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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 portrayed Rumi in Netflix's chart-topping animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho, 40, 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 narrates the tale of a female K-Pop trio who must save the world from evil forces, Rumi has to come to terms with her true nature as part human, part demon – and when she first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

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

These elements were aspects of her formative years that paralleled Rumi's journey.

"Truthfully, at various stages in my existence, I despised many parts of me and I longed to become someone else.

"As kids, what you see shapes your development and it seems I lacked exposure to enough people that shared my appearance."

When it debuted on the platform in June, KPop Demon Hunters achieved millions of streams in just 14 days, and secured the top 10 of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To star in the first Hollywood animated film with a Korean setting, with Korean leads, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also established her as a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the type that she lacked when she was young.

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

"I feel like Korean pop music 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 tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, now," she comments.

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

"I feel like it kind of sucks to mention this, but whenever there's an Asian-led project, it's perceived like it's a risk," she says.

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

The film was released amid increased immigration raids in the US as part of mass deportation efforts, which sparked protests in numerous regions.

As an person of Asian descent residing in America "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," says Cho. "Immigrants have made America what it is."

Korean news sources have suggested that up to 150,000 Korean immigrants without proper documentation, including those who were adopted, 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 was largely due to a knowledge gap, as many were unaware what it meant to be of Asian descent.

"But now, in this day and age, when I feel like the society and individuals ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and at times I feel like there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

Due to 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 advancement of artificial intelligence is a significant worry for the entertainment sector, raising the possibility that in future it could be used to produce a film like the animation.

Cho acknowledges she is conscious that AI is already being used to replicate actors' voices, but aims to "maintain faith in people" that individuals will still seek out human-made creativity.

"Sure, I believe there will be digital performers and vocalists. I know they already exist. I understand performers' voices are already being altered, but I trust the public have appreciation and desire for authentic creations."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the international music rankings, with seven tracks from its score appearing in the prestigious charts. It has its own fan creations, and viewers around the world are demanding a follow-up.

Cho tells us she would like to confirm the question of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to await the platform or the production company, which made the film, to approve the project.

"I know rumors are circulating, the feedback is positive," she says. "Only time will tell, and I believe fans everywhere would riot if it didn't happen."

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