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"{I disliked that I looked Asian, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," says the actress, who portrayed the lead character in Netflix's highly successful animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, 40, is describing her childhood in the southern state, as the firstborn child of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.

In the film, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must rescue humanity from dark powers, the protagonist has to accept her true nature as part human, part demon – and when she first saw the screenplay, this resonated powerfully.

"Growing up in the US, feeling American but having people treat me like I'm not, trying to figure out my identity as an Asian-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she says.

These elements were components of her early life that paralleled the character's path.

"Truthfully, at different points in my life, I hated many parts of me and I wanted to be someone else.

"As kids, what you see shapes your development and it seems I just didn't see enough people that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in the summer, the animated feature 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 first Hollywood animated film set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, was for her "a dream come true" – but it has also established her as a powerful role model for young Asian-Americans, the kind that was missing when she was young.

Cho notes many Korean-Americans have expressed it's "such a refreshing moment", making them proud for the first time of their dual heritage and cultural roots.

"I feel like Korean pop music has genuinely broken barriers. 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, currently," she comments.

But the film's success was uncertain and the actress 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, people feel like it's a risk," she says.

So, when she took on the role, she took steps to meet everyone working on the film in person, she says.

The movie was released against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of mass deportation efforts, which sparked protests in many states.

As an Asian-American living in the US "it's deeply saddening," she states. "Immigrants have made America what it is."

Korean news sources have suggested that up to 150,000 individuals from Korea lacking legal status, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be removed.

As an grown-up, Cho understood 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 people should know better, it is beyond disappointing and at times it appears we feel so hopeless," she says.

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

"Perhaps this explains it became the season's hit film, because there was a need for some hope and something to unite us all together."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a significant worry for the film industry, creating the potential that in coming years it could be used to produce a movie like the animation.

The actress acknowledges she is conscious that technology is already being used to copy actors' voices, but aims to "maintain faith in people" that individuals will still seek out human-made creativity.

"Sure, I believe they're going to have AI actors and singers. I know they already exist. I know performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I trust people have appreciation and want and love for something real."

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

Cho tells us she would like to confirm the inquiry of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to await the platform or the studio, which produced the movie, to approve the project.

"I'm aware there's lots of murmurs, the feedback is positive," she says. "So we shall see, and I think fans everywhere would protest if it didn't happen."

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