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"{I disliked that I looked Asian, that I lacked light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," says the actress, who portrayed Rumi in Netflix's chart-topping animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

Cho, forty, recalls her childhood in the southern state, as the firstborn child of Korean immigrant parents and her journey toward belonging in the United States.

In the film, which narrates the tale of a female K-Pop trio who must save the world from dark powers, Rumi has to come to terms with her true nature as part human, part demon – and when Cho first read the script, this struck a deep chord.

"Growing up in the US, identifying as American but having others view me like I'm not, grappling with my sense of self as an Asian-American, as a Asian-American, as a female," she says.

These elements were components of her formative years that mirrored the character's path.

"I can honestly say, at various stages in my existence, I hated many parts of me and I wanted to be a different person.

"During childhood, what you see shapes who you become and I feel like I just didn't see sufficient individuals that shared my appearance."

When it debuted on the platform in June, the animated feature achieved millions of streams in just 14 days, and reached the top 10 of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Asian protagonists, was for her "a dream come true" – but it has also established her as a inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the type that was missing when in her youth.

She says many Korean-Americans have told her it's "a breath of fresh air", making them proud for the first time of their mixed background and cultural roots.

"In my view K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. Korean cosmetics 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," Cho says.

But the film's success was uncertain and the actress says she felt the production crew were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

"It seems it's unfortunate to mention this, but any time there's an production with Asian leads, people feel like it's a risk," she says.

So, when she accepted the part, she made an effort to connect with the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she says.

The movie was released amid heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of extensive removal policies, which sparked protests in numerous regions.

As an person of Asian descent living in the US "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Immigrants have shaped the nation."

Reports have estimated that up to 150,000 Korean immigrants 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 experienced when in her youth was largely due to a lack of education, as many were unaware what it signified to be of Asian descent.

"However today, in this day and age, when it seems the world and individuals should know better, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes it appears we feel so hopeless," she expresses.

Due to this, it feels very special, she says, that the film could bring "optimism and happiness to all these different communities".

"Perhaps this explains it's sort of like this movie of the summer, because there was a need for positivity and a unifying element as one."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a major concern for the film industry, creating the potential that in future it could be used to produce a film like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho says she is aware that AI is already being used to replicate actors' voices, but aims to "maintain faith in people" that audiences will still pursue human-made creativity.

"Certainly, I'm sure there will be digital performers and vocalists. I know they're already here. I know performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I hope the public have some respect and want and love for something real."

The film has also been leading the global music charts, with seven tracks from its soundtrack featured on the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan art, and viewers around the world are calling for a sequel.

She reveals 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 produced the movie, to give it the green light.

"I'm aware there's lots of murmurs, the feedback is positive," she shares. "So we shall see, and I think everyone in the world would protest if there wasn't."

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