Entertainment
‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Reunion Set for New Psychological Thriller [Exclusive]
Although it’s disappointing that KPop Demon Hunters isn’t expected to follow up on its world-dominating first tour until 2029, the members of HUNTR/X should be back on-screen before then. Last year, it was announced that Arden Cho and May Hong, the voices behind Rumi and Mira, would be re-teaming for a new film set against the backdrop of the K-pop industry — Perfect Girl. The project is a much different beast than their animated smash hit, focusing on the darker side of the scene with a story that’s been described as “Scream meets Black Swan.” Among those accompanying the pair is Adeline Rudolph, who had nothing but kind words for her two co-stars, even if the film pits them against one another.
With Mortal Kombat II now in theaters, Rudolph sat down with Perri Nemiroff for a new episode of Collider Ladies Night, where they dug into her career, bringing Kitana to life from the iconic fighting games, and some of the exciting projects she has on the horizon. When asked what subgenre of horror Perfect Girl occupies, the actress admittedly had a bit of trouble finding the right descriptor. The synopsis described the story as revolving around a fierce competition to find the members of a K-pop supergroup designed to steal the spotlight. However, with one last-second arrival, the audition turns out to be a literal bloodbath where every entrant is hunted down until the final four are left standing. Rudolph ultimately agreed that “psychological thriller” would be the best category for the film. “That’s what I would have said,” she responded. “I wasn’t sure if that was a subgenre, but it’s very much in that world and in that realm.”
The mere mention of Hong and Cho’s involvement had Rudolph thinking of all the ways the two stars had made her experience better. “Firstly, working with May was lovely,” she continued. “She’s so sweet and so kind.” For Hong, Perfect Girl represents just her third film role, though she’s been a regular presence on television from Full Circle to Hacks. Rudolph got a ton out of watching Cho, though, as the Teen Wolf alum wasn’t just starring, but also producing, and brought with her a track record of trailblazing for Asian-American actors. Rudolph continued:
“And then, of course, working with Arden was a gift of a lifetime. I mean, Arden is so incredible in very many ways. She’s just kind of carved out a path for Asian-Americans, or AAPI talent, and she’s very much a person who wants everyone to win, and you can feel that. Girls’ girl, 100%. She’s incredible. She was also producing on this film as well as acting. But yeah, to play opposite her and then also have her on set every day to help guide the project was so amazing. I mean, she deserves everything this planet has to offer. She’s incredible through and through.”
‘Perfect Girl’ Twists the K-Pop Industry Through the Realm of Horror
Although she had much to say about the reunited HUNTR/X members, Rudolph couldn’t speak as freely about Perfect Girl itself. She did, however, tease that, despite its more horrifying premise, it does hit at the very real, cutthroat paths to stardom that prospective K-pop stars have to endure. “Without giving too much away, it’s a movie about the K-pop training system,” she said. “It’s very rigorous. And it’s about these artists’ journeys being in that system, and the insecurities or the fears or the competitiveness that comes out being placed in a situation like that.”
It’s too early at this time to start talking about her character, but there’s a lot about the idea that has the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina alum excited. Based on the Blacklist script by Lynn Q. Yu, Perfect Girl hails from director Hong Won-ki and features a cast that is packed with real musical talent. John Kim, Peter Lee Jae Yoon, and Samantha Cochran are also on board alongside Filipino-Canadian singer AC Bonifacio, Thai singer and actress Ally, and real-life K-pop idols Jeon Somi from The Black Label, Nancy from Momoland, Siyoon from Billie, and Chaerin from Cherry Bullet. Somi also made one of the six original K-pop tracks for the film. So far, Rudolph loves how all those elements come together to paint a heightened, tense picture of the K-pop world that still speaks to the truth hopeful artists face.
“I cannot wait, honestly, to just talk all about the project. I feel like it’s a space that lends itself to a psychological thriller horror. Obviously, it’s exaggerated, but there’s so much that goes on in that world that is so fascinating. Taken to the extreme, not that any of this would ever happen, but you can understand how, just mentally, it could be tough.”
There’s no release date yet for Perfect Girl. In the meantime, Rudolph is in theaters for Mortal Kombat II. Stay tuned here at Collider for further updates. You can watch Rudolph’s full episode of Ladies Night below.
- Release Date
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May 8, 2026
- Runtime
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116 Minutes
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