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"{I disliked that I looked Asian, that I lacked light-colored eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful at the time," reveals Arden Cho, who voiced the lead character in the streaming platform's chart-topping animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

The performer, 40, recalls her childhood in Texas, as the firstborn child of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.

In the movie, which narrates the tale of a girl group who must save the world from dark powers, Rumi has to accept her identity as part human, part demon – and when Cho first read the script, this struck a deep chord.

"Growing up in the US, feeling American but having people treat me like I'm not, trying to figure out my sense of self as an Asian-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she says.

These elements were components of her early life that mirrored the character's path.

"Truthfully, at different points in my existence, I hated a lot of myself and I longed to become someone else.

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

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, the animated feature registered millions of streams in just two weeks, and secured the top 10 of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, was for her "an aspiration realized" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the type that was missing when she was young.

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

"In my view K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. K-beauty has had a significant influence on global appreciation for Korea. 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 film's success was not guaranteed and the actress admits she felt the team making it were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

"It seems it's unfortunate to say this, but any time there's an production with Asian leads, people feel like a gamble," she reveals.

So, when she took on the role, she made an effort to meet everyone working on the film face-to-face, she says.

The film was launched amid increased immigration raids in the US as part of extensive removal policies, which sparked protests in many states.

As an Asian-American residing in America "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," says Cho. "Newcomers 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 deported.

As an grown-up, she understood that the racism she had encountered when in her youth was largely due to a lack of education, as people didn't know what it meant to be Korean or Asian.

"However today, in this day and age, when it seems the world and people should know better, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes it appears there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

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

"Maybe that's why it became 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 film industry, raising the possibility that in future it could be used to make a movie like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho says she is conscious that AI is already being used to copy actors' voices, but wants to "have hope in humanity" that individuals will still seek out art created by humans.

"Certainly, I'm sure they're going to have digital performers and singers. I know they're already here. I know performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I trust people have some respect and desire for authentic creations."

The film has also been dominating the global music charts, with seven tracks from its soundtrack featured on the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and viewers around the world are demanding a follow-up.

Cho tells us she would like to confirm the question of whether that will happen – but both she and fans will have to await the streaming service or the production company, which produced the movie, to approve the project.

"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 there wasn't."

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