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"{I disliked that I looked Asian, that I lacked blue eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," reveals the actress, who voiced the lead character in Netflix's highly successful animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

The performer, forty, is describing her childhood in Texas, 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, the protagonist has to accept 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 others view me like I'm not, trying to figure out my sense of self as an Asian-American, as a Asian-American, as a woman," she explains.

These were all components of her early life that mirrored the character's path.

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

"During childhood, your surroundings shapes your development and it seems I lacked exposure to sufficient individuals that shared my appearance."

When it launched on Netflix in June, KPop Demon Hunters achieved millions of streams in just two weeks, and reached the top 10 of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To be part of the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, 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 individuals of Korean descent 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 K-Pop really, truly, has paved the way. K-beauty has had such a big impact on Korea being loved. But I feel like the film is the one that pushed it further, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, now," Cho says.

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

"I feel like it's unfortunate to mention 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 everyone working on the film face-to-face, she adds.

The film was launched amid increased immigration raids in the US as part of mass deportation efforts, which triggered demonstrations in numerous regions.

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

Reports have estimated 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 encountered when in her youth was largely due to a lack of education, as people didn't know what it meant to be of Asian descent.

"But now, in the modern era, when it seems the world and individuals ought to be more informed, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes it appears there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

Due to this, it's particularly meaningful, she notes, that the film could bring "optimism and happiness to various groups".

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

The growth of AI is a significant worry for the entertainment sector, raising the possibility that in coming years it could be used to produce a film like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho says she is conscious that AI is already being used to replicate performers' vocals, but aims to "maintain faith in people" that audiences will still pursue human-made creativity.

"Sure, I believe there will be digital performers and vocalists. I'm aware they already exist. I know our voices are already being manipulated, but I hope the public have some respect and want and love for authentic creations."

The film has also been dominating the international music rankings, 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 sequel.

She reveals she would like to confirm the question of if a sequel is planned – but both she and fans will have to wait for the streaming service or the production company, which made the film, to approve the project.

"I'm aware there's lots of murmurs, the feedback is positive," she shares. "Only time will tell, and I believe everyone in the world would riot if there wasn't."

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