Global sensation “KPop Demon Hunters” tells the story of HUNTR/X, K-pop idols who are also demon hunters, and the Saja Boys, the demons who turn into K-pop idols to try and stop them. Since its release, the animated film has hit Netflix’s Top 10 in more than 90 countries and reached No. 1 in over 40 of them. Viewership just kept on rising until it was watched nearly 26 million times in its fifth week alone—an all-time high figure for a Netflix movie five weeks in. Not only that, but “Your Idol” and “Golden” from the film’s soundtrack hit No. 1 and No. 2 on the US Spotify charts, respectively. “Golden” also reached No. 4 on the “Billboard” Hot 100, a record for a song from an animated feature. With the film still red hot, we caught up with actor AHN HYO SEOP, who voiced the spoken lines for Jinu, the leader of the demonic Saja Boys, in the original English release, asking him all about his first voice acting role, including what went into helping to shape the character he portrayed.

The Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” is hugely popular all around the world. What was it like playing the character Jinu?
AHN HYO SEOP: When the offer first came in, the film crew showed me three illustrations and explained what “KPop Demon Hunters” was all about and the intention behind it. At first, I was drawn in and excited by the style, the subject matter, and how passionate everyone was, but once I got the script and read it over, I immediately connected with Jinu’s character. He’s such a fascinating character, with both his past and present and his inner pain coexisting with his colorful outward appearance. (laughs) And since it was my first time voice acting, the challenge of bringing a character to life with only my voice was a big new project for me. It meant a lot to me, and I’m incredibly grateful for all the love “KPop Demon Hunters” has received worldwide.

I think it’s fascinating that they set up a camera next to the microphone so they could capture not just your voice but also your facial expressions and movements.
AHN HYO SEOP: Even though I did get to meet the film crew, most of the work was done remotely over video. The crew was based in the US, and I was in Korea shooting the movie “Omniscient Reader.” It was definitely a collaborative process. Some days, I only had rough sketches. Some days I had the voices of the other cast members I was acting with, and other days not. Every time I recorded, there was always a camera set up beside the mic to capture my facial expressions and movements as well. I found out later that that influenced how Jinu was animated, which I thought was intriguing.

What was it like playing two completely different characters at the same time—an ordinary office worker named Kim Dok-ja in “Omniscient Reader” and Jinu, the leader of a boy band, in “KPop Demon Hunters”?
AHN HYO SEOP: So, “Omniscient Reader” is about Dok-ja, a typical office worker and the sole reader of a web novel that’s been running for over 10 years. The movie follows him as the world of the novel he’s been reading becomes reality, and how he teams up with others to save a world on the brink of destruction. While acting for that, I tried to convey how anyone could become the main character in their own story. I worked hard to portray Dok-ja as an everyday person, someone who’s tired of the daily office grind, commuting on a crowded subway, stuck in routine life so that people could really connect with him. By contrast, we were working together to craft an entirely different character while working on “KPop Demon Hunters”—Jinu, from the K-pop group the Saja Boys. Sometimes there were multiple versions of a single scene. I’d have to be way more emotional in one version and then do it with more restraint in another. I had to think about my pronunciation, intonation, rhythm, and emphasis carefully. And of course it was important that we matched the mouth movements and timing. Both films demanded a high degree of imagination for each scene, and my involvement between the two differed significantly. I had to make sure to keep the two characters completely separate whenever I was performing. Thankfully, I was able to fully immerse myself in a unique way for each production. The crew was incredibly attentive throughout the whole process, which made every session really enjoyable.

Are there any standout lines you remember recording?
AHN HYO SEOP: There’s a line I read the first time I had a Zoom meeting with the film crew. It’s from the scene where Jinu sends Rumi a letter through Derpy, then they meet for the first time on the traditional tiled roof, and Rumi comes out wearing pajama pants. It’s a really funny scene. (laughs) That’s the part where Jinu’s teasing her and says, “choo choo!” I remember I did a ton of different takes for that. They ended up going with the one where I did it the way I practiced it. The whole thing was full of little fun things like that.

