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"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I lacked blue eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," reveals the actress, who portrayed Rumi in Netflix's chart-topping animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, forty, is describing her childhood in Texas, as the firstborn child of parents who emigrated from Korea and her journey toward belonging in the United States.

In the film, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must rescue humanity from evil forces, the protagonist has to come to terms with her true nature as a hybrid being – and when she first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Being born in America, feeling American but having others view me like I'm not, grappling with my identity as an Korean-American, as a Asian-American, as a female," she explains.

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

"Truthfully, at various stages in my existence, I hated many parts of me and I wanted to be someone else.

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

When it debuted on the platform in June, the animated feature registered millions of streams in just two weeks, and secured the highest positions of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To be part of the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Korean leads, was for her "an aspiration realized" – but it has also established her as a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the kind that she lacked when she was young.

Cho says many Korean-Americans have told her it's "a breath of fresh air", making them feel pride for the first instance of their mixed background and cultural roots.

"I feel like Korean pop music has genuinely broken barriers. Korean cosmetics has had a significant influence on global appreciation for Korea. But I feel like this movie is the one that pushed it further, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, now," she comments.

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

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

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

The movie was launched amid increased immigration raids in the United States as part of extensive removal policies, which sparked protests in many states.

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

Korean news sources have suggested that up to 150,000 Korean immigrants without proper documentation, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be removed.

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

"But now, in the modern era, when it seems the society and individuals should know better, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes I feel like we feel so hopeless," she expresses.

Because of this, it's particularly meaningful, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "optimism and happiness to all these different communities".

"Perhaps this explains it became this movie of the summer, because there was a need for positivity and something to unite us as one."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a significant worry for the film industry, creating the potential that in future it could be used to make a film like the animation.

Cho says she is aware that AI is already being used to copy performers' vocals, but wants to "maintain faith in people" that audiences will still pursue art created by humans.

"Sure, I believe there will be digital performers and vocalists. I know they already exist. I know performers' voices are already being altered, but I hope people have some respect and desire for authentic creations."

The film has also been leading the international music rankings, with multiple songs from its soundtrack featured on the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and viewers globally are demanding a sequel.

She 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 production company, which produced the movie, to give it the green light.

"I'm aware rumors are circulating, I've heard wonderful things," she shares. "So we shall see, and I think everyone in the world would riot if it didn't happen."

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