<\/p>\n
KPop Demon Hunters is officially historic.<\/p>\n
The animated Netflix hit, which has been breaking records for the streaming service since its June 20 release, just notched a No. 1 entry on the Billboard Hot 100 for one of its several trending songs, “Golden.” It marks the first time a K-pop girl group (albeit a fictional one, in this case) has topped the chart. The film itself, meanwhile, has become Netflix\u2019s biggest animated original feature ever and the second most-streamed English original movie of all time. A sing-along theatrical release is set for Aug. 23-24. KPop Demon Hunters’ monumental success shows no signs of stopping, much to the delight and shock of the film\u2019s stars.<\/p>\n
More from Gold Derby<\/strong><\/p>\n Arden Cho<\/strong>, May Hong<\/strong>, and Ji-young Yoo<\/strong>, who provide the speaking voices for the demon-hunting girl group Huntr\/x, are still wrapping their heads around suddenly being part of a cultural juggernaut. On a busy press day, the actresses sat down with Gold Derby to talk about being noticed by BTS<\/strong>, awards possibilities, and what it\u2019s like to suddenly have fans of every age group.<\/p>\n Gold Derby: Congratulations. This movie has been such a massive success and has managed to shock the industry, and now it\u2019s even an Oscar contender. What would it mean to the three of you to see KPop Demon Hunters get that kind of awards recognition?<\/strong><\/p>\n Arden Cho (voice of Rumi): <\/strong>I mean, it would be such an honor. We feel so lucky just to be here and to be receiving all this love. It\u2019s amazing to be part of a movie that makes everybody feel good.<\/p>\n May Hong (voice of Mira):<\/strong> I only found out a couple of weeks ago that that was a possibility, and I don\u2019t really think I can wrap my mind around what that means.<\/p>\n A.C.: <\/strong>It\u2019s still registering!<\/p>\n Ji-Young Yoo (voice of Zoey):<\/strong> I think we long passed the point where I was able to understand any of what\u2019s been happening, so I think the fact that we went from making a movie that I think we all really loved and cared about to it developing into this phenomenon worldwide, to what is quickly becoming an Oscar and awards run. \u2026 I\u2019m just along for the ride and I\u2019ll process it all after.<\/p>\n So many K-pop idols have shown love to the movie and chimed in about the accuracies to their real life, and groups covered the songs at KCON this past weekend. What\u2019s been your reaction to BTS, Seventeen, and some of the biggest music acts in the world right now embracing this film?<\/strong><\/p>\n A.C.:<\/strong> That stamp of approval! We\u2019re like [pumps fist]. Yes, we did it!<\/p>\n M.H.:<\/strong> When I see that they all have millions and millions of followers, I also can\u2019t wrap my mind around that they\u2019re so into what we have done. Obviously we didn\u2019t sing or dance personally, but still. Even with Lee Byung-hun<\/strong> [Squid Game’s big bad Front Man who voices Gwi-ma, the king of demons], it\u2019s like, so that person knows I exist?<\/p>\n A.C.:<\/strong> I think we\u2019re just so thankful because all of these idols and artists who are loving the movie have really helped us get here, right? I mean, it is thanks to the fans and the viewers and, in a sense, our colleagues, people in the industry. Again, all of us cared about this so much, but especially our writers and directors and producers really worked hard to make this such an accurate and beautiful depiction of Korean culture and music and fashion and all of it. \u2026 I\u2019m so grateful.<\/p>\n J.Y.:<\/strong> I think it\u2019s something that was a concern amongst all of us when we were making the film. We wanted to make sure we got Korea right, that we got the culture right. All of us were like, \u2018Will they approve? Will they accept it?\u2019 So to see them not just accept it but embrace it, and support it, and give us so much love, is just the biggest sigh of relief. The warmth that spread through our bodies when all of this started happening was really just wonderful, and as an ARMY [short for “Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth,” BTS\u2019 fandom name] for 10 years, going on 11 now, there\u2019s no words. I felt my organs shut down [when BTS mentioned the film].