u201cIt\u2019s fun when you watch the movie, because there are all these weird, quirky things that the girls do, and I\u2019m sure some of those little things are from us.\u201d<\/p>\n

From James Cameron to Jacob Elordi, Everyone Has HUNTR\/X Fever<\/p>\n

\"May
\n Ji-young Yoo, Arden Cho, and May Hong, the speaking voices of HUNTR\/X in KPop Demon Hunters, pose for portraits photographed by Madi Atkins for Collider in Los Angeles, California, on Jan. 6, 2026.Photography by Madi Atkins for Collider<\/p>\n

Just as everyone knows whether they’re a Carrie, Miranda, Samantha, or Charlotte, we all know now whether we’re a Rumi, Mira, or Zoey as well. The fan reaction to KPop Demon Hunters has been unprecedented and, for the cast, extremely humbling. \u201cThere are a lot of monotone people who come up to me like, \u2018Thank you for your service,\u2019\u201d Hong reveals, \u201cor they somehow feel really represented hearing that. I don’t think I realized that it’s not very common to hear lower-toned women’s voices in animation, and that’s really cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yoo admits she\u2019s \u201cshed some tears\u201d from the messages she\u2019s gotten. \u201cThere was a friend of a friend whose daughter wanted to dress up as Zoey for Halloween. She was talking about how she’s always felt very shy and in her older sister’s shadow, but since seeing the movie, she\u2019s felt so much more comfortable embracing who she is and being more confident.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cho echoes the feedback she\u2019s gotten from kids, in particular, including her nephews, who she brags know every line that the trio has. She didn\u2019t expect the early response to be so immediate from this smaller demographic. \u201cI remember Netflix had this screening for the movie quite early on, and I [invited] my friends with kids, just thinking the ones with daughters would want to come. Everybody responded, and I had, like, 40 kids that wanted to come \u2014 I had a waitlist of 7-year-olds.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Huntrix<\/p>\n

Related<\/p>\n

\t\t
\n\t\t\t‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Wins Best Animated Motion Picture at the Golden Globes
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

The Sony Pictures Animation title has become Netflix’s most watched film of all time.<\/p>\n

This love goes far beyond the actors\u2019 immediate circles. \u201cTo have colleagues and mentors \u2014 people I look up to \u2014 wanting me to send a video for their kid is such a big deal,\u201d Cho says. \u201cAt the Critics’ Choice Awards, I met Kristen Bell and had an incredible conversation with her about how much I love her work and Frozen, and her being like, \u2018Stop it \u2014 all we do is watch KPop Demon Hunters. My kids are obsessed.\u2019 As women, sometimes you feel like age limits you, but for her to also share like, \u2018Yeah, I started in my 20s, and I’m 45, and I still sound like Anna,\u2019 that was a really special moment. And I totally fangirled.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hong shares that she received a similar sentiment from the Dragon Ball Z<\/a> voice cast. \u201cThey were like, \u2018Welcome. Voice acting is evergreen. You will always be the soul of this character, and everyone will always love you so much for it.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Yoo\u2019s most memorable celebrity endorsements include James Cameron<\/a>, Jacob Elordi<\/a>, and Park Chan-wook<\/a>, who spoke about crying during the climax of the film. \u201cI also had the pleasure of watching Sandra Oh, Korean Canadian icon, walk up to Maggie, another Korean Canadian icon, and gush about the movie to her, so that\u2019s been unbelievable and amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cho shares that the film has actually led to her becoming friends with Bada, a member of S.E.S., whom she grew up listening to. \u201cShe invited me to her house and cooked for me, and now, she\u2019s like my unnie. She\u2019s one of the loveliest people in the world.\u201d Hong can\u2019t help but cut in at this revelation. \u201cAre you serious? That\u2019s so sick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018KPop Demon Hunters\u2019 Revolutionized Representation Forever<\/p>\n

\"(R-L)
\n Image via by Ricky Middlesworth \/ Netflix<\/p>\n

Asian representation is at the forefront of what KPop Demon Hunters is all about. Cho recalls getting bullied for her appearance as a child, which made her feel she had to hide her love of Korean food and music. Progress, she notes, was slow and minimal when she was young. \u201cGrowing up, the closest thing I had to something Disney was Mulan or Aladdin. Aladdin’s not even the same, but in my mind, I was like, \u2018Oh, but Jasmine is a closer skin color to me.\u2019 You settled for it. I remember getting super excited when Big Hero 6 came out. I love Kung Fu Panda. I love all these stories, but nothing was Korean. Now, we\u2019ve come full circle. How cool is it that now my friend’s kids or my nieces and nephews are the absolute coolest at school just because they’re Korean? Their friends don’t even know that they know me. Once they know they know me, then it’s game over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hopefully, the success is quite validating that an original IP and Asian-led stories, something very culturally specific, might not be a risk \u2014 that it can be very rewarding, and fresh, and special.<\/p>\n

