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"{I disliked that I looked Asian, that I didn't have blue eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," says Arden Cho, who voiced the lead character in the streaming platform's chart-topping animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

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

In the movie, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must rescue humanity from dark powers, Rumi has to come to terms with her true nature as a hybrid being – and when Cho first read the script, this struck a deep chord.

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

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

"I can honestly say, at various stages in my existence, I hated a lot of myself and I longed to become a different person.

"As kids, what you see shapes your development and it seems I lacked exposure to enough people that look like me."

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, the animated feature registered 33 million views in just 14 days, and reached the top 10 of the streaming rankings in dozens of nations. To be part of the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the type that she lacked when in her youth.

She says many Korean-Americans have told her it's "such a refreshing moment", making them proud for the first time of their dual heritage and cultural roots.

"I feel like K-Pop really, truly, has paved the way. K-beauty has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I feel like the film is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, currently," she comments.

But the film's success was uncertain and the actress says she felt the team making it were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

"It seems it's unfortunate to mention this, but any time there's an Asian-led project, it's perceived like a gamble," she reveals.

So, when she took on the role, she made an effort to connect with the entire cast and crew in person, she adds.

The film was released against the backdrop of increased immigration raids in the United States as part of mass deportation efforts, which triggered demonstrations in many states.

As an person of Asian descent living in the US "it's deeply saddening," says Cho. "Newcomers have shaped the nation."

Reports have suggested 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, she understood that the prejudice she had encountered when she was younger was largely due to a lack of education, as people didn't know what it meant to be Korean or Asian.

"But now, in the modern era, when it seems the world and individuals ought to be more informed, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes I feel like we feel so hopeless," she expresses.

Because of this, it feels very special, she says, that the film could bring "optimism and happiness to all these different communities".

"Perhaps this explains it's sort of like the season's hit film, because we just needed positivity and something to unite us all together."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a major concern for the entertainment sector, raising the possibility that in coming years it could be used to make a film like the animation.

Cho acknowledges she is conscious that AI is already being used to replicate performers' vocals, but wants to "maintain faith in people" that audiences will still seek out human-made creativity.

"Sure, I'm sure there will be digital performers and singers. I know they're already here. I understand performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I hope the public have some respect and desire for something real."

The film has also been dominating the international music rankings, with seven tracks 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 reveals she wishes she could answer the question of whether that will happen – but both she and fans will have to wait for the platform or the studio, which made the film, to give it the green light.

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

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