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"{I hated that I had Asian features, that I didn't have blue eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful back then," reveals the actress, who portrayed the lead character in Netflix's highly successful animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho, 40, recalls her early years in the southern state, as the firstborn child of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in American society.

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

"Being born in America, identifying as American but having people treat me like a foreigner, trying to figure out my identity as an Korean-American, as a Asian-American, as a female," she explains.

These elements were aspects of her early life that mirrored the character's path.

"Truthfully, at different points in my existence, I despised a lot of myself and I wanted to be a different person.

"As kids, your surroundings influences your development and it seems I lacked exposure to enough people that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in June, the animated feature registered millions of streams in just two weeks, and reached the top 10 of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To star in the first Hollywood animated film set in Korea, with Korean leads, was for Cho "an aspiration realized" – but it has also established her as a inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the kind that was missing when she was young.

She says many Korean-Americans have expressed it's "a breath of fresh air", making them feel pride for the first time of their mixed background and cultural roots.

"In my view Korean pop music has genuinely broken barriers. K-beauty has had a significant influence on global appreciation for Korea. But I believe the film is the one that pushed it further, of, inspiring travel to Korea, currently," she comments.

But the movie's triumph was uncertain and Cho says she felt the production crew were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"I feel like it kind of sucks to mention this, but whenever there's an production with Asian leads, it's perceived like a gamble," she reveals.

So, when she accepted the part, she made an effort to meet the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she says.

The film was launched 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 residing in America "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," says Cho. "Immigrants have made America what it is."

Reports have estimated that up to one hundred fifty thousand Korean immigrants lacking legal status, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be removed.

As an grown-up, Cho came to realise that the prejudice she had experienced when she was younger stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as many were unaware what it signified to be Korean or Asian.

"However today, in this day and age, when it seems the world and individuals ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes I feel like there's a sense of despair," she says.

Due to this, it's particularly meaningful, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "optimism and happiness to all these different communities".

"Perhaps this explains it's sort of like this movie of the summer, because we just needed some hope and something to unite us all together."

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

The actress says she is aware 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'm sure there will be AI actors and singers. I know they're already here. I understand our voices are already being altered, but I hope the public have some respect and desire for something real."

The film has also been leading the international music rankings, with multiple songs from its soundtrack featured on the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and viewers globally are calling for a sequel.

Cho tells us she wishes she could answer the inquiry of if a sequel is planned – but both she and fans will have to wait for the streaming service or the studio, which made the film, to give it the green light.

"I know there's lots of murmurs, the feedback is positive," she says. "Only time will tell, and I believe fans everywhere would protest if there wasn't."

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