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"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I didn't have blue eyes and fair hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," says Arden Cho, who voiced Rumi in the streaming platform's chart-topping animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

The performer, 40, is describing her early years in the southern state, as the firstborn child of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in American society.

In the film, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must rescue humanity from dark powers, Rumi has to accept her identity as a hybrid being – and when Cho first read the script, this resonated powerfully.

"Growing up in the US, identifying as American but having people treat me like a foreigner, grappling with my sense of self as an Asian-American, as a Asian-American, as a woman," she says.

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

"Truthfully, at different points in my life, I despised a lot of myself and I wanted to be someone else.

"During childhood, your surroundings influences who you become and I feel like I just didn't see enough people that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in June, KPop Demon Hunters registered millions of streams in just two weeks, and secured the top 10 of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. 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 powerful role model for young Asian-Americans, the type that was missing when she was young.

Cho notes many individuals of Korean descent have expressed it's "such a refreshing moment", making them proud for the first instance of their dual heritage and cultural roots.

"I feel like Korean pop music really, truly, has paved the way. Korean cosmetics has had such a big impact on Korea being loved. But I believe this movie is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, inspiring travel to Korea, now," she comments.

But the movie's triumph was not guaranteed and Cho admits she felt the production crew were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"I feel like it kind of sucks to say this, but whenever there's an production with Asian leads, people feel like it's a risk," she says.

So, when she accepted the part, she made an effort to connect with the entire cast and crew in person, 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 numerous regions.

As an Asian-American residing in America "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," says Cho. "Immigrants have made America what it is."

Reports have estimated that up to 150,000 Korean immigrants without proper documentation, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be deported.

As an adult, Cho understood that the prejudice she had experienced when in her youth was largely due to a lack of education, as many were unaware what it meant to be of Asian descent.

"However today, in the modern era, when I feel like the world and individuals should know better, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes it appears there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

Because of this, it's particularly meaningful, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters 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 all together."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a major concern for the entertainment sector, raising the possibility that in coming years it could be used to produce a film like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho says she is aware that technology is already being used to copy actors' voices, but aims to "have hope in humanity" that audiences will still pursue art created by humans.

"Sure, I believe they're going to have AI actors and singers. I know they're already here. I know our voices are already being altered, but I hope the public have some respect and desire for authentic creations."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been leading the international music rankings, with multiple songs from its soundtrack featured on the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and viewers globally are demanding a sequel.

Cho tells us she would like to confirm the question of whether that will happen – 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, the feedback is positive," she says. "Only time will tell, and I think fans everywhere would protest if there wasn't."

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