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"{I hated that I had Asian features, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," says the actress, who portrayed Rumi in Netflix's chart-topping animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

The performer, 40, is describing her early years in the southern state, as the firstborn child of Korean immigrant parents and her journey toward belonging in American society.

In the movie, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must rescue humanity from dark powers, Rumi has to come to terms with her true nature as part human, part demon – and when she first read the script, this resonated powerfully.

"Being born in America, feeling American but having others view me like I'm not, grappling with my sense of self as an Korean-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she says.

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

"I can honestly say, at different points in my life, I hated a lot of myself and I longed to become a different person.

"During childhood, what you see shapes who you become and I feel like I just didn't see enough people that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in June, the animated feature achieved 33 million views in just 14 days, and secured the highest positions of the Netflix charts in dozens of nations. 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 inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the kind that she lacked when in her youth.

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

"In my view Korean pop music has genuinely broken barriers. Korean cosmetics has had a significant influence on Korea being loved. But I feel like the film is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, inspiring travel to Korea, now," Cho says.

But the film's success was not guaranteed and the actress says she felt the team making it were "occasionally struggling against odds".

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

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

The film was launched against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of mass deportation efforts, which sparked protests in numerous regions.

As an person of Asian descent living in the US "it's deeply saddening," says Cho. "Newcomers have shaped the nation."

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

As an adult, Cho came to realise that the racism she had experienced when she was younger stemmed mainly from a lack of education, as people didn't know what it signified to be of Asian descent.

"However today, in the modern era, when I feel like the society and people ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes I feel like there's a sense of despair," she says.

Because of this, it's particularly meaningful, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "hope and joy and love to all these different communities".

"Perhaps this explains it's sort of like the season's hit film, because there was a need for some hope and a unifying element as one."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a major concern for the entertainment sector, raising the possibility that in future it could be used to produce 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 audiences will still pursue art created by humans.

"Certainly, I'm sure they're going to have digital performers and vocalists. I know they're already here. I understand performers' voices are already being altered, but I trust people have some respect and desire for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the international music rankings, with multiple songs from its score appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan art, and viewers globally are demanding a sequel.

Cho reveals she wishes she could answer the inquiry of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to wait for the platform or the production company, which made the film, to approve the project.

"I'm aware there's lots of murmurs, 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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