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"{I hated that I had Asian features, that I lacked blue eyes and fair hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," reveals the actress, who portrayed the lead character in the streaming platform's highly successful movie, KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho, forty, is describing her early years in the southern state, as the firstborn child of parents who emigrated from Korea and her journey toward belonging in American society.

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

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

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

"I can honestly say, at different points in my existence, I despised many parts of me and I wanted to be someone else.

"During childhood, your surroundings shapes who you become and it seems I just didn't see enough people that shared my appearance."

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters registered millions of streams in just 14 days, and reached the highest positions of the streaming rankings in dozens of nations. To star in the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Korean leads, was for her "an aspiration realized" – but it has also established her as a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the type that was missing when in her youth.

Cho says many individuals of Korean descent have expressed it's "such a refreshing moment", making them proud for the first time of their mixed background and culture.

"I feel like Korean pop music really, truly, has paved the way. K-beauty has had such a big impact on Korea being loved. 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 "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 says.

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

The film was launched against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the United States as part of extensive removal policies, which sparked protests in many states.

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

Korean news sources have estimated that up to 150,000 individuals from Korea without proper documentation, including adopted children, are among those who could be removed.

As an grown-up, Cho came to realise that the prejudice she had experienced when in her youth stemmed mainly from a lack of education, as many were unaware what it signified to be Korean or Asian.

"However today, in the modern era, when it seems the society and people ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes I feel like we feel so hopeless," she says.

Because of this, it's particularly meaningful, she says, that the film could bring "hope and joy and love to all these different communities".

"Maybe that's why it's sort of like the season's hit film, because there was a need for some hope and a unifying element as one."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a major concern for the entertainment sector, creating the potential that in future it could be used to produce a film like the animation.

The actress says she is conscious that AI is already being used to replicate actors' voices, but wants to "maintain faith in people" that audiences will still seek out art created by humans.

"Certainly, I'm sure they're going to have AI actors and vocalists. I know they already exist. I understand our voices are already being manipulated, but I trust the public have appreciation and want and love for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the international music rankings, with multiple songs from its soundtrack featured on the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan art, and audiences globally are calling for a sequel.

Cho reveals she wishes she could answer the question of if a sequel is planned – but both she and fans 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 shares. "Only time will tell, and I believe fans everywhere would protest if it didn't happen."

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