[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for Partner Track.]Developed by Georgia Lee and based on the book by Helen Wan, the 10-episode drama series Partner Track follows Ingrid Yun (Arden Cho), a first generation Korean American who’s trying to live up to the expectations of her family. Her own drive and ambition have led her to set her sights on success at the prestigious law firm Parsons Valentine, often to the sacrifice of her personal life, but she learns that dedication may not be enough for her to be named partner.
During this 1-on-1 interview with Collider, Cho talked about why this project is a dream come true, what she loves about her character, the scariest thing about being the lead, creating the sister relationship for the series, outplaying the game, how she feels about the way the season ended, and what she’d like to see in a possible Season 2.
Collider: I loved this show, I loved you on this show, and I loved this show for you.
ARDEN CHO: Thank you so much. That’s music to my ears.
What made you want to do this? Had you been familiar with the book and the character? What is it like to get a character like this?
CHO: It’s a dream come true. It’s so rare to read a story and to be so invested because you relate so much. I read the pilot and was just blown away. How cool is it to see a whip-smart, fierce, incredible woman that happens to be Asian American? I’m like, “Ooh, I fit that.” And then, to read the book and to see this journey that she goes on and to say, “Hey, this is important. This is real. This is a story that needs to be told, that has not been told yet.” Honestly, there are a hundred things about this show that made me wanna do it, and I am just honored to be a part of it. I’m so happy to be here telling this story, and so thrilled to hear that people are enjoying it. I can’t wait for the world to see it.
What’s the scariest thing about leading a TV series and having that responsibility, and what’s the most fun thing about leading a TV series and having that responsibility?
CHO: I feel like the scariest thing is not being the best Ingrid, or failing. We just don’t know yet, until the show is out. I’m still scared and nervous. I was scared that I wouldn’t do it justice. But at the same time, I feel like the fun part of it is that opportunity, being on this journey and learning with it, as well. Obviously, it’s my first time leading a show and being number one on a call sheet. I never really imagined what that would be like, but it’s so nice to be able to be on this journey and to say that I did it. I’m doing it and it’s happening, and I can’t believe that it’s real.
Are you someone who always gets nervous at the start of a project? How do you get over or past that? Do you just have a moment where everything clicks?
CHO: I am definitely always a bit nervous and anxious. I’m actually quite introverted. The thing I love about performing is that I get to be someone else, but I’m always nervous because I still wanna be great at it, or be the best. You’re the best when you let it go and you’re not nervous. Anything live is scarier. [Doing interviews] is more nerve-wracking to me than filming because, at least with filming, I get to pretend, and I get to be someone and live it. But this is like, “Okay, now tell us about the experience.” And I’m like, “Oh, no, words. I’m not good at that.” I love that, with acting, someone’s writing a beautiful script, so that you’re articulate and sophisticated and smart. Ingrid is all of those cool things. I wanna be Ingrid, but just make different choices.
I love that we get to see Ingrid with her family, with her parents, and with her sister. That dynamic will be relatable to plenty of people who have lived it first-hand, but it also shows all audiences that every family has their culture, their traditions, and their expectations. What did you enjoy about getting to explore that, and getting to really dig into the relationship with her parents and her sister?
CHO: I’m so thankful for Ingrid’s family. (Show creator) Georgia [Lee] and I talked about where she was inspired to grow Ingrid’s storyline. In the book she doesn’t have a sister. That was something Georgia added to the adaptation, and it’s so great. I have a brother, and Ingrid has a sister. There are so many obstacles, when you have sibling battles and rivalries. I love my brother. He’s brilliant, but it’s so interesting. There’s a scene between Lina and Ingrid, where you realize they just see each other so differently. Their upbringing, even though it’s in the same house with the same parents, was so different. In a way, they both almost want to be the other and are jealous of the other, and they respect the other, but maybe are just a little oblivious. In so many ways, it’s portrayed so beautifully, where you’re just like, “This is normal. Everyone experiences this.”
There’s no rule book on how to be a great parent, or how to be a great sibling. Some of the conversations with Ingrid and her parents are moments that are so reflective of conversations I’ve had with my parents and experiences. The scene where Ingrid is talking to Franklin Min about why he came to America is a really special moment because my family has had that talk a lot, about what my parents sacrificed for my brother and I to have all the possibilities and opportunities. I feel like the show captures those moments so well. Hopefully, if we get a Season 2, we’ll get to see where else that goes because we just haven’t seen that a lot in American entertainment. An Asian American family experience is so different from an Asian family experience, a Korean American family experience, and a Chinese American family experience. We see a lot of these different relationships, and I feel like it’s so valuable and important for that story to be told.
I love that Ingrid comes up with a way to outplay the game that was played against her. What was your reaction to learning how all of that would play out and how she would get that fulfilling moment?
CHO: It was really fun. We had a handful of scripts when we started, and then we had up to episode nine. We were waiting for Georgia to release the finale to us. It’s so suspenseful. I’m really glad that we didn’t have it until we were done shooting all of the rest because there was so much that happened in episode 10. It was so great to have it be spontaneous and new, right in that moment, and be like, “Okay, okay, that’s where we’re gonna go. I love that. It’s so good. This is why you guys are writers, and we’re actors.” I was just blown away because, as an Asian American woman, and I don’t know if this is just because of how I’ve grown up or how life has been, I don’t always expect to win, or I don’t always expect to have things work out. Maybe I’m a bit pessimistic or realistic, but I love that for Ingrid. She’s just so driven and resilient and she will not give up. She will not let doubt or these obstacles push her down. She won’t take no for an answer. I love that. And I love that friendship really helps make it all happen and come together. We know that you just can’t do it alone.
At the same time, I was so upset to find out the reveal about Jeff Murphy (Dominic Sherwood) and the role that he played in everything. If you do get a second season, what would you like to see happen there, now that Ingrid has that bit of information?
CHO: I hope that Ingrid really chooses herself. I hope she realizes that she might have made some wrong choices, but that it’s okay. She’s 29. She’s living it up and having fun. Mistakes are cool. They can shape you and help you grow. And then, I hope that she just takes on this new fierce queen energy and goes for it. Ingrid in episodes 9 and 10 is a new kind of Ingrid, that we just didn’t see in the beginning half of the show. I feel like she’s just coming into her queen energy, and I cannot wait to see what the writers have in store. I’m crossing all my fingers and toes that we get a Season 2. Honestly, if we don’t, it’d be such a shame. I need to see what happens, and I need to see what other choices she will make. Hopefully, there will be some more romance drama, maybe with other guys. I don’t know. Murphy feels like this kryptonite addiction type of thing. Maybe he has a really good explanation. Maybe she’s very forgiving. I feel like it could go in so many ways. That’s the fun of it, right?
Partner Track is available to stream at Netflix.