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"{I disliked that I looked Asian, that I lacked light-colored eyes and fair hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," reveals the actress, who voiced Rumi in the streaming platform's chart-topping animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

The performer, forty, is describing her childhood in the southern state, as the eldest daughter of Korean immigrant parents and her journey toward belonging in American society.

In the movie, which tells the story of a girl group who must rescue humanity from dark powers, the protagonist has to accept her identity as a hybrid being – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this resonated powerfully.

"Growing up in the US, feeling American but having others view me like a foreigner, grappling with my sense of self as an Korean-American, as a Asian-American, as a woman," she says.

These elements were components of her early life that paralleled Rumi's journey.

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

"As kids, what you see shapes your development and I feel like I just didn't see enough people that shared my appearance."

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, the animated feature registered 33 million views in just two weeks, and secured the top 10 of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To be part of the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Korean leads, was for her "an aspiration realized" – but it has also established her as a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the kind that was missing when in her youth.

She notes many Korean-Americans have told her 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 such a big impact on Korea being loved. But I feel like the film is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, currently," Cho says.

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

"It seems it's unfortunate to mention this, but whenever there's an Asian-led project, it's perceived like a gamble," she says.

So, when she took on the role, she made an effort to meet everyone working on the film in person, she adds.

The movie was launched amid increased immigration raids in the US as part of extensive removal policies, which triggered demonstrations in numerous regions.

As an Asian-American residing in America "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Immigrants have shaped the nation."

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

As an adult, Cho understood that the prejudice she had experienced when she was younger was largely due to a lack of education, as people didn't know what it meant to be Korean or Asian.

"However today, in this day and age, when it seems the world and people should know better, 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 KPop Demon Hunters could bring "hope and joy and love to various groups".

"Maybe that's why it's sort of like this movie of the summer, because we just needed positivity and a unifying element all together."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a major concern for the entertainment sector, creating the potential that in coming years it could be used to produce a film like KPop Demon Hunters.

The actress says she is conscious that AI is already being used to replicate performers' vocals, but aims to "maintain faith in people" that individuals will still seek out human-made creativity.

"Certainly, I believe they're going to have AI actors and singers. I know they're already here. I know performers' voices are already being altered, but I hope the public have appreciation and desire for authentic creations."

The film 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 sequel.

Cho tells us she would like to confirm the inquiry of whether that will happen – but both she and fans will have to wait for the platform or the production company, which produced the movie, to give it the green light.

"I know rumors are circulating, I've heard wonderful things," she says. "Only time will tell, and I believe everyone in the world would riot if it didn't happen."

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