🐺 From JYP Trainee to Voice of ‘Jinwoo’
Before he was a beloved actor, Ahn Hyo-seop trained for years at JYP Entertainment—even alongside GOT7. Now, his K-pop roots come full circle as he voices Jinwoo, the leader of the boy group Saja Boys, in the smash-hit Netflix animation Kpop Demon Hunters.
🎤 Not Just Voice Acting—Full-Body Performance
Recording from Korea while the production team worked remotely in the U.S., Ahn didn’t just lend his voice. He recorded with a camera capturing his expressions, movements, and emotions to breathe life into the animated character.
“Jinwoo’s face and hoodie style reflect me,” he said. “It wasn’t just voice work—it was emotional synchronization.”
🧠 Deep Character, Deeper Meaning
Jinwoo, a powerful yet tormented figure, made a desperate deal to protect his family and lost his soul in the process. Ahn interprets him as:
“A warm-hearted soul living with guilt and pain. Someone viewers will both love and feel for.”
❤️ A Message of Self-Acceptance
“There’s a Korean word I love—‘아름답다’ (beautiful). It also means ‘to be yourself.’ This film embraces that idea—loving your uniqueness.”
For Ahn, Kpop Demon Hunters isn’t just fantasy—it’s reality in metaphor. He calls K-pop in the story a “symbol of hope.”
🎬 How Maggie Kang Cast Him
Director Maggie Kang saw him in Business Proposal and was instantly captivated by his fluent English and emotional delivery.
“She sent me a heartfelt letter,” Ahn said. “Her sincerity moved me—I wanted to create something beautiful together.”
🎶 Fantasy That Hits Real
Ahn praised the film’s message, production, and the genre’s freedom:
“Animation transcends limits. It’s not just for kids. It holds deep feelings, philosophy, and emotion.”
He also called this project “a film, a performance, and a dream”—one that he hopes comforts and empowers viewers around the world.
Article Source: Original article by Lee Jae-hoon, published June 27, 2025 via NEWSIS.
Image Source: Image via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
