Cha Eun-woo (left) and Arden Cho cover the song Free from Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters. Photo: Arden Cho/YouTube
The wait is over for fans who have been looking forward to the collaboration between South Korean singer-actor Cha Eun-woo and American actress Arden Cho.
On July 27, Netflix dropped a video of their duet for the song Free from the streaming platform’s hit animated movie KPop Demon Hunters (2025).
The film follows the members of Huntrix, a fictional K-pop girl group, who are fighting to save the world from soul-stealing demons and competing with fictional K-pop boy band Saja Boys from the demon world.
“This cover of Free by Huntrix has officially pierced my heart,” Netflix wrote on Instagram, and thanked the two stars.
In the film, the romantic ballad is sung by the characters Rumi, leader and lead vocalist of Huntrix, and Jinu, leader of Saja Boys.
Cho, best known for her roles in American supernatural teen series Teen Wolf (2011 to 2017) and legal drama Partner Track (2022), voices Rumi, with Korean-American singer Ejae providing the character’s singing voice.
Jinu is voiced by Canadian actor Ahn Hyo-seop, with South Korean singer Andrew Choi providing the character’s singing voice.
K-drama idol Cha was reportedly the inspiration behind Jinu.
Cho, 39, also posted on Instagram and her YouTube channel on July 26 a video in which she chatted with Cha, 28 – a member of K-pop boy band Astro – about their duet. He is set to begin his mandatory military service on July 28.
“I’m here with one of my awesome ‘dongsaeng’ (Korean for younger sibling or friend),” she said. “But people don’t really know you’re one of my ‘dongsaeng’ because we never posted a picture or anything.”
Cha said they were introduced about five years ago via a South Korean producer who worked on some of his shows. He had starred in K-dramas such as My ID Is Gangnam Beauty (2018), Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung (2019) and True Beauty (2020 to 2021).
“When I was in America, she introduced (me to) a lot of delicious brunch cafes and restaurants,” Cha said of Cho. “We love eating.”
Cho remarked that Cha looks like Jinu, adding: “And I thought it’d be really fun and special if we did a collaboration.”
Cha also said Cho resembles Rumi, and that it was a sentiment shared by many of his celebrity friends in South Korea and his staff.
“We were texting about KPop Demon Hunters and when we were talking about the movie, I mentioned I was coming to Korea to do some press,” Cho said. “We were, like, wouldn’t it be fun if we covered it?”
Cha said he loves all the songs from the movie, especially Free.
Cho added that her fiance is a huge fan of Cha’s. She announced her engagement on social media in April without revealing his name.
“He’s been waiting for our cover. He said you’re so cool and so good-looking. You really look like Jinu.” – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