<\/p>\n A.C.:<\/strong> All of our phones were blowing up. Everyone was like, \u2018Did you see it?\u2019<\/p>\n JY.: <\/strong>Everyone kept asking me what I thought and there\u2019s no thoughts. I thought I might faint.<\/p>\n Did you have a moment while recording your lines where you realized the incredible potential this film had to be huge?<\/strong><\/p>\n A.C.:<\/strong> I think for me, it was when I saw the animations really develop and saw the moment where the Saja Boys are introduced, and the girls are being girls and they\u2019re like, “Ugh, they\u2019re not even good.” That whole scene was one of my first times seeing the girls and their reactions, and I was like, “Why are they so stinking cute?” And then the boys. \u2026 Like, the popcorn eyes? We were all feeling it in the room and Maggie<\/strong> [Kang<\/strong>, codirector] was like, “We\u2019re working so hard to make them so hot.” We were seeing these little moments, and of course Maggie and Chris<\/strong> [Appelhans<\/strong>, codirector] saw the vision the whole way, and I\u2019m so thankful that they had this world in their minds to create this. But I think for me, as the sessions went on, I was so, so excited and by the time I watched the screener I was running around like, “Guys, this is going to be incredible. This is going to be so big.” We get to show the world Korea and our culture and our food, our music, our fashion, and we\u2019re so proud of it. I also love the Konglish [a colloquial mix of Korean and English] that we get to sneak into the movie and not really explain.<\/p>\n J.Y.:<\/strong> I think all of us knew that we made something great, and we were all really proud of it and knew it would find an audience, but there\u2019s a difference between finding your audience and a success, and what\u2019s happening right now. I just don\u2019t think anyone was thinking, “Oh yeah, we\u2019re going to become the No. 1 most watched animated film on Netflix of all time.” We\u2019re No. 4 for English language right now and we\u2019re still climbing. None of these are things that I think anyone, even the most industry veteran expert, could have foreseen. It\u2019s just very special.<\/p>\n M.H.:<\/strong> I think my nearest and dearest called it first. I think my most loved ones, when they got to see it early, said, “This is going to be it.” I was like, “I mean, I think it\u2019s amazing, so I hope so\u2026”<\/p>\n J.Y.:<\/strong> My litmus test is my dad. My dad tends to have a very honest take, so he\u2019ll always tell me if he thought a project I was in was boring. He\u2019ll say, “Oh, I kind of fell asleep in this part.” He has rewatched this film almost daily, and he\u2019s a 55-year-old lawyer. He was not the target audience for this, so I think the fact that he was connecting to it so much and was so enthusiastic about it made me be like, “Oh, this has a crossover appeal. If we can get it right, it\u2019ll spread.” And it has.<\/p>\n AC:<\/strong> It\u2019s the emotional rollercoaster the movie takes you on. I don\u2019t think so many people expected to cry or feel all the feels. It\u2019s healing.<\/p>\n That brings me to my next question, because in the movie there\u2019s an important quote: \u201cOur faults and fears must never be seen.\u201d In the film\u2019s context it\u2019s technically about being hunters and idols, but obviously so many women and girls can relate to feeling that way. Have you received messages from fans of the film about what Rumi going against that sentiment in particular meant to them?<\/strong><\/p>\n AC:<\/strong> For me, that message hit so close to home, and I think as a woman in the industry, and as an Asian American and a Korean American, I feel like there\u2019s so many layers to that. Culturally we\u2019ve talked about this a lot where I feel like the Asian culture is a lot about not talking about the things that might be embarrassing or shameful, or your struggles. We only want to show the good moments, the pretty moments, and I think there\u2019s this expectation to be so perfect. At least on myself growing up, I felt like, as an immigrant family, you\u2019re here, so you\u2019ve got to be the best, be perfect, be great, and be better because of this opportunity, but that\u2019s a lot of pressure. Then again, as women, why can\u2019t we be goofy and make ugly faces and make funny sounds and not always be attractive? \u2026 I think it\u2019s been so healing seeing people really let down their guards and saying, “This is who I am.” … I feel like as actors we have an even greater pressure, and I\u2019m sure as idols that pressure is something we can\u2019t even imagine. I think that\u2019s why we felt this responsibility because as K-pop lovers, and people who respect this industry too, we know that K-pop is a whole other thing. That world is a high bar.