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"{I disliked that I looked Asian, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful at the time," says Arden Cho, who voiced the lead character in Netflix's highly successful movie, the K-pop themed animation.

The performer, 40, 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 movie, which tells the story of a girl group who must rescue humanity from evil forces, the protagonist has to accept her identity as part human, part demon – and when she first saw the screenplay, this resonated powerfully.

"Being born in America, feeling American but having others view me like a foreigner, trying to figure out my identity as an Korean-American, as a Asian-American, as a female," she says.

These were all components of her formative years that paralleled Rumi's journey.

"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 your development and it seems I just didn't see sufficient individuals that look like me."

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters achieved millions of streams 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 made her a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the kind that she lacked when she was young.

She notes many Korean-Americans have told her it's "a breath of fresh air", making them proud for the first instance of their mixed background and culture.

"In my view K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. K-beauty has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I feel like this movie is the one that pushed it further, of, inspiring travel to Korea, now," she comments.

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

"It seems it's unfortunate to say this, but whenever there's an production with Asian leads, it's perceived like it's a risk," she reveals.

So, when she accepted the part, she took steps to connect with everyone working on the film in person, she adds.

The film was launched against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the United States as part of mass deportation efforts, which triggered demonstrations in many states.

As an Asian-American living in the US "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Immigrants have shaped the nation."

Reports have suggested that up to one hundred fifty thousand individuals from Korea without proper documentation, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be removed.

As an adult, Cho understood that the racism she had encountered when she was younger stemmed mainly from a lack of education, as many were unaware what it signified to be Korean or Asian.

"But now, in this day and age, when I feel like the world and individuals should know better, it is beyond disappointing and at times I feel like we feel so hopeless," she says.

Due to this, it's particularly meaningful, she says, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "optimism and happiness to all these different communities".

"Maybe that's why it's sort of like this movie of the summer, because there was a need for some hope and a unifying element all together."

The growth of AI is a major concern for the film industry, raising the possibility that in coming years it could be used to make a film like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho says she is aware that technology is already being used to replicate performers' vocals, but aims to "have hope in humanity" that individuals will still seek out human-made creativity.

"Certainly, I'm sure there will be digital performers and singers. I'm aware they already exist. I know our voices are already being altered, but I trust the public have some respect and want and love for something real."

The film has also been dominating the global music charts, with multiple songs from its soundtrack appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and viewers around the world are calling for a follow-up.

Cho reveals she wishes she could answer the inquiry of whether that will happen – but both everyone involved will have to await the streaming service or the production company, which made the film, to approve the project.

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

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