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"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and fair hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," reveals Arden Cho, who portrayed the lead character in Netflix's highly successful movie, the K-pop themed animation.

Cho, forty, recalls 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 movie, which tells the story of a girl group who must rescue humanity from evil forces, the protagonist has to accept her identity as a hybrid being – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Being born in America, identifying as American but having others view me like a foreigner, trying to figure out my sense of self as an Asian-American, as a Asian-American, as a female," she explains.

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

"Truthfully, at various stages in my life, I despised a lot of myself and I longed to become someone else.

"During childhood, your surroundings shapes your development and I feel like I just didn't see sufficient individuals that shared my appearance."

When it debuted on the platform in June, KPop Demon Hunters achieved 33 million views in just two weeks, and secured the top 10 of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation 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 expressed it's "such a refreshing moment", making them feel pride for the first instance of their dual heritage and cultural roots.

"In my view K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. K-beauty has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I believe the film is the one that pushed it further, of, inspiring travel to Korea, now," Cho says.

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

"I feel like it kind of sucks to say this, but any time there's an production with Asian leads, it's perceived like it's a risk," she reveals.

So, when she accepted the part, she made an effort to connect with everyone working on the film in person, she says.

The movie was launched amid heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of mass deportation efforts, which triggered demonstrations in many states.

As an person of Asian descent 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 lacking legal status, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be deported.

As an adult, Cho came to realise that the racism she had encountered when she was younger stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as many were unaware what it meant to be of Asian descent.

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

Because of this, it feels very special, she says, that the film could bring "optimism and happiness to various groups".

"Maybe that's why it became 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, raising the possibility that in future it could be used to make a film like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho 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 pursue human-made creativity.

"Sure, I believe there will be digital performers and vocalists. I know they're already here. I know performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I hope people have some respect and want and love for authentic creations."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been leading the international music rankings, with seven tracks from its score featured on the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and viewers globally are demanding a sequel.

She tells us she wishes she could answer the inquiry of whether that will happen – but both she and fans will have to await the streaming service or the production company, which produced the movie, to approve the project.

"I'm aware rumors are circulating, the feedback is positive," she says. "So we shall see, and I believe fans everywhere would protest if it didn't happen."

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