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"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I didn't have blue eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," says the actress, who portrayed the lead character in the streaming platform's chart-topping animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

Cho, 40, recalls her early years in Texas, as the eldest daughter of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in American society.

In the film, which narrates the tale of a female K-Pop trio who must rescue humanity from dark powers, Rumi has to come to terms with her true nature as part human, part demon – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Growing up in the US, feeling American but having people treat me like a foreigner, grappling with my identity as an Asian-American, as a Asian-American, as a woman," she explains.

These elements were aspects of her formative years that paralleled Rumi's journey.

"I can honestly say, at different points in my existence, I hated many parts of me and I longed to become a different person.

"During childhood, your surroundings influences who you become and it seems I lacked exposure to enough people that shared my appearance."

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, the animated feature achieved millions of streams in just 14 days, and secured the highest positions of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To be part of the first Hollywood animated film with a Korean setting, with Korean leads, was for Cho "an aspiration realized" – but it has also established her as a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the type that she lacked when in her youth.

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

"In my view Korean pop music has genuinely broken barriers. Korean cosmetics has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I believe this movie is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, now," Cho says.

But the film's success was uncertain and the actress admits she felt the production crew were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"It seems it's unfortunate to mention this, but whenever there's an Asian-led project, people feel like a gamble," she reveals.

So, when she accepted the part, she took steps to meet the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she adds.

The movie was released amid increased immigration raids in the United States as part of mass deportation efforts, which sparked protests in many states.

As an person of Asian descent living in the US "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Newcomers have shaped the nation."

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

As an adult, she understood that the prejudice she had encountered when in her youth stemmed mainly from a lack of education, as people didn't know what it signified to be Korean or Asian.

"But now, in this day and age, when I feel like the world and people should know better, it is beyond disappointing and at times it appears there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

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

"Maybe that's why it's sort of like the season's hit film, because we just needed positivity 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 movie like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho says she is conscious that technology is already being used to replicate actors' voices, but aims to "maintain faith in people" that audiences will still seek out human-made creativity.

"Sure, I'm sure they're going to have AI actors and singers. I'm aware they're already here. I know our voices are already being altered, but I trust the public have appreciation and desire for authentic creations."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been leading the international music rankings, with seven tracks from its soundtrack appearing in the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and audiences globally are demanding a follow-up.

Cho reveals she wishes she could answer the question of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to await the streaming service or the production company, which produced the movie, to approve the project.

"I'm aware there's lots of murmurs, the feedback is positive," she says. "Only time will tell, and I think fans everywhere would protest if it didn't happen."

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