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"{I hated that I had Asian features, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful back then," says the actress, who voiced the lead character in the streaming platform's chart-topping animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

Cho, 40, is describing her early years in Texas, as the firstborn child of parents who emigrated from Korea and her journey toward belonging in the United States.

In the film, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must save the world from dark powers, Rumi has to accept her true nature as part human, part demon – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Growing up in the US, feeling American but having others view me like I'm not, trying to figure out my sense of self as an Asian-American, as a Asian-American, as a female," she says.

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

"Truthfully, at various stages in my life, I hated a lot of myself and I wanted to be someone else.

"During childhood, what you see shapes your development and it seems I just didn't see enough people that look like me."

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters registered millions of streams in just 14 days, and secured the highest positions of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To be part of the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Korean leads, was for Cho "an aspiration realized" – but it has also established her as a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the type that she lacked when in her youth.

Cho says many individuals of Korean descent have expressed it's "a breath of fresh air", making them feel pride for the first instance of their dual heritage and culture.

"In my view Korean pop music really, truly, has paved the way. K-beauty has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I feel like this movie is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, currently," she comments.

But the movie's triumph was not guaranteed and Cho says she felt the team making it were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

"It seems it's unfortunate to mention this, but any time there's an Asian-led project, it's perceived like it's a risk," she says.

So, when she took on the role, she made an effort to meet the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she says.

The movie was released against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of mass deportation efforts, which triggered demonstrations in many states.

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 one hundred fifty thousand individuals from Korea lacking legal status, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be removed.

As an grown-up, she understood that the racism she had encountered when in her youth stemmed mainly from a lack of education, as many were unaware what it meant to be Korean or Asian.

"However today, in this day and age, when I feel like the world and people ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes it appears we feel so hopeless," she expresses.

Due to this, it feels very special, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "optimism and happiness to various groups".

"Perhaps this explains it's sort of like the season's hit film, because we just needed some hope and a unifying element all together."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a significant worry for the film industry, raising the possibility that in future it could be used to produce a movie like KPop Demon Hunters.

The actress says she is aware that AI is already being used to replicate performers' vocals, but aims to "have hope in humanity" that individuals will still pursue art created by humans.

"Sure, I believe there will be digital performers and vocalists. I know they already exist. I know our voices are already being altered, but I trust the public have appreciation and want and love for something real."

The film has also been dominating the global music charts, with seven tracks from its soundtrack appearing in the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and audiences globally are demanding a sequel.

Cho tells us she wishes she could answer the question of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to await the streaming service or the production company, which made the film, to approve the project.

"I know there's lots of murmurs, I've heard wonderful things," she shares. "Only time will tell, and I think fans everywhere would riot if there wasn't."

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