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

The performer, forty, is describing her childhood in Texas, as the eldest daughter of parents who emigrated from Korea and her journey toward belonging in American society.

In the movie, which tells the story of a girl group who must rescue humanity from evil forces, Rumi has to accept her true nature as a hybrid being – and when she first read the script, this resonated powerfully.

"Being born in America, identifying as American but having others view me like I'm not, grappling with my identity as an Asian-American, as a Korean-American, as a woman," she explains.

These elements were components of her early life that mirrored Rumi's journey.

"Truthfully, at various stages in my life, I hated many parts of me and I longed to become someone else.

"As kids, what you see shapes your development and it seems I just didn't see enough people that look like me."

When it debuted on the platform in June, KPop Demon Hunters registered 33 million views in just two weeks, and reached the highest positions of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To star in the first Hollywood animated film set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, was for her "a dream come true" – but it has also established her as a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the type that she lacked when she was young.

She says many individuals of Korean descent have told her it's "such a refreshing moment", making them proud for the first instance of their mixed background and cultural roots.

"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 the film is the one that pushed it further, of, inspiring travel to Korea, currently," she comments.

But the movie's triumph was uncertain and Cho admits she felt the team making it were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"I feel like it's unfortunate to say this, but whenever there's an Asian-led project, people feel like it's a risk," she says.

So, when she accepted the part, she made an effort to meet everyone working on the film in person, she says.

The movie was launched against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the United States as part of extensive removal policies, which triggered demonstrations in many states.

As an Asian-American residing in America "it's deeply saddening," says Cho. "Immigrants have shaped the nation."

Korean news sources have estimated that up to 150,000 Korean immigrants lacking legal status, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be removed.

As an grown-up, she understood that the racism she had encountered when in her youth stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as people didn't know what it meant to be of Asian descent.

"However today, in the modern era, when I feel like the society and individuals should know better, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes I feel like we feel so hopeless," she says.

Because of this, it feels very special, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "hope and joy and love to various groups".

"Perhaps this explains it's sort of like this movie of the summer, because we just needed some hope and a unifying element as one."

The growth of AI is a major concern for the entertainment sector, creating the potential that in future it could be used to produce a film like KPop Demon Hunters.

The actress acknowledges she is conscious that technology is already being used to copy actors' voices, but aims to "have hope in humanity" that individuals will still seek out art created by humans.

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

The film has also been leading the global music charts, with multiple songs from its soundtrack appearing in the prestigious charts. It has its own fan creations, and audiences globally are calling for a sequel.

Cho tells us she would like to confirm the question of whether that will happen – but both she and fans will have to wait for the platform or the studio, which produced the movie, to give it the green light.

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

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