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"{I hated that I looked Asian, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," says Arden Cho, who portrayed Rumi in the streaming platform's chart-topping animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, forty, recalls her early years in the southern state, as the eldest daughter of parents who emigrated from Korea and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.

In the movie, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must rescue humanity from evil forces, Rumi has to come to terms with her identity as a hybrid being – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Growing up in the US, identifying as American but having people treat me like I'm not, grappling with my identity as an Asian-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she explains.

These were all components of her early life that paralleled Rumi's journey.

"I can honestly say, at different points in my existence, I hated a lot of myself and I longed to become a different person.

"During childhood, what you see influences your development and it seems I lacked exposure to enough people that shared my appearance."

When it launched on Netflix in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters achieved millions of streams in just two weeks, and secured the highest positions of the streaming rankings in dozens of nations. To star in the first Hollywood animated film with a Korean setting, with Asian protagonists, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also established her as a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the kind that she lacked when in her youth.

Cho says many individuals of Korean descent have expressed it's "such a refreshing moment", making them proud for the first time of their dual heritage and cultural roots.

"In my view K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. K-beauty has had such a big impact on Korea being loved. But I believe the film is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, now," Cho says.

But the film's success was uncertain and Cho says she felt the production crew were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"I feel like it kind of sucks to say this, but any time there's an production with Asian leads, it's perceived like it's a risk," she says.

So, when she accepted the part, she took steps to meet the entire cast and crew in person, she adds.

The movie was launched against the backdrop of increased immigration raids in the US as part of extensive removal policies, which triggered demonstrations in numerous regions.

As an Asian-American living in the US "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," says Cho. "Newcomers have shaped the nation."

Korean news sources have suggested that up to 150,000 individuals from Korea without proper documentation, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be removed.

As an grown-up, Cho understood that the racism she had experienced when in her youth stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as people didn't know what it meant to be of Asian descent.

"However today, in this day and age, when it seems the society and people should know better, it's deeply disheartening and at times I feel like there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

Because of this, it feels very special, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "optimism and happiness to all these different communities".

"Maybe that's why it's sort of like this movie of the summer, because there was a need for positivity and a unifying element all together."

The growth of AI is a major concern for the film industry, creating the potential that in coming years it could be used to produce a movie like the animation.

The actress acknowledges she is aware that technology is already being used to copy actors' voices, but aims to "maintain faith in people" that individuals will still pursue human-made creativity.

"Sure, I believe there will be AI actors and singers. I'm aware they already exist. I understand our voices are already being altered, but I trust the public have appreciation and desire for authentic creations."

The film has also been leading the global music charts, with multiple songs from its score appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan art, and viewers around the world are calling for a sequel.

Cho tells us she wishes she could answer the inquiry of whether that will happen – but both everyone involved will have to await the streaming service or the studio, which produced the movie, to give it the green light.

"I'm aware rumors are circulating, the feedback is positive," she says. "So we shall see, and I believe everyone in the world would riot if it didn't happen."

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