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"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I didn't have blue eyes and blonde hair, because that's what was beautiful back then," says the actress, who voiced Rumi in Netflix's highly successful animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, forty, recalls her early years in Texas, as the firstborn child of parents who emigrated from Korea 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 dark powers, Rumi has to come to terms with her identity as part human, part demon – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Being born in America, identifying as American but having people treat me like I'm not, trying to figure out my sense of self as an Korean-American, as a Asian-American, as a female," she explains.

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

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

"During childhood, what you see shapes who you become and it seems I just didn't see enough people that shared my appearance."

When it launched on Netflix in June, the animated feature registered millions of streams in just two weeks, and secured the highest positions of the Netflix charts in dozens of nations. To star in the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Korean leads, was for her "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for young Asian-Americans, the kind that she lacked when she was young.

She notes many individuals of Korean descent 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 K-Pop really, truly, has paved the way. Korean cosmetics has had a significant influence on global appreciation for Korea. But I feel like the film is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, inspiring travel to Korea, now," she comments.

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

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

So, when she took on the role, she took steps to meet everyone working on the film face-to-face, she adds.

The movie was launched against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of extensive removal policies, which triggered demonstrations in many states.

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

Korean news sources have estimated that up to 150,000 individuals from Korea without proper documentation, including adopted children, are among those who could be deported.

As an adult, Cho came to realise that the prejudice she had experienced when in her youth stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as people didn't know what it meant to be Korean or Asian.

"However today, in this day and age, when it seems the society and individuals ought to be more informed, it's deeply disheartening and at times it appears there's a sense of despair," she says.

Due to this, it feels very special, she notes, that the film could bring "optimism and happiness to all these different communities".

"Maybe that's why it became this movie of the summer, because there was a need for some hope and something to unite us as one."

The growth of AI is a major concern for the film industry, raising the possibility that in coming years it could be used to make a movie like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho says she is aware that AI is already being used to replicate performers' vocals, but aims to "have hope in humanity" that audiences will still pursue human-made creativity.

"Sure, I'm sure there will be AI actors and vocalists. I'm aware they already exist. I understand performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I hope people have appreciation and want and love for something real."

The film has also been leading the global music charts, with seven tracks from its soundtrack featured on the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and audiences around the world are calling for a follow-up.

Cho tells us she would like to confirm the question of whether that will happen – but both everyone involved will have to wait for the streaming service or the production company, which made the film, to approve the project.

"I know there's lots of murmurs, I've heard wonderful things," she says. "So we shall see, and I believe fans everywhere would riot if it didn't happen."

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