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"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because that's what was beautiful at the time," reveals Arden Cho, who portrayed the lead character in Netflix's highly successful movie, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, forty, is describing her early years in the southern state, as the eldest daughter 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, the protagonist has to accept her identity as a hybrid being – and when she first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Being born in America, identifying as American but having people treat me like a foreigner, grappling with my identity as an Korean-American, as a Asian-American, as a female," she explains.

These were all components of her early life that mirrored Rumi's journey.

"Truthfully, at various stages in my life, I hated a lot of myself and I wanted to be a different person.

"As kids, your surroundings influences who you become and I feel like I lacked exposure to sufficient individuals that shared my appearance."

When it launched on Netflix in the summer, 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 inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the type that she lacked when she was young.

She says many Korean-Americans have expressed it's "a breath of fresh air", making them feel pride for the first time of their dual heritage and culture.

"In my view K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. Korean cosmetics has had a significant influence on Korea being loved. But I feel like this movie is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, currently," Cho says.

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

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

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

The movie was launched amid heightened enforcement actions in the United States as part of mass deportation efforts, which sparked protests in numerous regions.

As an Asian-American living in the US "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Immigrants have made America what it is."

Korean news sources have estimated that up to 150,000 individuals from Korea lacking legal status, including adopted children, are among those who could be deported.

As an adult, she understood that the racism she had encountered when she was younger stemmed mainly from a lack of education, as many were unaware what it signified to be of Asian descent.

"But now, in this day and age, when I feel like the society and individuals should know better, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes I feel like there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

Because of this, it feels very special, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "optimism and happiness to various groups".

"Perhaps this explains it became this movie of the summer, because there was a need for positivity and a unifying element as one."

The growth of AI is a significant worry for the entertainment sector, raising the possibility that in coming years it could be used to produce a film like the animation.

The actress says she is conscious that technology is already being used to replicate performers' vocals, but wants to "maintain faith in people" that audiences will still seek out art created by humans.

"Certainly, I'm sure there will be AI actors and vocalists. I know they're already here. I know performers' 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 creations, and viewers around the world are demanding a sequel.

She reveals 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 studio, which made the film, 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 believe fans everywhere would protest if it didn't happen."

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