ProZD Race-Based Casting Controversy
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Overview
ProZD Race-Based Casting Controversy refers to an October 2023 controversy that sparked debates and memes surrounding YouTuber and voice actor SungWon "ProZD" Cho's reaction to being limited to voice acting roles for Asian characters. After ProZD issued a statement complaining about being unable to audition for characters of different ethnicities, many internet users cited his previous statements advocating for race-based VA casting and accused him of hypocrisy.
Origin
ProZD, known for his work in the voice acting community and social media presence (specifically in the anime industry), has previously advocated for characters to be played by individuals of the same race. This stance was then challenged when ProZD made a series of now-deleted posts[1] on October 22nd, 2023, in which he recounted a conversation he had with his agent in which he was only offered an Asian voice acting role and he wished to audition for all of them (shown below).
![SungWon Cho @ProZD i got an audition for [Prominent Cartoon] where i was sent just the Asian character, looking through the rest, i told my agent "hey i'm happy to read for this, but can i...read for some of these others?" to which i was told "all of those characters are drawn as White, so no" 12:48 PM - Oct 23, 2023 236.8K Views 149 Post your reply 22 915 SungWon Cho @ProZD-Th to add extra insult to injury, the character i got sent was labeled "Middle Eastern, South, East, or Southeast Asian" because you know...that's all the same, right? you can just lump them all into one 20 my agent told me that this is just how some Major Studios are doing things now 186 9,086 11 SungWon Cho @ProZD - Th naysayers will go "OH DON'T YOU WANT AUTHENTIC CASTING???" 1293 14 4,472 249 if your entire main cast is all White and you have one token side character who can apparently just be any type of Asian ever, this is not a level playing field. 113 4,823 53.3K 3,403 SungWon Cho @ProZD.Th this is not new, for another show recently with a large cast of characters, i was only sent the audition sides for the character who...exclusively speaks Mandarin. i don't speak Mandarin. .↑. Reply il 54.2K 3,068 it's demoralizing and as much as i love voiceover, the future looks bleaker every day il 67.9K *** 59.9K SungWon Cho @ProZD - Th to be clear, this was not my agent's decision, they have sent me plenty of white characters before and have been nothing but supportive, this is what they were told by the people in charge of casting that show 182 ... 企](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/688/333/b6a.jpeg "ProZD Race-Based Casting Controversy")
Five hours later, ProZD made another post,[1] this time about the recasting of the voice actor for the character Yuroichi from Bleach back to her original voice actor instead of sticking with a new, racially accurate one. This was seen by many as him doubling down on his original stance that voice characters should be their original race and in clear contradiction to his wanting to audition for white characters, leading to many accusing him of being anti-white (shown below).
Online Reactions
Online responses to the controversy were mixed, but largely critical of ProZD, with some users supporting him and criticizing the casting decisions for not being true to the race of the character. While many emphasized the perceived irony in the situation, discussions on the complexities of race-based casting in the voice acting industry started to spark, with many pointing to examples of it working well in the past.
For example, on October 25th, 2023, X user @IndyBnuuy[8] posted a QRT to an anti-ProZD meme detailing how Phil Lamarr and Greg Baldwin did amazing in their respective non-race accurate roles (shown below).
On October 23rd, Bounding Into Comics published an article[2] that further explored the details of the controversy, posting "Western Voice Actor SungWon 'ProZD' Cho Unhappy Reaping What He Sowed, Complains That Industry Is Now Segregating Roles By Race" on X, the related tweet accumulating over 6,500 likes in a day (shown below).
On October 24, 2023, Niche Gamer wrote about the controversy,[3] posting "Voice Actor SungWon 'ProZD' Cho criticizes race-based auditions for voice roles. Link below:" on X, with the related tweet garnering over 7,000 likes that day (shown below, left).
Additionally, a tweet from X user @GiveMeBanHammer[4] on the same day received over 6,500 likes in a similar timeframe, saying "Pushing for race-based discrimination and role segregations when it suits them or when they want to virtue signal. Then get upset and shocked when it ends up affecting them too. Eventually you can't have your cake and eat it too" (shown below, right).
On the same day, a Reddit thread on the /r/KotakuInAction subreddit was posted by Redditor[5] u/FellowFellow22, titled "Western Voice Actor SungWon ‘ProZD’ Cho Unhappy Reaping What He Sowed, Complains That Industry Is Now Segregating Roles By Race" further expanded the discourse, receiving over 500 upvotes from users on the platform (shown below).
