Arden Cho is an Asian American actress, singer, and model – most notable for her work on Teen Wolf and her YouTube Channel, ArdenBCho.
On April 4, I had the pleasure of attending “An Evening with Arden Cho” at UIC, where she talked about her life, career, etc, in honor of Asian American Awareness Month. During this talk, I realized how much of a big inspiration Arden Cho is to not only myself, but to many other (young) individuals.
To start, Cho is a proud Asian American representative. Coming from a traditional Korean upbringing, Cho never forgets where she came from. In fact, she told us about her integrity in terms of choosing roles – which are already scarce for Asian American actors. Cho chooses not to take roles that are demeaning to her or her culture even if it will get her ahead in life. She wants the entertainment industry to create Asian American characters that are progressive and break away from the awkward, nerdy stereotype that the media typically portrays.
I could not agree more; Asians, just like other minorities, are more than just the punchline to a joke. Growing up watching American television, I became accustomed to watching shows with a largely white ensemble, so when I see strong Asian characters like Cho’s (Kira Yukimura) on my screen, I feel a sense of pride.
In addition, Arden Cho reminds us that although we may not be the writers for movie/show scripts, young people do in fact have a voice. Often times, studios are reluctant to add minority characters because they are more interested in pleasing the majority of their audience, which is usually white. So how can we stimulate change? Watch TV. Cho stressed how important ratings are and how significantly they can influence a show. (Maybe it’s time to ditch that Netflix addiction!)
Cho also offered inspiration to find happiness. She cited a friend who would say “I’ll be happy after I make $100,000 a year… $150,000 a year…” each year, and he is still the most miserable person she knows even though he does indeed attain those goals. People believe that all they need is more income in order to be happy but the truth is, you need to be happy with your life and most importantly, yourself in order to be truly happy.
Cho stated that we need to stop comparing ourselves to other people because it will only stimulate low self-esteem.With over 1 Million followers on Instagram, Cho admitted that even she falls victim to this human fault but tries to resist the temptation. Humans, by nature, always want more out of life, but when will it be enough? Moving forward, we must learn to be more grateful for what we do have rather than what we don’t.
Arden Cho has touched my life in a way I didn’t expect; I have always been proud of my culture but after hearing Cho’s perspective, that pride has been intensified.
I look forward to seeing Cho’s future endeavors and plan to support her in whatever the future may hold!