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"{I hated that I looked Asian, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and fair hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," reveals the actress, who voiced the lead character in Netflix's highly successful animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

The performer, forty, recalls her early years 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 girl group who must save the world from evil forces, the protagonist has to accept her true nature as a hybrid being – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Being born in America, identifying as American but having people treat me like I'm not, grappling with my sense of self as an Asian-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she says.

These elements were components of her formative years that paralleled Rumi's journey.

"Truthfully, at different points in my life, I despised a lot of myself and I wanted to be someone else.

"During childhood, what you see shapes who you become and I feel like I just didn't see enough people that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in June, the animated feature registered millions of streams in just 14 days, and reached the top 10 of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To star in the first Hollywood animated film with a Korean setting, with Korean leads, was for Cho "an aspiration realized" – but it has also established her as a inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the type that was missing when in her youth.

Cho notes many Korean-Americans have expressed it's "such a refreshing moment", making them feel pride for the first instance of their dual heritage and culture.

"I feel like Korean pop music really, truly, has paved the way. K-beauty has had such a big impact on Korea being loved. But I believe the film is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, now," she comments.

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

"It seems it's unfortunate to mention this, but whenever there's an production with Asian leads, it's perceived like a gamble," she says.

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

The film was released against the backdrop of increased immigration raids in the United States as part of extensive removal policies, which triggered demonstrations 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 one hundred fifty thousand individuals from Korea without proper documentation, including adopted children, are among those who could be removed.

As an adult, Cho came to realise that the racism she had experienced when she was younger stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as people didn't know what it signified to be of Asian descent.

"But now, in the modern era, when I feel like the world and individuals should know better, it is beyond disappointing 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".

"Maybe that's why it's sort of like this movie of the summer, because we just needed positivity and a unifying element as one."

The growth of AI is a major concern for the film industry, raising the possibility that in future it could be used to make a movie like the animation.

Cho acknowledges she is conscious that AI is already being used to replicate performers' vocals, but wants to "have hope in humanity" that audiences will still pursue art created by humans.

"Sure, I'm sure there will be digital performers and singers. I'm aware they already exist. I know our voices are already being altered, but I hope people have some respect and want and love for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the global music charts, with seven tracks from its score featured on the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and viewers globally are calling for a follow-up.

Cho tells us she would like to confirm the question of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to await the platform or the studio, which produced the movie, to give it the green light.

"I know rumors are circulating, the feedback is positive," she says. "So we shall see, and I think everyone in the world would protest if it didn't happen."

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