Later that day, YouTuber Rev says desu uploaded a video[6] titled "You Reap What You Sow…," highlighting the developments around ProZD and other past instances of the voice actor being in the public eye, the video getting over 135,000 views and 9,700 likes within 24 hours (shown below, left).
YouTuber Hypnotic also uploaded his own video[7] titled "GET WOKE GO BROKE | Voice Actor SungWon Cho DESTROYED By His OWN IDEOLOGY And Now Has LIMITED JOBS" going over the backlash, receiving over 32,000 views and 2,100 likes within 24 hours (shown below, right).
Various Reactions
![HokutoNoTism @kenshirotism The past few weeks have been FILLED with reaping and sowing. Dude literally campaigned for "voice actors need to be the same race as the characters", and is shocked that it went badly for him. if your entire main cast is all White and you have one token side character who can apparently just be any type of Asian ever, this is not a level playing field. 10 1,554 1793 SungWon Cho @ProZD-14m this is not new, for another show recently with a large cast of characters, i was only sent the audition sides for the character who...exclusively speaks Mandarin. i don't speak Mandarin. 18.5K C it's demoralizing and as much as i love voiceover, the future looks bleaker every day 98 13:30 928 lil 18.9K SungWon Cho @ProZD-11m to be clear, this was not my agent's decision, they have sent me plenty of white characters before and have been nothing but supportive, this is what they were told by the people in 4:45 PM - Oct 23, 2023.413.8K Views 197 1,366 looking through the rest, i told my agent "hey i'm happy to read for this, but can i...read for some of these others?" to which i was told "all of those characters are drawn as White, so no" 12:48 PM-23 Oct 23.67K Views 284 Reposts 26 Quotes 3,003 Likes 65 Bookmarks SungWon Cho @ProZD-20m Replying to @ProZD to add extra insult to injury, the character i got sent was labeled "Middle Eastern, South, East, or Southeast Asian" because you know...that's all the same, right? you can just lump them all into one 8,518 ធ 756 ←] 소](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/688/125/92e.png "Reaping and sowing.")
![SungWon Cho @ProZD the recast was already unacceptable but this is just the f------ yikes on top ProZD Michael Edwards @MEdwardsVA · Oct 23 So Wendee Lee finally responded to the Anairis/Yoruichi situation, and all she's doing is attacking industry people who are comforting Anairis after the recast. Still amazed how transparently awful so many voice actors have been this month Double TOASTED INTERVIEW SUNGWON CHO TO : PRO733:57 SUNGWON CHO (@ProZD, 'GOD OF WAR RAGNAROK,' 'BORDERLANDS 3') INTERVIEW | Double Toasted 4.1K views • 5 months ago Double Toasted Interviews Today, Korey talks to voice actor SungWon Cho about his career and YouTube channel @ProZD. They discuss sor Brain Wizard Adventure Time: Wizard City | Master Lord Majesty Radiant | Mustard Pokemon:... *To "cast authentically" means to hire actors who resemble or relate to the characters they are playing* SungWon Cho @ProZD Also ProZD i got an audition for [Prominent Cartoon] where i was sent just the Asian character, looking through the rest, i told my agent "hey i'm happy to read for this, but can i...read for some of these others?" to which i was told "all of those characters are drawn as White, so no" 12:48 PM 23 Oct 23 67K Views ● 284 Reposts 26 Quotes 3,003 Likes 65 Bookmarks 소고 Follow SungWon Cho @ProZD - 20m Replying to @ProZD to add extra insult to injury, the character i got sent was labeled "Middle Eastern, South, East, or Southeast Asian" because you know...that's all the same, right? you can just lump them all into one my agent told me that this is just how some Major Studios are doing things now 18 1782 1,607 il₁1 19.8K](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/688/121/7c3.jpeg "ProZD before and after race-casting advocacy.")
![Misheru Katorin @Mkatorin "White people shouldn't be casted for non-white characters Oh did you think I mean that people should only play the roles of characters their own race no what I meant is that I just hate white people" 10:12 AM - Oct 25, 2023 160.2K Views 97 885 9.3K : 398 <]](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/688/203/a63.png "Wojak ProZD explains his actual stance.")
