Alicia Hannah-Kim

It’s a hot afternoon in downtown Los Angeles. I arrived at an unmarked building that stood between a bodega and a barber shop. Inside was a photo studio loft on the second floor, where I entered to find racks of sequin and feathered dresses, a table full of costume and designer jewelry, and a variety of shoes in bins. A crowd of people full of publicists, stylists, and glam artists are clustered in the corner behind the photographer as he captures photos of Cobra Kai starlet Alicia Hannah-Kim in a gorgeous red gown by Le Thanh Hoa with her hair down, affixed with faux bangs.

Focused on the session, she was unaware I had entered the studio. As the photographer calls out poses, Hannah-Kim quickly follows instructions as if she were working on set.  It is only when the photographer calls for an outfit change that her concentration breaks, and I am greeted with a giant smile and an enthusiastic hello, followed by a gentle hug in her massive dress.

“I have bangs!” she exclaims, pointing at the hairpiece. “Should I get bangs?”

She pauses for a moment, quickly convincing herself that she shouldn’t. But, after looking at herself in the mirror, she quickly turns towards me as if she’s telling a secret and whispers slyly, “But, should I?”

The Korean Australian-American actress has been at the Timid photoshoot since early morning but shows no sign of slowing down or weariness. She quickly prepares for her next look, conversing with the glam team as if they’ve been long-time friends when, in reality, she had only just met them that morning. Hannah-Kim’s bubbly personality kept the mood light in what could have felt like many hours, and time seemed to go by quickly.

“I’m an excitable person,” she laughs.

It’s hard to believe this is the same person who plays the formidable antagonist, Master Kim Da-Eun, on Netflix’s Cobra Kai. “I’m the complete opposite of my character,” Hannah-Kim chuckles. “I’m not stern. My hair is relaxed. I smile—A LOT! Of course, my Aussie accent!”

First introduced in Season 5 as an ally to the villainous Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffin), Kim Da-Eun arrived from South Korea to assist in training Terry’s newly established Cobra Kai dojo. The austere and conniving Korean sensei represented the principles of Cobra Kai: Strike Hard and Show No Mercy. Her teaching methods were swift and brutal, showing no remorse when taking down students to teach them a lesson. Though her style may not be kind, they were effective, making her students better fighters.

The actress embraced the idea of playing someone opposite of herself, especially to play “a badass” karate master. “I was thrilled, of course,” she says of her casting. “I knew the character was special. I knew it was going to be a strong character with great physical work with the stunts/fight choreography—it felt very much like a dream role!”

In the sixth and final season of the series, which is divided into three parts, Hannah-Kim returns as Kim Da-Eun and is now working with John Kreese (Martin Kove) to bring glory back to the Cobra Kai name at the Sekai Takei, the international karate championship. “She goes through distinct life-changing circumstances in each of the three parts,” Hannah-Kim explains. “I was shocked when I read the scripts. It’s an epic journey.”

When Hannah-Kim first auditioned for Kim Da-Eun, she was unaware it was for Cobra Kai, as the audition process was shrouded in secrecy. When she booked the role, she was told what show she would be on, and while on her flight to film the fifth season, she binged the previous seasons. “[One of the showrunners] Josh Heald took me aside on my first day and gave me the down low on how this character fits into the story and that she was the granddaughter of Kim Sun-Young,” she recalls. “The moment we fit the braid in the first hair test, the character was solidified. I had her voice and an idea, but the braid instantly told us so much about her.”

When the fifth season premiered, Kim Da-Eun instantly became a fan favorite. Many fans were most excited about Cobra Kai's introduction of its first female sensei—the first in its 40-year existence. Hannah-Kim felt relieved at the positive response to her character and honored to be part of The Karate Kid/Cobra Kai universe. “I think I would have been more nervous if the role had been underwritten,” she says. “[The writers] wrote Sensei Kim to be equal to the men [on the show], so it felt very much like Sensei vs Sensei without any gender bias. I feel proud to be there and represent.”

Hannah-Kim has been very adamant about avoiding any stereotypes or negative portrayals of Asian women on-screen now more than ever. When she started acting in her native country of Australia, she was relegated to victim roles and those who spoke broken English with a heavy Asian accent. She moved to Hollywood and began working on television series like Crash, Grey’s Anatomy, Two and a Half Men, Hot in Cleveland, and Minx. Now, with Cobra Kai, Hannah-Kim takes pride in having a hand in developing Kim Da-Eun’s persona.

