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"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I lacked light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because that's what was beautiful back then," says the actress, who voiced the lead character in the streaming platform's chart-topping movie, KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho, forty, recalls her early years in the southern state, as the firstborn child of Korean immigrant parents 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 dark powers, the protagonist has to accept her true nature as a hybrid being – and when she 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 Korean-American, as a Asian-American, as a female," she explains.

These elements were components of her formative years that mirrored Rumi's journey.

"I can honestly say, at different points in my life, I despised many parts of me and I longed to become someone else.

"During childhood, your surroundings influences who you become and I feel like I lacked exposure to enough people that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in June, KPop Demon Hunters registered 33 million views in just 14 days, and reached the top 10 of the streaming rankings in dozens of nations. To star in the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Korean leads, was for her "a dream come true" – but it has also established her as a inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the kind that was missing when she was young.

She says many Korean-Americans have expressed it's "a breath of fresh air", making them feel pride for the first time of their mixed background and culture.

"In my view Korean pop music has genuinely broken barriers. Korean cosmetics has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I believe this movie is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, inspiring travel to Korea, currently," Cho says.

But the movie's triumph was not guaranteed and Cho admits she felt the production crew were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

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

So, when she accepted the part, she took steps to connect with the entire cast and crew in person, she says.

The film was launched against the backdrop of increased immigration raids in the United States as part of mass deportation efforts, which sparked protests in many states.

As an person of Asian descent residing in America "it's deeply saddening," she states. "Immigrants have made America what it is."

Reports have estimated that up to 150,000 Korean immigrants lacking legal status, including adopted children, are among those who could be deported.

As an grown-up, she came to realise that the prejudice she had experienced when in her youth stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as many were unaware what it meant to be of Asian descent.

"However today, in this day and age, when I feel like the society and people ought to be more informed, it's deeply disheartening and at times I feel like we feel so hopeless," she expresses.

Because of this, it feels very special, she says, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "hope and joy and love to all these different communities".

"Perhaps this explains it's sort of like this movie of the summer, because we just needed some hope and something to unite us as one."

The growth of AI is a major concern 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 actors' voices, but wants to "have hope in humanity" that individuals will still seek out human-made creativity.

"Sure, I'm sure they're going to have AI actors and singers. I know they're already here. I understand our voices are already being manipulated, but I hope the public have some respect and want and love for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the international music rankings, with seven tracks from its soundtrack featured on the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and audiences around the world are calling for a sequel.

Cho reveals she wishes she could answer the question of whether that will happen – but both everyone involved will have to wait for the platform or the production company, which produced the movie, to approve the project.

"I know rumors are circulating, I've heard wonderful things," she says. "So we shall see, and I think everyone in the world would riot if there wasn't."

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