Search Interest
External References
[2] Bounding Into Comics – Western Voice Actor SungWon 'ProZD' Cho Unhappy Reaping What He Sowed, Complains That Industry Is Now Segregating Roles By Race
[3] Niche Gamer – Voice Actor SungWon ‘ProZD’ Cho criticizes race-based casting
[4] X – GiveMeBanHammer
[5] Reddit – r/KotakuInAction
[6] YouTube – Rev says desu
![Wendee Lee @WendeeLeeVO.36m Replying to @Tiana CamachoVO and @anairis_q Just following what Viz requested. Thought I too might have your support Tiana. 3 27 1 Wendee Lee @WendeeLeeVO.38m Replying to @XanderMobusVO and @anairis_q You're really disappointed Xander? I see. 92 3 ₁712 Wendee Lee @WendeeLeeVO.39m Replying to @KayliMills and @anairis_q Just maintaining the iconic character Kayli. 3 271 2 10 914 ايار ₁903 Wendee Lee @WendeeLeeVO.39m Replying to @FayeMata and @anairis_q Nothing whatsoever, but uh... I did establish the role years ago. 2 271 3 ₁745 Wendee Lee @WendeeLeeVO. 42m Replying to @DamanMills and @anairis_q 12 +] Staff @Studiopolis made a simple casting mistake. Viz wants the iconic OG cast intact. Your Friend still has roles and will be fine, I'm sure. 10 ili 1,765 :](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/list/002/688/631/d0f.jpg "\"The f------ yikes on top\" enlarged for your viewing pleasure")
![SungWon Cho @ProZD i got an audition for [Prominent Cartoon] where i was sent just the Asian character, looking through the rest, i told my agent "hey i'm happy to read for this, but can i...read for some of these others?" to which i was told "all of those characters are drawn as White, so no" 12:48 PM - Oct 23, 2023 236.8K Views 149 Post your reply 22 915 SungWon Cho @ProZD-Th to add extra insult to injury, the character i got sent was labeled "Middle Eastern, South, East, or Southeast Asian" because you know...that's all the same, right? you can just lump them all into one 20 my agent told me that this is just how some Major Studios are doing things now 186 9,086 11 SungWon Cho @ProZD - Th naysayers will go "OH DON'T YOU WANT AUTHENTIC CASTING???" 1293 14 4,472 249 if your entire main cast is all White and you have one token side character who can apparently just be any type of Asian ever, this is not a level playing field. 113 4,823 53.3K 3,403 SungWon Cho @ProZD.Th this is not new, for another show recently with a large cast of characters, i was only sent the audition sides for the character who...exclusively speaks Mandarin. i don't speak Mandarin. .↑. Reply il 54.2K 3,068 it's demoralizing and as much as i love voiceover, the future looks bleaker every day il 67.9K *** 59.9K SungWon Cho @ProZD - Th to be clear, this was not my agent's decision, they have sent me plenty of white characters before and have been nothing but supportive, this is what they were told by the people in charge of casting that show 182 ... 企](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/list/002/688/333/b6a.jpeg "ProZD Race-Based Casting Controversy")
![Misheru Katorin @Mkatorin "White people shouldn't be casted for non-white characters Oh did you think I mean that people should only play the roles of characters their own race no what I meant is that I just hate white people" 10:12 AM - Oct 25, 2023 160.2K Views 97 885 9.3K : 398 <]](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/list/002/688/203/a63.png "Wojak ProZD explains his actual stance.")
![HokutoNoTism @kenshirotism The past few weeks have been FILLED with reaping and sowing. Dude literally campaigned for "voice actors need to be the same race as the characters", and is shocked that it went badly for him. if your entire main cast is all White and you have one token side character who can apparently just be any type of Asian ever, this is not a level playing field. 10 1,554 1793 SungWon Cho @ProZD-14m this is not new, for another show recently with a large cast of characters, i was only sent the audition sides for the character who...exclusively speaks Mandarin. i don't speak Mandarin. 18.5K C it's demoralizing and as much as i love voiceover, the future looks bleaker every day 98 13:30 928 lil 18.9K SungWon Cho @ProZD-11m to be clear, this was not my agent's decision, they have sent me plenty of white characters before and have been nothing but supportive, this is what they were told by the people in 4:45 PM - Oct 23, 2023.413.8K Views 197 1,366 looking through the rest, i told my agent "hey i'm happy to read for this, but can i...read for some of these others?" to which i was told "all of those characters are drawn as White, so no" 12:48 PM-23 Oct 23.67K Views 284 Reposts 26 Quotes 3,003 Likes 65 Bookmarks SungWon Cho @ProZD-20m Replying to @ProZD to add extra insult to injury, the character i got sent was labeled "Middle Eastern, South, East, or Southeast Asian" because you know...that's all the same, right? you can just lump them all into one 8,518 ធ 756 ←] 소](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/list/002/688/125/92e.png "Reaping and sowing.")
Top Comments
Quiet_boi
Oct 25, 2023 at 09:08PM EDT
Nedhitis
Oct 25, 2023 at 08:39PM EDT