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"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I lacked light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," reveals Arden Cho, who portrayed the lead character in the streaming platform's highly successful movie, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, forty, recalls her early years in Texas, as the firstborn child of parents who emigrated from Korea and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.

In the film, which tells the story of a girl group who must rescue humanity from dark powers, Rumi has to come to terms with her identity as a hybrid being – and when she first read the script, this struck a deep chord.

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

These were all aspects of her early life that paralleled Rumi's journey.

"I can honestly say, at various stages in my existence, I despised many parts of me and I longed to become someone else.

"As kids, what you see influences who you become and it seems I lacked exposure to sufficient individuals that shared my appearance."

When it launched on Netflix in the summer, the animated feature registered millions of streams in just 14 days, and reached the highest positions of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To star in the first Hollywood animated film with a Korean setting, with Korean leads, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the type 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 instance of their dual heritage and culture.

"In my view K-Pop really, truly, has paved the way. K-beauty has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I believe the film is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, inspiring travel to Korea, currently," Cho says.

But the film's success was not guaranteed and Cho says she felt the production crew were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"I feel like it kind of sucks to mention this, but any time there's an Asian-led project, people feel like it's a risk," she reveals.

So, when she took on the role, she took steps to meet everyone working on the film 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 numerous regions.

As an Asian-American living in the US "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, Cho understood that the racism she had experienced when in her youth was largely due to a lack of education, as many were unaware what it signified to be of Asian descent.

"However today, in the modern era, when I feel like 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 KPop Demon Hunters could bring "hope and joy and love to various groups".

"Maybe that's why it became the season's hit film, because there was a need for some hope and something to unite us all together."

The growth of AI is a significant worry for the entertainment sector, raising the possibility that in coming years it could be used to make a movie like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho says she is conscious that technology is already being used to replicate actors' voices, but wants to "maintain faith in people" that audiences will still pursue art created by humans.

"Sure, I believe they're going to have digital performers and vocalists. I know they already exist. I understand performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I trust the public have some respect and want and love for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the global music charts, with multiple songs from its score appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan art, and viewers globally are calling for a sequel.

She reveals she would like to confirm the question of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to wait for the platform or the studio, which made the film, to approve the project.

"I'm aware there's lots of murmurs, I've heard wonderful things," she says. "Only time will tell, and I think fans everywhere would riot if there wasn't."

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