Though Kim Da-Eun may be strict and even cruel at times, Hannah-Kim says there’s more to the character than her rough exterior. The writers went to great lengths to avoid Asian stereotypes or the “Dragon Lady” trope. While Kim Da-Eun is fluent in Korean, Hannah-Kim says her character is more of a “third culture” kid who grew up with privilege and attended fancy international boarding schools. “Kim Da-Eun’s voice is modern. She’s multilingual and fluent in English. Her accent is an amalgam like any global citizen and feels very contemporary. The showrunners were intentional about writing this character authentically and respectfully.”

Cobra Kai’s sixth season was initially supposed to premiere late last year, but the writers’ and actors’ strike delayed production for another six months. Hannah-Kim did what most actors did during this time: she picketed at the studios.

“That was such a difficult time, especially at the heels of a pandemic,” she says. “The economic impact of the strike was devastating across so many industries. It was hard to have that uncertainty, but the artistic community found a lot of solidarity in the turnout. I was ever more grateful to have a job lined up and go back to set.”

When Hannah-Kim finally returned to production, she was excited to be with her Cobra Kai family. She says the cast and crew created this fun and welcoming atmosphere, including clowning between takes and making friendship bracelets in the park. “I really love the minutiae of daily life on set. Joking around with [everyone[ is my tonic to early call times and long hours.”

She takes a quick snack break before changing into her next look. During this time, she calls her husband, Sebastian Roché, over FaceTime to meet the photoshoot’s Italian hairstylist, resulting in all three conversing in Italian. Again, this is the first time she has ever met them. But Hannah-Kim has a way with people who enter her orbit and immediately warms them with her sunny disposition.

Many Cobra Kai cast, crew, and creative team members have all commented on Hannah-Kim’s magnetic charm. Ralph Macchio, star of the series and director of Episode 3, praised her steady work ethic and electrifying personality, describing her energy on and off the set as “infectious.”

“She lights up the room and just loves being on set,” he tells Timid. “From the moment I first met her, this has been consistent, and the more I have gotten to know her, the more I respect her dedication and passion for the work. She's a team player and supporter. What a bright light beneath her sinister character in the Cobra Kai series. The nicest ‘villain’ you will ever meet.”

It is precisely this vitality that has helped her avoid becoming disillusioned by Hollywood. She understands the industry has many challenges, acknowledging the struggles actors—especially actors of color—face. She had many rejections and doubts throughout her career. But rather than dwell on them, she chooses to learn from them and carry that life lesson into the next project.

“I don’t know how to be jaded when I’m still interested in the work,” she shares. “There’s always another story or idea that can put gas back into the tank. I'm not trying to be Pollyanna about it because the hits are painful. Still, I think being an artist or even just an adult is about cumulative experience, and even disappointments can be valuable.”

This resilience inspired her to explore work outside of Hollywood, with plans to work on some projects in South Korea. She reveals that Korea is in its golden age of entertainment with its successful dramas, films, music, and more. “I’m so proud and am such a fan of [everything] coming out now. I’m so happy I’m Korean. I love speaking Korean. It’s such a deep joy for me.”

Hannah-Kim admits to falling in love with K-dramas and K-pop during the pandemic, even publishing a personal essay on reconnecting with her Korean roots through that medium. Like most Asian diaspora, she struggled growing up with multiple cultures and figuring out where she belonged. Now, she feels at home in Korea, Australia, and America. “I am a true blue Aussie and then incredibly Korean at times. I feel so lucky to have these two diverse cultural backgrounds. I live in America now, too!”

Though Hannah-Kim may be doing some work in Korea, she has no intention of leaving Hollywood altogether. She feels the industry is embracing the Asian community, especially with Asian-led organizations like Gold House and Korean American Leaders in Hollywood highlighting and celebrating the work of Asian artists and projects. “The sheer volume of representation is exciting. Not just on-screen but writers, showrunners, executives, and producers—all to achieve authenticity in storytelling. We need that representation on all levels.”

She recalls Padma Lakshmi’s speech from Gold House’s annual awards event, Gold Gala, that impacted her. “She [said] she doesn’t feel lonely anymore,” she says. “That’s exactly how I feel.”

Hannah-Kim is developing a few stories she wants to produce and act in. As we are both fans of Taylor Swift, I suggest that Hannah-Kim is entering her “Producer era.” Her eyes widen with excitement at the reference, fully embracing her next evolution in the industry. “Every actor is constantly outrunning these constraints. I am writing and developing projects. I want to play as wide a range of roles as possible, and I come from theater, where race-blind casting is much easier to access. I love that it’s becoming the norm on-screen, too. The landscape is shifting, and I’m here for it.”

When asked if there were any projects or genres she would love to work in, she revealed that her dream project would be being part of the Star Wars universe. But again, she wants to do it all.

“All genres,” she exclaims. “There’s no limit!”