The way you act varies depending on the specific TV show or movie and the genre, and surely voice acting, where your voice is your only means of expression, requires a different angle as well, in regards to tone, pacing, and enunciation.
AHN HYO SEOP: There are differences in how you get things across. When it’s live action, your face, body language, and overall presence all become tools to express emotion, but with voice acting, since all you have to work with is your voice, it requires a completely different kind of focus. I spent a lot of time working through how to capture the feel of the emotions I normally express but using only my voice, which was a whole new challenge for me. I wanted to be sure to properly express the complexities of Jinu’s emotions in the movie. On previous projects, I used a relatively cheery, conversational tone when speaking English, but this time, I had to work on instilling Jinu’s character with the pain, responsibility, and sacrifice he carries inside him. I felt the whole texture of my acting style change, and that was reflected in my voice.

Jinu seems like someone who defies simple characterization—he’s a demon and a K-pop idol, outwardly sly and playful, but tormented inside by guilt and regret over abandoning his family.
AHN HYO SEOP: Jinu is a highly layered character. He might be a demon and an idol onstage, but underneath all that lies the loneliness, emotional scars, and sense of duty that come with being an ancient being, so I wanted to approach him not just as coming across as cool, but as someone with a sense of something missing deep inside. I put a lot of thought into how his suppressed emotions gradually rise to the surface until they suddenly explode, especially when it comes to his interactions with Rumi, and ultimately help him face himself. Right near the end, Jinu says, “You gave me my soul back.” When I was performing that line, I felt it illustrated his sincerity and deepest wishes all at once. Even I was getting emotional. It’s also something I wanted to say to my fans. The line is about yearning for purpose in life and it really stuck with me.

A single decision turned Jinu into a demon but he ultimately found redemption by sacrificing himself. I think it takes a lot of courage to overcome the darkness inside you by facing it and then choosing to do something different.
AHN HYO SEOP: In a way, Jinu might have needed redemption. The courage to confront your inner demons and sacrifice yourself for someone else is true strength. All the decisions you make, both good and bad, shape who you become, and I think you have to accept even the painful things in life if you’re going to be happy. I try to focus on the value of balance and moderation in life instead of the kind of dopamine hit people look for these days. (laughs)

Is that why, of all the songs and social media challenges for “KPop Demon Hunters,” you chose to cover “Free”? That’s the song where Jinu and Rumi open up about repressed emotions and longing to be free from Gwi-Ma.
AHN HYO SEOP: When I first heard “Free,” I felt it hit upon Jinu’s emotions in so many ways. He doesn’t have a shred of freedom, yet ultimately makes the choice to give himself up for the sake of others. The song perfectly complements his story arc. Looking at other challenges, I was amazed seeing how fans reinterpreted the bipa dance, and the “Soda Pop” parodies in particular made me think, “Wow, you can’t beat people who are genuinely having fun.” Everyone is just so awesome! (laughs) I’ve been doing a lot of publicity for “Omniscient Reader” lately, and everywhere I go, the journalists call me “Jinu oppa” and they’re so curious about “KPop Demon Hunters.” So work’s been fun lately. (laughs)

You and Jinu seem to have quite a lot in common. While portraying a demon K-pop idol, you also worked in your own personal history, showing mastery of English from having lived in Canada and your love of song and dance from having been a K-pop trainee in Korea. Did your personal experiences help you while portraying Jinu or in the process of finding the character?
AHN HYO SEOP: Absolutely. Memories of my own experiences came to me all the time while acting the part. I’ve had my own experiences where I had to prove myself in new environments, and the emotions I felt then really helped inform my acting. And all the love from fans has given me time to reflect on myself, which clearly overlaps with Jinu because I also always get a lot of inspiration and energy from my fans. (laughs) I’m sure the only reason I can be an actor is because of the fans who watch my work and support me. I see the movie as my own kind of gift for my fans who quietly keep an eye out for me and support me, too.

Lastly, do you have a message you’d like to share with all the “KPop Demon Hunters” lovers out there?
AHN HYO SEOP: To me, “KPop Demon Hunters” isn’t just an action fantasy movie—it’s about major themes like the deficiencies, darkness, and love within us all. The whole time I was working on this film, I did my best to convey the message that no one’s perfect and that that’s why it’s even more important that we have each other. There’s a word in Korean—areumdapda [beautiful]. But that word can also be interpreted as meaning “true to yourself.” I hope Jinu’s character gives people the courage to accept themselves, be true to who they are, and work toward a better version of themselves.