Actor Ahn Hyo-Seop loved animation as a kid, so being part of Netflix's surprise blockbuster "KPop Demon Hunters" has been a full circle moment for him.
“I thought the story had this very special energy that made me want to be part of the whole journey,” the 30-year-old tells USA TODAY.
That journey has been a quick ride to the top. The PG-rated animated film about a K-pop girl group that uses songs and swords to save the world hit Netflix June 20 and almost immediately soared to the streamer's Top 10. Since then, its popularity has only grown, earning a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score (97%), a No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 (a rare feat for any K-pop song, let alone one from a soundtrack) and becoming Netflix's second most-watched movie in history.
For Ahn, who voices the male lead Jinu alongside female lead Rumi (Arden Cho), the underlying success of “KPop Demon Hunters” is its message.
"Everyone makes mistakes; everyone has something they wish to hide or undo," he says. "Sometimes, the biggest obstacle isn't the world, it's ourselves, and Jinu and Rumi face that. Instead of running, they actually grow together, and I feel like that's something a lot of people can relate to."
