Arden Cho
American entertainer (born 1985)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arden Lim Cho[1] (born August 16, 1985) is an American actress, singer, and model. Cho first gained recognition by portraying Kira Yukimura in the MTV series Teen Wolf (2013–2016),[2][3] as well as her several YouTube collaborations. She has since starred in several Netflix projects, including the legal drama series Partner Track (2022), the live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024), and the Sony Pictures Animation film KPop Demon Hunters (2025).
- Actress
- singer
- model
Arden Cho | |
|---|---|
Cho in 2019 | |
| Born | August 16, 1985 Amarillo, Texas, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (BA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Agent | Innovative Artists |
Early life
Cho was born on August 16, 1985,[4] in Amarillo, Texas, to Korean immigrant parents, and was raised in San Antonio and Plano, Texas.[5][6][7] In a 2014 interview, she stated that growing up in areas with few ethnic minorities, she often felt like an outsider. As a child, she was bullied and was hospitalized twice for injuries after being physically attacked.[2] She attended high school in Apple Valley, Minnesota.[6]
Cho attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with the intention of becoming a lawyer.[8] She took her first drama classes there and developed an interest in the acting profession.[9] There, she also became more exposed to Asian American culture at large.[9]
Career
Acting
Cho spent the summer following her graduation on a medical missionary trip in Kenya.[7][10] She then moved to Los Angeles, where she worked odd jobs while trying to pursue a career in acting. Although she did not have any screen credits at the time, her first agent took her on due to her resume of musical and physical talents, which included ballet, cello, and piano.[8] Cho has appeared in films, television series, and commercials in the United States and Asia.[11] In 2008, Cho played the grown-up lead of Hyori (the younger version being played by Megan Lee) in the short film My First Crush, directed by Rocky Jo.[12]
In 2011, she appeared in the role of Pru, a friend of Paige McCullers in the season 1 episode "Someone to Watch Over Me" of the ABC Family show Pretty Little Liars.[13][14] She also appeared in the role of Gia in the monster film Mega Python vs. Gatoroid, directed by Mary Lambert. In 2014, Cho joined the TV series Teen Wolf as Kira, starting as a recurring character in the series's third season. She was promoted to a main cast role in the fourth season. In April 2016, ahead of her talk at University of Illinois at Chicago for Asian American Awareness Month, Cho posted a YouTube video on her personal channel revealing that she would not return for the sixth season of Teen Wolf.[15][16] In 2017, Cho was cast as a recurring character on season 3 of Chicago Med as Dr. Ethan Choi's sister.[17]
Beginning in 2022, Cho starred in several projects for Netflix, including the lead role of Ingrid Yun in the television series Partner Track, which lasted for one season.[18][19] She later said that its cancellation left her dispirited, as she "thought that was going to be my moment, then it wasn't. I pretty much quit the business and retired."[20] She appeared as June in the 2024 live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender,[21] after which she took a hiatus lasting a year and a half, much of which she spent traveling.[22] Cho auditioned the role of Rumi in the Netflix animated musical film KPop Demon Hunters, attracted by the film's Korean subject. She had intended it to be her final project but found the making of it motivated her to continue acting.[20][22][23] Upon its release in 2025, KPop Demon Hunters was a major hit, becoming Netflix's most watched animated film of all time by July 2025 and eventually Netflix's most-watched film ever at 236 million views by August, surpassing Red Notice (2021).[24][25] Cho received a number of honors, including the Annie Award, for her performance as Rumi.[26]
YouTube
Cho was previously a part of the "Artichoke and Peachies" joint YouTube blogging channel with Grace Su. The account has since been shut down.[27] She has also appeared in the web series KTown Cowboys.[28] She has her own YouTube channel, ardenBcho, with over 300 videos, predominantly featuring vlogging, song covers, and original music videos. She had over 531,000 subscribers as of May 2025.[29] In July 2025, Cho collaborated with actor and singer Cha Eun-woo on an acoustic cover of "Free", a song from the animated film KPop Demon Hunters.[30]
Modeling
Cho won the 2004 Miss Korea Chicago competition, giving her the opportunity to take part in the Miss Korea Pageant in Seoul.[9] At one point, she was in talks for a television show in Korea but walked away from the opportunity due to weight loss and plastic surgery requirements.[8] In 2010, the cosmetic brand Clinique announced Cho as the model for their newest advertisement campaign in Asia. The campaign was launched in mid-November 2010.[31] Cho modeled for Reebok Korea in 2010 and for Nike Japan in 2008. She has also modeled for Apple and Alexander McQueen and appeared in Vogue, Purple Fashion and Nylon Magazine.[32]
Music
In 2010, Cho and Ktown Cowboys actor Shane Yoon were the MCs for the Korean music group JYJ's tour in the United States.[33] In 2011, Cho released her first single, "I'm Just a Girl".[9] Cho was the co-writer, composer and singer; Ed Huang was co-writer and music producer. On February 25, 2011, Cho released a self-produced music video for the single on YouTube featuring Tim Lacatena.[34] Cho had plans to tour her debut EP My True Happy in 2013 before landing a recurring role on Teen Wolf.[2][3] Cho premiered her single "Simply" in September 2019.[3]
Other ventures
Cho is an avid, highly-ranked poker player and has been playing since 2002. She competed in the 2018 World Series of Poker Main Event, placing 662nd for $21,750.[35] Her biggest live cash was in January 2024 at the PGT Championship $1,000,000 freeroll: she came in second, winning $200,000.[36]
On February 6, 2019, it was announced that Cho had become CEO of Leonard & Church, a New York City-based watch company.[37] The company closed in 2020.
