SungWon Cho, a prominent English-language voice actor also known as ProZD, has recently found himself at the center of controversy when his actions conflicted with his previous stance of race-based voice casting.
Cho has gone from speaking out against race-based casting to being all for it in some circumstances. This flip flopping
Past Frustrations With Race-Based Casting
Cho has been active in the voice acting world for over a decade, performing in anime dubs, video games, and web content. He’s also built a substantial following online. The recent controversy surrounding SungWon Cho stems from a combination of his past advocacy for authentic casting and his own experiences navigating race-based limitations in the industry.
Voice actor SungWon Cho AKA ProZD in one of his YouTube videos – YouTube, ProZD
In 2023, Cho took to Twitter to share his frustrations with casting practices that restrict actors to roles based on their racial identity. He explained that he was often limited to auditioning for characters explicitly labeled “Asian,” while roles depicted as White were off-limits.
He recounted being sent audition materials for a character described as “Middle Eastern, South, East, or Southeast Asian,” despite not identifying with any of those specific backgrounds. In another example, he was assigned a Mandarin-speaking role despite not speaking the language. Cho described these experiences as demoralizing, adding that such limitations made the future of voice acting “look bleaker every day.”
Of course, he eventually changed his tune.
Supporting Authentic Casting… With a Caveat
However, Cho has also previously voiced support for “authentic casting,” which encourages casting actors whose racial or ethnic backgrounds match those of the characters they portray. In a May 2023 interview on the Double Toasted Interviews podcast, he acknowledged that opportunities would likely have been more abundant if he were White but praised the industry’s gradual progress toward diversity.
“There have been steps and it has been improving…studios are much more aware of ‘Hey, we should cast authentically,’” Cho said.
This shifting position—supporting fair representation while personally encountering restrictive practices—sets the stage for the current backlash.
Backlash and Asmongold’s Comments
The controversy reignited in 2025 when SungWon Cho was cast as Orville Park, a non-Asian character in the Knights of Guinevere pilot. Critics quickly pointed out that this clashed with his earlier advocacy for race-based “authentic casting,” suggesting he was now stepping outside of the very boundaries he once supported.
Voice actor SungWon Cho AKA ProZD holding a glass of water – YouTube, ProZD
Popular streamer Asmongold publicly criticized Cho, claiming he had used diversity initiatives to secure roles and disadvantage competition. In a widely shared tweet, Asmongold wrote:
“He never believed that sh*t to begin with, he just used it to bully companies into giving him roles and to disadvantage his competition. Completely deserves all the hate, turned the industry toxic and now the toxicity has turned on him.”
Cho Exits Twitter Amid Escalating Criticism
Amid mounting backlash, Cho announced he would be leaving X. In his final post, he emphasized that he still believes in diversity in casting and equal opportunity for all voice actors but expressed frustration at years of misrepresentation.
ProZD (SungWon Cho) left Twitter after criticism for voicing a non-Asian character, despite advocating that voice actors should match their character’s race.
He complained about being typecast in Asian roles but faced backlash for hypocrisy when he took a white character role.… pic.twitter.com/MI0dVdrPgs
— Pirat_Nation 🔴 (@Pirat_Nation) September 2, 2025
“Twitter especially is a cesspool for hatred and it’s been awful these past few years…this is the last time I’ll comment on any of this. Goodbye Twitter, you truly suck a**,” he wrote.
He then took his X account private.
A Broader Industry Debate
Cho’s experience highlights the ongoing complexities of race and representation in voice acting. While authentic casting policies claim to promote inclusivity, many argue that voice acting is still a performance medium—an actor’s real-world ethnicity should not strictly determine which characters they can portray.
Critics of rigid identity-based casting note that it can be inconsistently applied and unintentionally restrictive, limiting opportunities for talented performers regardless of background.
Voice actor SungWon Cho AKA ProZD wearing a monocle – YouTube, ProZD
The controversy around SungWon Cho demonstrates the tension between the so-called quest for representation and true creative freedom, a debate that continues to challenge studios, performers, and audiences alike.
How do you feel about SungWon Cho leaving social media? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
UP NEXT: Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle Campaign Proves Critics Wrong as Company Stock Soars
The woke never live by their own standards and rage quit when they’re held to them. Plus this fat ass voiced a non-Asian character in the Knights of Guinevere, a show with so many High Guardian Spice vibes I expect it to be another total disaster. His hypocrisy is immeasurable.
He’ll be back on X in no time. Just like every other wokie who tried to leave. Bluesky is a true cesspit of hate and has far less reach to satisfy their desperate need for validation.
Got slapped in the face with the consequences of his own actions than ran away to his echo chamber so they could rub his booboo for him. Weak minded fool.
Liberalism = getting ahead, explicitly, due to being the loudest.
[…] ProZD Controversy […]