Arden Cho

Arden Cho (born August 16, 1985)^[1] is an American actress, singer and model,^[2] best known for her role as Kira Yukimura on Teen Wolf. She starred in the 2011 feature Mega Python vs. Gatoroid. As a model she worked mostly in Asia while she released an EP My True Happy in 2013. Born in Amarillo, Texas to Korean-American parents, Cho spent most of her childhood years in Dallas and her late teenage years in Minnesota together with a younger brother.^[3] In High School her "parents put me in dance classes, martial arts, sports, painting, music, cello, all sorts of things".^[4] Growing up in an area with very few ethnic minorities led to sentiments of being an outsider.^[4] It wasn't until she moved to the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign where she majored in psychology that she connected with her Asian American background.^[4] It was here that she attended her first drama classes and developed an interest in the profession, noting "theater was the first time I felt like I could open up and be someone I could only imagine to be".^[4]

In 2010, the cosmetic brand Clinique announced Cho as the model for their newest advertisement campaign in Asia. The campaign was launched in mid-November 2010. Clinique was reported to have stated that they "selected Cho not because she was Korean, but because she had the beauty to represent Asia."^[5][6] Cho modeled for Reebok Korea in 2010 and for Nike Japan in 2008. She has also modeled for Apple and Alexander McQueen and appeared in Vogue, Purple Fashion and Nylon Magazine.^[7]In 2004, Cho entered and won the Miss Korea Chicago competition, giving her the opportunity to take part in the Miss Korea Pageant in Seoul, South Korea. The latter proved to be a disappointing experience as she was urged to lose weight and make other adjustments to her appearance.^[3] After graduating in 2007 she spent the summer of that year in Kenya on a two-month humanitarian trip.^[4] Upon her return, she decided to move to Los Angeles where she worked odd jobs while trying to pursue a career in acting.

Cho has appeared in films, television series and commercials in the United States and Asia.^{[8][dead link]}

Cho is best known for her lead role as Kira Yukimura, a kitsune, on the MTV series Teen Wolf.

In 2011 she appeared in the role of Pru, a friend of Paige McCullers (Lindsey Shaw) in Season 1, Episode 20 ("Someone to Watch Over Me"), of the ABC Family show Pretty Little Liars.^[9][10] The episode originally aired on March 7, 2011.^[11] In 2011 she also appeared in the role of Gia in the monster film Mega Python vs. Gatoroid, directed by Mary Lambert. In 2009 Cho appeared in Season 5, Episode 19 ("Communication Breakdown"), of the CBS show CSI: NY, in the supporting role of Gahee Paik, the daughter of a Korean father suspected of murder.^[12] The episode originally aired on March 25, 2009.^[13] In 2008 Cho played the grown-up lead of Hyori (the younger version being played by Megan Lee) in the short film My First Crush, directed by Rocky Jo.^[14] She has also appeared in the webseries KTown Cowboys.^[15] Cho also starred in the 2011, 35-minute YouTube feature Agents of Secret Stuff presented by Nigahiga and Wong Fu Productions.^[16] In 2014, she also appeared as Kiara in the TV series Castle.
On February 22, 2011, Cho released the single "I’m Just a Girl" on iTunes.^[17] Cho was the co-writer, composer and singer on the single; Ed Huang was co-writer and music producer.^[18] On February 25, 2011, Cho published a self-produced music video for the single on YouTube featuring Tim Lacatena.^[19][20][21] Musical videos featuring her collaborations with other YouTube figures including Gerald Ko, Jason Chen, Ken Salomon and Megan Lee appear on her other, more informal ardenBcho YouTube account.^[22] Another musical collaboration to which Cho has lent her voice is the non-commercial Mark Allen song "I Once Knew."^[23]