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"{I disliked 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 Rumi in the streaming platform's highly successful animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho, forty, is describing her childhood in Texas, as the eldest daughter 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 rescue humanity from evil forces, Rumi has to come to terms with her identity as part human, part demon – and when she first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Being born in America, identifying as American but having others view me like I'm not, trying to figure out my sense of self as an Korean-American, as a Korean-American, as a woman," she says.

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

"Truthfully, at various stages in my existence, I hated a lot of myself and I wanted to be a different person.

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

When it launched on Netflix in the summer, the animated feature achieved 33 million views in just two weeks, and secured the highest positions of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To be part of 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 powerful role model for Asian-American children, the kind that she lacked when in her youth.

She notes many Korean-Americans have told her it's "such a refreshing moment", making them feel pride for the first time of their mixed background and culture.

"I feel like Korean pop music really, truly, has paved the way. Korean cosmetics has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I believe the film is the one that pushed it further, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, now," she comments.

But the movie's triumph was not guaranteed and Cho admits she felt the production crew were "occasionally struggling against odds".

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

So, when she accepted the part, she took steps to connect with everyone working on the film in person, she says.

The film was released against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the United States as part of extensive removal policies, which triggered demonstrations in numerous regions.

As an Asian-American residing in America "it's deeply saddening," says Cho. "Immigrants have made America what it is."

Korean news sources have suggested that up to one hundred fifty thousand Korean immigrants lacking legal status, including adopted children, are among those who could be removed.

As an grown-up, she understood that the prejudice she had experienced when she was younger stemmed mainly from a lack of education, 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 should know better, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes it appears we feel so hopeless," she says.

Because of this, it feels very special, she notes, that the film could bring "hope and joy and love to various groups".

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

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a major concern for the film industry, raising the possibility that in coming years it could be used to produce a film like the animation.

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

"Certainly, I believe they're going to have AI actors and vocalists. I'm aware they're already here. I understand performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I trust the public have appreciation and desire for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the global music charts, with seven tracks from its soundtrack appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan art, and audiences around the world are calling for a follow-up.

Cho 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 studio, which made the film, to approve the project.

"I know rumors are circulating, the feedback is positive," she says. "So we shall see, and I believe fans everywhere would riot if there wasn't."

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