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"{I hated that I had Asian features, that I lacked light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," reveals the actress, who portrayed the lead character in the streaming platform's chart-topping movie, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, forty, recalls her childhood in Texas, as the eldest daughter of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.

In the movie, which narrates the tale of a girl group who must rescue humanity from evil forces, the protagonist has to come to terms with her identity as a hybrid being – and when she first saw the screenplay, this resonated powerfully.

"Being born in America, feeling American but having people treat me like a foreigner, grappling with my sense of self as an Korean-American, as a Asian-American, as a female," she explains.

These were all components of her formative years that paralleled Rumi's journey.

"I can honestly say, at various stages in my life, I despised many parts of me and I wanted to be someone else.

"As kids, your surroundings shapes your development and it seems I lacked exposure to sufficient individuals that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in June, KPop Demon Hunters registered 33 million views in just two weeks, and secured the top 10 of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To star in the first Hollywood animated film set in Korea, with Korean leads, was for Cho "an aspiration realized" – but it has also established her as a inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the kind that was missing when in her youth.

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

"I feel like K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. K-beauty has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I believe this movie is the one that pushed it further, of, inspiring travel to Korea, currently," she comments.

But the film's success was not guaranteed and the actress admits she felt the production crew were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

"It seems it kind of sucks to say this, but whenever there's an Asian-led project, it's perceived like a gamble," she reveals.

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

The film was launched amid increased immigration raids in the US as part of extensive removal policies, which sparked protests in numerous regions.

As an Asian-American living in the US "it's deeply saddening," says Cho. "Newcomers have made America what it is."

Korean news sources have suggested that up to one hundred fifty thousand Korean immigrants without proper documentation, including adopted children, are among those who could be deported.

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

"But now, in this day and age, when it seems the society and people ought to be more informed, it's deeply disheartening and at times it appears we feel so hopeless," she says.

Because of this, it's particularly meaningful, she notes, that the film could bring "hope and joy and love to various groups".

"Maybe that's why it became the season's hit film, because there was a need for some hope and a unifying element all together."

The growth of AI is a significant worry for the entertainment sector, raising the possibility that in coming years it could be used to make a film like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho acknowledges she is conscious that AI is already being used to replicate performers' vocals, but wants to "maintain faith in people" that individuals will still pursue human-made creativity.

"Certainly, I'm sure they're going to have digital performers and singers. I'm aware they're already here. I know our voices are already being altered, but I hope the public have appreciation and desire for authentic creations."

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

Cho tells us she would like to confirm the inquiry of whether that will happen – but both everyone involved will have to await the platform or the studio, which made the film, to give it the green light.

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

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