The fact that Cho didn\u2019t grow up with any kind of positive representation made her all the hungrier to be that representation for someone else, which included intentionality in picking her projects. \u201cIf I saw something that I felt like was super stereotypical for Asians, or I felt like it would set us back a couple of years, I said no. It’s tough to say no in this business, but looking back now, it was probably the right choice. It led me to getting to work on projects like this, so I’m very happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cho hopes that this is the beginning of studios investing in a wealth of different Asian projects. \u201cObviously, this is a tough, tough industry to tell our stories at times. They say a woman-led film is a risk, an Asian-led film is a risk, a new IP is a risk \u2014 everything is a risk these days. Hopefully, the success is quite validating that an original IP and Asian-led stories, something very culturally specific, might not be a risk \u2014 that it can be very rewarding, and fresh, and special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yoo knows firsthand that representation goes beyond acting and starts behind the scenes, as the majority of directors she\u2019s worked with have been women, from So Young Shelly Yo on the Tribeca-winning film Smoking Tigers to Josephine Decker<\/a> on The Sky is Everywhere. \u201cSometimes, it can feel like we’re not making as much forward progress in the industry as we would like,” Yoo confesses, “but I do think the number of women I’ve gotten to work with is evidence of a changing industry. Things are still evolving, and there are people who want this industry to be more inclusive, diverse, and dynamic. Early on in my career, my biggest champions have been and continue to be women. I feel very lucky for that and very grateful to be entering the industry at the time I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yoo recalls Amy Poehler<\/a> being a particularly strong advocate as a director on Moxie<\/a> \u2014 the job that landed her a SAG card \u2014 despite only working with her for half a day. \u201cThere are very few things that can describe the feeling of Amy Poehler laughing at a line you say. I’ve been really enjoying listening to her podcast because I think it’s been reflective of, though I worked with her for a very brief period, how she works. I was listening to the episode she did with Mike Schur, and they talked about how they had a lot of silly names in Parks and Recreation. That was done partially as a joke, but also because they would read actors’ resumes and feel a little sad when their credit was, like, Man #2. I actually started crying during that episode because my character [in Moxie] had a name, and I remember being so excited. I had no idea it was intentional. There’s a level of generosity, and gratitude, and kindness that she clearly seems to lead with.\u201d At that, I suggest that she and the other KPop Demon Hunters cast need to get on Poehler’s podcast, Good Hang<\/a>. \u201cI would love to!\u201d she replies. \u201cIt’s on the vision board.\u201d<\/p>\n

The vast majority of Hong\u2019s projects have seen her play LGBTQ+ characters, from Tales of the City<\/a> to Fantasmas<\/a> to Hacks<\/a>. \u201cThe joke that I make is that, on camera, 100% of the time, I\u2019m gay,\u201d she says. \u201cEven after KPop Demon Hunters came out, Twitter was full of screenshots of Mira manspreading and her mannerisms and being, like, \u2018Gay! Lesbian!\u2019 I was like, \u2018How? Is it just my voice that\u2019s undeniable? Is it oozing out of me?\u2019<\/p>\n

Jokes aside, playing these characters helped Hong embrace her own queer identity. \u201cThat was a bit of a turning point of really breaking that part of myself apart and examining myself more,\u201d she shares, \u201cbut I also feel like it’s just part of the whole. It\u2019s just part of my identity. I’m not, for instance, every day walking out being like, \u2018Here I am, a Korean woman in the world!\u2019 I\u2019m just in my body and living, and that’s the same with queerness,” she explains. “I don’t know if it’s something that I fixate on \u2014 it’s just part of me. I think I’m more interested in blurring all the lines of everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a Bright Future Ahead for the \u2018KPop Demon Hunters\u2019 Trio<\/p>\n

\"Ji-young
\n Ji-young Yoo, Arden Cho, and May Hong, the speaking voices of HUNTR\/X in KPop Demon Hunters, pose for portraits photographed by Madi Atkins for Collider in Los Angeles, California, on Jan. 6, 2026.Photography by Madi Atkins for Collider<\/p>\n

