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"{I disliked that I looked Asian, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because that's what was beautiful back then," reveals the actress, who voiced Rumi in Netflix's highly successful animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

The performer, 40, is describing her childhood in the southern state, as the firstborn child of parents who emigrated from Korea and her struggle for acceptance in American society.

In the movie, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must save the world from evil forces, the protagonist has to accept her true nature as part human, part demon – 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 a foreigner, trying to figure out my sense of self as an Korean-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she says.

These were all components of her formative years that paralleled the character's path.

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

"As kids, your surroundings shapes your development and I feel like I just didn't see sufficient individuals that shared my appearance."

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, the animated feature achieved millions of streams in just two weeks, and reached the highest positions of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To be part of the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Korean leads, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also established her as a powerful role model for young Asian-Americans, the type that was missing when she was young.

Cho notes many individuals of Korean descent have expressed it's "a breath of fresh air", making them proud for the first instance of their dual heritage and cultural roots.

"In my view Korean pop music has genuinely broken barriers. Korean cosmetics has had a significant influence on Korea being loved. But I believe this movie is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, now," Cho says.

But the film's success was not guaranteed and Cho admits she felt the production crew 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 it's a risk," she says.

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

The film was released amid increased immigration raids in the United States as part of mass deportation efforts, which sparked protests in numerous regions.

As an person of Asian descent residing in America "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Immigrants have shaped the nation."

Korean news sources have estimated that up to one hundred fifty thousand individuals from Korea without proper documentation, including adopted children, are among those who could be deported.

As an grown-up, Cho understood that the prejudice she had encountered when in her youth stemmed mainly from a lack of education, as people didn't know what it signified to be Korean or Asian.

"However today, in the modern era, when I feel like the world and people should know better, it is beyond disappointing and at times it appears there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

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

"Perhaps this explains it's sort of like the season's hit film, because we just needed some hope and a unifying element all together."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a significant worry for the entertainment sector, raising the possibility that in future it could be used to make a movie like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho acknowledges she is conscious that technology is already being used to copy performers' vocals, but aims to "maintain faith in people" that individuals will still pursue human-made creativity.

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

The film has also been dominating the international music rankings, with seven tracks from its score appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan art, and audiences around the world are demanding a follow-up.

Cho tells us she wishes she could answer the question of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to await the streaming service or the production company, which made the film, to give it the green light.

"I know rumors are circulating, the feedback is positive," she shares. "So we shall see, and I believe fans everywhere would riot if there wasn't."

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