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"{I hated that I had Asian features, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," says Arden Cho, who portrayed the lead character in Netflix's chart-topping animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, 40, is describing her early years in Texas, as the eldest daughter of parents who emigrated from Korea and her journey toward belonging in the United States.

In the film, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must save the world from evil forces, Rumi has to accept her identity as part human, part demon – 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, grappling with my identity as an Korean-American, as a Asian-American, as a female," she says.

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

"Truthfully, at various stages in my existence, I hated a lot of myself and I wanted to be someone else.

"During childhood, your surroundings influences who you become and it seems I just didn't see sufficient individuals that shared my appearance."

When it launched on Netflix in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters achieved millions of streams in just two weeks, and reached the highest positions of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Asian protagonists, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the kind that she lacked 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 time of their mixed background and culture.

"In my view Korean pop music has genuinely broken barriers. K-beauty has had such a big impact on Korea being loved. But I believe this movie is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, inspiring travel to Korea, now," she comments.

But the movie's triumph was not guaranteed and the actress admits she felt the production crew were "occasionally struggling against odds".

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

So, when she took on the role, she took steps to meet everyone working on the film face-to-face, she adds.

The film was released amid increased immigration raids in the US 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," says Cho. "Newcomers have shaped the nation."

Korean news sources have suggested that up to 150,000 Korean immigrants without proper documentation, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be deported.

As an adult, she understood that the racism she had experienced when she was younger was largely due to a knowledge gap, as people didn't know what it signified to be Korean or Asian.

"But now, in the modern era, when I feel like the society and individuals ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and at times it appears there's a sense of despair," she says.

Because of this, it feels very special, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "hope and joy and love to all these different communities".

"Maybe that's why it became the season's hit film, because we just needed positivity and a unifying element all together."

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

The actress says she is aware that technology is already being used to copy performers' vocals, but wants to "maintain faith in people" that individuals will still pursue human-made creativity.

"Certainly, I'm sure there will be AI actors and vocalists. I'm aware they already exist. I understand performers' voices are already being altered, but I trust the public have appreciation and desire for authentic creations."

The film has also been leading the international music rankings, with multiple songs from its score featured on the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and audiences around the world are calling for a follow-up.

She tells us 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 produced the movie, to approve the project.

"I know there's lots of murmurs, I've heard wonderful things," she shares. "Only time will tell, and I think everyone in the world would riot if it didn't happen."

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