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

The performer, forty, recalls her childhood in the southern state, as the eldest daughter of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.

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

"Being born in America, feeling American but having others view me like I'm not, trying to figure out my sense of self as an Asian-American, as a Korean-American, as a woman," she says.

These elements were aspects of her formative years that paralleled the character's path.

"I can honestly say, at various stages in my life, I hated a lot of myself and I wanted to be a different person.

"As kids, your surroundings shapes your development and I feel like I just didn't see enough people that look like me."

When it debuted on the platform in June, the animated feature achieved millions of streams in just 14 days, and secured the top 10 of the Netflix charts in dozens of nations. To be part of the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Asian protagonists, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for young Asian-Americans, the kind that was missing when she was young.

Cho says many individuals of Korean descent have told her it's "a breath of fresh air", making them proud for the first time of their mixed background and culture.

"I feel like Korean pop music really, truly, has paved the way. Korean cosmetics has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I feel like this movie is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, currently," she comments.

But the movie's triumph was not guaranteed and the actress admits she felt the team making it were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

"I feel like it kind of sucks to say this, but whenever there's an production with Asian leads, people feel like it's a risk," she says.

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

The film was released against the backdrop of increased immigration raids in the United States as part of extensive removal policies, which sparked protests in numerous regions.

As an Asian-American residing in America "it's deeply saddening," says Cho. "Immigrants have made America what it is."

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

As an adult, Cho understood that the racism she had experienced when she was younger was largely due to a lack of education, as people didn't know what it meant to be of Asian descent.

"However today, in this day and age, when I feel like the society and people should know better, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes it appears there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

Because of this, it feels very special, she says, that the film could bring "hope and joy and love 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 advancement of artificial intelligence is a major concern for the film industry, raising the possibility that in future it could be used to produce a movie like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho says she is conscious that AI is already being used to copy performers' vocals, but wants to "maintain faith in people" that individuals will still seek out art created by humans.

"Sure, I'm sure they're going to have digital performers and vocalists. I know they're already here. I know performers' voices are already being altered, but I hope people have appreciation and want and love for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the global music charts, with multiple songs from its soundtrack appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan art, and viewers globally are calling for a sequel.

Cho reveals she would like to confirm the inquiry 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 everyone in the world would riot if it didn't happen."

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