<\/p>\n J.Y.:<\/strong> Sunlight is the best disinfectant.<\/p>\n Beautiful!<\/strong><\/p>\n J.Y.:<\/strong> That\u2019s not mine. I took that from someone. [laughs]<\/p>\n Your characters go through a wide range of emotions and I imagine that\u2019s not always easy to express through the voice. Were there any scenes that were particularly challenging to record?<\/strong><\/p>\n A.C.:<\/strong> It was so much fun, but the beginning was a little bit awkward because we\u2019re actors, and we\u2019re so used to playing together. \u2026 Oddly enough, the easiest thing was all the emotional stuff for Rumi because I feel like everything she was saying, whether it was to Celine or when she felt like Jinu betrayed her, I felt like all those moments. \u2026 It was almost weird where it felt like if you\u2019d been with an actor, it would\u2019ve almost been too vulnerable, but in a weird way I was like, “Oh, this is my first time doing this to no one,” and it felt oddly healing and nice for me.<\/p>\n M.H.:<\/strong> That\u2019s so interesting. I think that there definitely is an emotional intimacy that you\u2019re able to access when you\u2019re alone and without the influence of somebody playing with you. It\u2019s almost like being in your diary as you\u2019re reading lines, like you\u2019re referring back to something that really is personal to you rather than being there and playing a scene.<\/p>\n A.C.: <\/strong>Yeah, and now I\u2019m thinking about how in some of those big scenes Maggie and Chris would look away and give me privacy. I would come back and I was crying and I was like, \u2018Oh, thanks, guys.\u2019 It was also cool to see their response because they were like, \u2018I\u2019m in this very intimate moment with you.\u2019 And then you see the world and the art.<\/p>\n M.H.:<\/strong> But I didn\u2019t feel watched!<\/p>\n A.C.:<\/strong> Yeah, that\u2019s great directing. They provided us a safe space to create together. Aw, that makes me sad. I want to go back!<\/p>\n M.H.:<\/strong> Yeah, take us back!<\/p>\n A.C.:<\/strong> C\u2019mon, sequel!<\/p>\n What\u2019s the experience of being part of this cultural juggernaut of a film taught you about yourself?<\/strong><\/p>\n A.C.:<\/strong> I think there\u2019s a lot of confirmation. I think that so much of my life I tried to be what people wanted me to be. I tried so hard to be this perfect version and obviously we\u2019re all so imperfect, so I think I was so unhappy for so much of my younger years fighting myself in a sense. I feel like in my 30s, I was just like, “I\u2019m going to do my best to love who I am, my flaws and everything, and to just be,” and I feel like this movie is that message. To know that that\u2019s what resonates with people, and that\u2019s what makes people connect\u2026 Then on top of that, I\u2019ve been on this journey of seeking projects that make me really happy and proud to tell a story, whether it be something that has a touch of Korean culture or a little Asian American identity without being so in your face about a specific message. … It just shows that we shouldn\u2019t be scared to tell stories that haven\u2019t been told before. I really hope this movie is just the beginning of so many more incredible stories for people like us.