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"{I hated that I looked Asian, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," says Arden Cho, who voiced the lead character in the streaming platform's highly successful movie, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, 40, recalls her early years in the southern state, as the eldest daughter of parents who emigrated from Korea and her struggle for acceptance in American society.

In the film, which narrates the tale of a girl group who must rescue humanity from evil forces, the protagonist has to come to terms with her true nature as a hybrid being – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this resonated powerfully.

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

These were all aspects of her formative years that mirrored the character's path.

"I can honestly say, at different points in my life, I hated a lot of myself and I wanted to be someone else.

"As kids, what you see influences your development and it seems I lacked exposure to enough people that shared my appearance."

When it launched on Netflix in the summer, the animated feature registered 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 established her as a inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the type that she lacked when in her youth.

She says many individuals of Korean descent have told her it's "such a refreshing moment", making them proud for the first time of their mixed background and cultural roots.

"In my view K-Pop really, truly, has paved the way. Korean cosmetics has had such a big impact on Korea being loved. But I believe the film is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, currently," she comments.

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

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

So, when she took on the role, she took steps to connect with the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she says.

The film was released amid heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of mass deportation efforts, which triggered demonstrations in numerous regions.

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

Korean news sources have estimated that up to one hundred fifty thousand individuals from Korea lacking legal status, including adopted children, are among those who could be deported.

As an grown-up, she came to realise that the racism she had experienced when she was younger stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as people didn't know what it signified to be of Asian descent.

"But now, in this day and age, when it seems the world and people ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes it appears we feel so hopeless," she says.

Due to this, it's particularly meaningful, she notes, that the film could bring "optimism and happiness to all these different communities".

"Perhaps this explains it's sort of like this movie of the summer, because we just needed 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 KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho says she is aware that AI is already being used to replicate performers' vocals, but wants to "maintain faith in people" that audiences will still seek out human-made creativity.

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

The film has also been leading the international music rankings, with multiple songs from its score appearing in the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and viewers globally are calling for a sequel.

She reveals she wishes she could answer the inquiry of if a sequel is planned – but both she and fans will have to await the platform or the studio, which made the film, to give it the green light.

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

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