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"{I hated that I looked Asian, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," says the actress, who voiced the lead character in the streaming platform's highly successful movie, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, 40, is describing her childhood in Texas, as the eldest daughter of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in American society.

In the movie, 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 a hybrid being – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Growing up in the US, identifying as American but having others view me like I'm not, trying to figure out my identity as an Asian-American, as a Korean-American, as a woman," she says.

These were all components of her early life that mirrored Rumi's journey.

"Truthfully, at various stages in my existence, I hated many parts of me and I longed to become a different person.

"As kids, your surroundings shapes who you become and I feel like I just didn't see sufficient individuals that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters achieved 33 million views in just 14 days, and reached the top 10 of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, was for Cho "an aspiration realized" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the kind that she lacked when in her youth.

She notes many individuals of Korean descent have told her it's "such a refreshing moment", making them feel pride for the first time of their dual heritage and culture.

"I feel like Korean pop music has genuinely broken barriers. K-beauty 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 movie's triumph was not guaranteed and the actress admits she felt the team making it were "occasionally struggling against odds".

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

So, when she accepted the part, she took steps to connect with the entire cast and crew in person, she adds.

The movie was released against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the United States as part of mass deportation efforts, which triggered demonstrations in many states.

As an person of Asian descent living in the US "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," says Cho. "Immigrants have made America what it is."

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

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

"But now, in the modern era, when it seems the society and individuals should know better, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes I feel like there's a sense of despair," she says.

Due to this, it's particularly meaningful, she says, that the film could bring "optimism and happiness to all these different communities".

"Maybe that's why it became the season's hit film, because there was a need for positivity and something to unite us as one."

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

Cho acknowledges she is conscious that technology is already being used to copy actors' voices, but wants to "have hope in humanity" that individuals will still seek out human-made creativity.

"Sure, I believe there will be AI actors and singers. I know they're already here. I know our voices are already being manipulated, but I trust the public have some respect and want and love for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been leading the global music charts, with seven tracks from its score featured on the prestigious charts. It has its own fan creations, and audiences around the world are calling for a sequel.

Cho tells us she would like to confirm 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 know there's lots of murmurs, the feedback is positive," she shares. "Only time will tell, and I believe everyone in the world would protest if there wasn't."

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