In perhaps the least shocking news ever, Netflix has already announced plans for a KPop Demon Hunters sequel<\/a>, set to premiere in 2029, and the possibilities for what might happen are truly endless. \u201cIt’s not really a bowtied happy ending,\u201d Cho says of the first film\u2019s conclusion. \u201cSure, the Honmoon is sealed, the world is safe, the demons are gone, but does Celine accept Rumi? We don’t know. Does she have a family? We don’t know. But we do know she has her girls; she has her friends.\u201d She also teases the potential for more characters like Rumi \u2014 part-demon, part-hunter \u2014 to be introduced. \u201cIn our world of KPop Demon Hunters, we think she’s the only one, but she can’t possibly be.\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s the opportunity to expand the world in the other direction through prequels as well, particularly since we get a montage at the beginning of the film showing the demon hunters of the past. When I ask what era the trio would be most interested in exploring, Cho and Hong immediately throw out the idea for a film set in the early 2000s, while Yoo\u2019s ideas go further back. \u201cI love Pansori, the traditional Korean singing,\u201d she says. \u201cEjae does her spin on that in the intro to the movie when you hear her almost wailing vocal, so I would love to see ancient dynastic Korea. Or I’m really fascinated by the period from about the late 1800s to 1945, during the Japanese occupation of Korea. I don’t know if that would be like a family movie \u2014 I think it would be a very, very serious movie \u2014 but I would be very tuned in for that era of KPop Demon Hunters. That would be our Andor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although the trio has a lot of love for KPop Demon Hunters, they\u2019re also craving new roles and collaborations. \u201cBecause I’m mostly from a TV background, there’s still so much desire to work with a really talented film director who can bring out the best actor in me,\u201d Cho says. \u201cI would love to work with Park Chan-wook. I would love to do something really character-driven. Some woman-centered, crazy thing with probably some killing that\u2019s hysterical, and wild, and dark, like James Bond, or Dexter, or Walter White. And then, I also love rom-coms. I will always be a rom-com girl. What happened to all those good \u201890s rom-coms?\u201d<\/p>\n

Yoo is looking to continue doing more comedy, as well as make her way to the stage \u2014 eventually. \u201cFor dream roles, one that I will have to wait a very long time for is The Mother in The Seagull by Anton Chekhov, because I think she’s really funny and very dramatic,\u201d she says. \u201cI would be terrified to ever attempt to fill my friend’s shoes, but Maybe Happy Ending was one of my favorite shows that I saw last year, and Helen [J. Shen] is a friend of mine, and she’s so good in that role. It’s such a meaty role to do that I would want to try it, but eight shows a week of singing on Broadway is the Olympics of acting, so I would do a long think before actually attempting that one.\u201d<\/p>\n

It’s not really a bowtied happy ending. Sure, the Honmoon is sealed, the world is safe, the demons are gone, but does Celine accept Rumi? We don’t know. But we do know she has her girls \u2014 she has her friends.<\/p>\n

At just 26 years old, Yoo has already worked with some of the greats, including Lulu Wang<\/a> and Nicole Kidman<\/a> on the Prime Video series Expats<\/a>, which required her to leave college. Was that a difficult decision, I wonder, or the easiest one she\u2019s ever made? \u201cIt was definitely a bit of both,\u201d she admits. \u201cI was really burnt out from school at the time. In some ways, I was relieved because Expats was such a no-brainer to say yes to. Like, work with Nicole Kidman? Yeah, I\u2019ll put school on hold. That’s something you put a pause on the rest of your life for. But I was also worried. It’s maybe funny to say to people who aren’t actors, but you don’t really know when your next job is going to be, and there’s always a little bit of a fear that maybe it’s a one-off \u2014 maybe that’s not going to happen again \u2014 so I was worried that it was such a huge thing. What the heck was I going to do after Expats that would make leaving school justifiable? But I\u2019ve been very, very lucky that I’ve continued to work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yoo has stayed in touch with her Expats co-stars, who have all supported her through this new whirlwind of fame. \u201cSarayu Blue and Brian Tee and I run into each other often at Asian American Hollywood things, and I have gotten very sweet messages from the cast and crew. I actually got a very sweet text from Bonde Sham, who played Charly in the show. There was a big KPop Demon Hunters pop-up in Hong Kong, and she sent me a photo of it and some very kind words.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hong and Cho have already begun to branch out beyond acting, too. Hong reveals that she\u2019s co-written a pilot, and Cho has produced a psychological thriller that\u2019s coincidentally also about K-pop called Perfect Girl<\/a> starring herself, Hong, and Adeline Rudolph. Directed by Hong Won-ki, the film has nine Asian and Asian American female leads and focuses on three generations of women. \u201cIt’s very, very wild and fun. It is very cutthroat,\u201d Cho says.<\/p>\n

Regarding whether the experience made her want to step behind the camera more often to produce or even direct, Cho says she\u2019s certainly open to it. \u201cI think, inevitably, the [deeper I get] in my career, I can’t help but want to be more involved, mainly because I care so much. It\u2019s interesting, you are like the tenth person this week who\u2019s asked me that. I\u2019m like, \u2018Wait, have you talked to somebody? Did somebody tell you to ask me that?\u2019\u201d (No one has, for the record. Cho\u2019s natural leadership and passion just make her seem like a natural-born director.)<\/p>\n