Personal life
Cho is a Christian.[6] She has a black belt in taekwondo and grew up training with her father, who is a grandmaster.[5] In April 2021, in the midst of an uptick in anti-Asian racism regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, Cho said she was walking her dog when a man called her slurs and threatened her life. She picked up her dog and ran when he approached her. She said the increase in hate crimes "has triggered a lot of these [childhood] memories".[38] Cho announced her wedding plans to her fiancé to People magazine in April 2025.[39]
Filmography
| † | Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Hoodrats 2: Hoodrat Warriors | Miriam | ||
| 2010 | Agents of Secret Stuff | Taylor | Short film | |
| 2011 | Mega Python vs. Gatoroid | Gia | ||
| 2012 | Picture Perfect | Leukemia awareness short film for the Jubilee Project on YouTube | [40] | |
| 2013 | The Baytown Outlaws | Angel | ||
| 2016 | Stuck | Alicia | Also associate producer | |
| 2018 | The Honor List | Honor Liang | ||
| 2025 | KPop Demon Hunters | Rumi | Speaking voice | |
| TBA | Cheap AF † | TBA | Filming | [41] |
| Perfect Girl † | TBA | Filming |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | MADtv | Season 13, episode 11 | ||
| 2009 | CSI: NY | Gahee Paik | Episode: "Communication Breakdown" | |
| 2011 | Pretty Little Liars | Pru | Episode: "Someone to Watch Over Me" | |
| Rizzoli & Isles | Lee | Episode: "My Own Worst Enemy" | ||
| 2012 | Walking the Halls | Kylie | Television film | |
| 2014–2016 | Teen Wolf | Kira Yukimura | Recurring role (season 3); main role (seasons 4–5) | |
| 2014 | Castle | Kiara | Episode: "The Way of the Ninja" | |
| 2015 | Hawaii Five-0 | Mia Price | Episode: "Kuka'awale (Stakeout)" | |
| 2016 | Tween Fest | Lexii C. | Main role | |
| 2017 | Freakish | Tonya | Guest role; 2 episodes | |
| 2017–2018 | Miss 2059 | Arden Young | Main role (season 2) | |
| 2018–2019 | Chicago Med | Emily Choi | Recurring role | |
| 2022 | Partner Track | Ingrid Yun | Main role | [42] |
| 2024 | Avatar: The Last Airbender | June | 2 episodes | [43] |
Video games
| Year | Title | Voice role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Tomb Raider | Samantha Nishimura / Stephanie / Sun Queen | [44] |
Web series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | KTown Cowboys | Sarah | [45] | |
| 2012 | Video Game High School | Korean TV hostess | Episode: "Shot Heard Round the World" |
Music video appearances
| Year | Title | Artist(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | "Write it in the Sky" (Ken Loi Remix) | Kina Grannis | [46] |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Maybe Happy Ending | Jiyeon | Video footage | [47] |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Alliance of Women Film Journalists | Female Focus: Best Voice Performances in Animated Film | KPop Demon Hunters | Won | [48] |
| Asia Artist Awards | Best Voice Performance | Won | [49] | ||
| Associated Press | Breakthrough Entertainers of the Year | Won | [50] | ||
| Atlanta Film Critics Circle | Best Voice Performance | Won | [51] | ||
| Austin Film Critics Association | Best Voice Acting / Animated / Digital Performance (with Ejae) | Nominated | [52] | ||
| St. Louis Film Critics Association | Best Vocal Performance | Runner-up | [53] | ||
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | Best Voice Performance | Won | [54] | ||
| 2026 | Annie Awards | Best Voice Acting – Feature | Won | [55] | |
| Astra Film Awards | Best Voice Over Performance | Won | [56] | ||
| Denver Film Critics Society | Best Non-Live Action Performance | Nominated | [57] | ||
| North Carolina Film Critics Association | Best Voice Performance In Animation or Mixed Media | Won | [58] | ||
| The Online Film & Television Association | Best Voice-Over Performance | Won | [59] | ||
| Pittsburgh Film Critics Association | Best Animated Voice Performance | Won | [60] |