<\/p>\n J.Y.:<\/strong> I think artistically I\u2019ve long held an opinion that has been certainly confirmed by this movie. During the campaign for Parasite, and I\u2019m sorry because I\u2019m definitely going to butcher this quote, director Bong<\/strong> [Joon Ho<\/strong>] had a really great quote where he said, “If you can get over the barrier of one-inch subtitles there\u2019s a whole world of international cinema waiting for you.” I\u2019ve always felt that good art comes from anywhere, and art that is specific and nuanced and complex is universal regardless of where you come from. I think this movie is absolute proof of that. I think lots of people maybe have preconceived perceptions of what KPop Demon Hunters is, and ultimately it is a great piece of art, and it\u2019s really wonderful to see that opinion get confirmed on such a global scale. I\u2019m very excited to see more artists stay true to who they are and make some great films.<\/p>\n On a sillier note, which Western celebrities do you think would make good demon hunters?<\/strong><\/p>\n All: <\/strong>Ooh! This is hard!<\/p>\n J.Y.:<\/strong> The clips of Destiny\u2019s Child<\/strong> reuniting, I mean \u2026 demon hunters right there! The lockstep? Yeah. Yes. This is not for the demon hunters, but I feel like Pedro Pascal<\/strong> would be an excellent Bobby. He\u2019s such a champion to everyone who knows him, and he\u2019s the nicest. I think he has a Bobby heart.<\/p>\n A.C.:<\/strong> I thought of Olivia Rodrigo<\/strong>, and I don\u2019t know why, but I just thought of Anne Hathaway<\/strong>.<\/p>\n J.Y.:<\/strong> She\u2019s a singer! She could totally do it. Meryl Streep<\/strong> could do it. She could do anything.<\/p>\n A.C.: Lady Gaga<\/strong>!<\/p>\n J.Y.: <\/strong>Oh my god, singing “Abracadabra” to seal the Honmoon.<\/p>\n A.C.: Kelly Clarkson<\/strong>, I feel like, is always sealing the Honmoon.<\/p>\n M.H.:<\/strong> I feel like I\u2019m not thinking of really classic female characters, but Parker Posey<\/strong>? [laughs] Which is totally not what we\u2019re talking about, but I would enjoy seeing what that interpretation would be.<\/p>\n J.Y.: <\/strong>Along the lines of The White Lotus, Jennifer Coolidge<\/strong>! I\u2019m so with you on this.<\/p>\n A.C.:<\/strong> Buffy the Vampire Slayer! Sabrina the Teenage Witch! I\u2019m totally aging myself, but all of that good stuff.<\/p>\n Lastly, has anyone come up to you and said they were a fan of the film where you were like, “What do you mean? You know who I am?” Who surprised you?<\/strong><\/p>\n A.C.:<\/strong> This has been happening a lot! I\u2019ve been traveling a ton and I\u2019m having 6-year-old kids running up to me and grabbing my hand and being like, “You\u2019re Rumi! You\u2019re the speaking voice of Rumi!” I\u2019m like, “Wait, you\u2019re a 6-year-old boy. How do you know me?” And they\u2019re like, “I did my research.” The mom is like, “Oh yeah, the boys have seen the movie like 17 times. They know everything. They Google you guys. They know your face.” I\u2019m like, “What? This is incredible.” I feel like I\u2019m really impressed by ages 5 to 7 or 8. So far, I feel like that\u2019s my most popular age right now. I\u2019ve been invited to many 7th and 8th birthday parties. Unfortunately I\u2019ve been too busy to go, but I feel like we really need to start making some appearances. I feel like the really young fans understand the story. Every once in a while I\u2019m like, “What did you like about the movie?” and I love that one of the best responses I got was from a 7-year-old boy. He was like, “I loved the ending scene where they all come together and they learn that you have to be together. You can do it with each other.” I\u2019m like, “Yes, that is exactly what this movie is about.” And then, you know, he\u2019s with his brother and they\u2019re dancing to “Golden” at the same time. \u2026 Also, all the 60-plus men and women that are just rocking out to the soundtrack.<\/p>\n M.H: <\/strong>I like the converts the most. The dads who are like, “I don\u2019t even like K-pop or anything but I watched it six times.” There\u2019s no target audience.<\/p>\n A.C.:<\/strong> The target audience has been human. If you\u2019re human and you have a heart and any feeling, you are the target audience.<\/p>\n KPop Demon Hunters is streaming now on Netflix. Catch a sing-along version of the film in theaters Aug. 23-24.<\/p>\n Best of Gold Derby<\/strong><\/p>\n Sign up for Gold Derby’s Newsletter<\/a>. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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