The same can be said for Yoo, who spent her childhood obsessively watching those Blockbuster DVD bonus features (especially the featurettes on the Lord of the Rings<\/a> trilogy) and was majoring in Cinema and Media Studies at USC before Expats came along. \u201cI was very lucky that I got a very holistic view of cinema outside of just acting,\u201d she says of the program, \u201cand I do think that helps a lot with acting, whether it’s film or voice acting or even theater.\u201d She\u2019s less sure that directing is in her future, though she\u2019s not writing it off. \u201cProbably? Maybe? When the inspiration hits? Question mark. We’ll see what happens. Life is long.\u201d<\/p>\n

Self-Care Is Key for Demon Hunters<\/p>\n

\"Ji-young
\n Ji-young Yoo, Arden Cho, and May Hong, the speaking voices of HUNTR\/X in KPop Demon Hunters, pose for portraits photographed by Madi Atkins for Collider in Los Angeles, California, on Jan. 6, 2026.Photography by Madi Atkins for Collider<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard enough navigating the world today. Throw being part of a relatively new global sensation on top of that, and the stakes are even higher. The KPop Demon Hunters cast constantly stresses how grateful they are for this opportunity. \u201cThe stuff we’ve been doing for KPop Demon Hunters has been so wonderful, because it’s less work-like promotion and more like a celebration,\u201d Cho says. But they\u2019ve also had to find new ways to take care of themselves, especially since some of the fan interactions can get heavy. \u201cA lot of people who have unharmonious family dynamics feel really seen by Mira’s character, and they’ll share a lot of stories about how it’s hard for them,\u201d Hong says. \u201cI’m honored and humbled to be someone whom they feel safe talking to, even for that moment, but it’s a lot to absorb from people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hong swears by lymphatic massages, journaling, and therapy to cope. \u201cI try to write and do morning pages to check in with myself. Shoutout to The Artist\u2019s Way<\/a> \u2014 shoutout to Julia Cameron. It\u2019s important to catch up with yourself, because I feel like you can really get swept away in doing a lot of stuff and not really checking in and seeing how you’re feeling. It\u2019s super important to hear your own voice, to hear yourself talk out loud.\u201d There\u2019s a beat as Hong smirks. \u201cThat\u2019s funny as a voice actor. Anyway, mental health is huge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cho echoes the need for lymphatic massages, adding that she likes to indulge in baths, quiet cups of coffee, and technology detoxes as well. Yoo, on the other hand, admits that she\u2019s still finding a healthy balance between her personal life and career, as work can feel all-consuming. One step she\u2019s taken is to adopt a stage name. \u201cWhen there’s wonderful news, that\u2019s very exciting, but I wanted to feel like it is my business that’s in the news, not me as a human.\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m trying to be a little more present in the moment, because it moves so quickly. I don’t want it to pass without actually having been there.<\/p>\n

Another factor that went into the decision was that her birth name, SunHee Seo, was constantly getting mispronounced. I\u2019m curious if there was any mourning or frustration there. \u201cI don’t think there was,\u201d she assures me, \u201cbecause it didn’t feel like a compromise. I didn’t make my name less Korean. I specifically chose Ji-young Yoo because I liked the way that it sounded, and those are all things that exist in the English language, so if you can’t say it\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook within?\u201d I offer.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, look within,\u201d she agrees. \u201cSo I don’t think there was really sadness. I think it was more protective of the name my family gave me that I love, and I was just a bit tired of seeing it mispronounced and misspelled.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yoo\u2019s also trying to remember to slow down and enjoy the ride. \u201cThere’s been so much to take in that it almost feels impossible to process it all, but I\u2019m trying to find pockets \u2014 like when we’re on the Critics\u2019 Choice carpet \u2014 to take a breath and look around at the people that we’re able to be alongside and that we’re being honored amongst. I\u2019m trying to be a little more present in the moment, because it moves so quickly. I don’t want it to pass without actually having been there.\u201d<\/p>\n

KPop Demon Hunters is now streaming on Netflix<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Photography: Madi Atkins | Location: Netflix, Los Angeles<\/p>\n

Glam Credits:<\/p>\n

May Hong: Hair \u2014 Lauren Palmer Smith | Makeup: Grace Ahn | Stylist: Akua Murray<\/p>\n

Ji-young Yoo \u2014 Hair: Rena Calhoun | Makeup: Allan Avendano | Stylist: Wayman + Micah<\/p>\n

Arden Cho \u2014 Hair: Steven Mason | Makeup: Sangwon Jeon | Stylist: Amanda Lim<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The degree to which a performer mirrors their character varies wildly. Sometimes, I\u2019ll interview actors and find they\u2019re…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":293266,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[93,61,60,278],"class_list":{"0":"post-293265","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-music","8":"tag-entertainment","9":"tag-ie","10":"tag-ireland","11":"tag-music"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=293265"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293265\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/293266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=293265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=293265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=293265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}