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"{I hated that I looked Asian, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and fair hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," says Arden Cho, who voiced the lead character in Netflix's chart-topping movie, the K-pop themed animation.

Cho, 40, is describing 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 tells the story of a girl group who must save the world from dark powers, the protagonist has to accept her identity as part human, part demon – and when Cho first read the script, this struck a deep chord.

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

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

"I can honestly say, at various stages in my existence, I despised a lot of myself and I longed to become someone else.

"As kids, what you see shapes your development and I feel like I lacked exposure to sufficient individuals that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in June, KPop Demon Hunters registered 33 million views in just 14 days, and reached the top 10 of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To be part of the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, was for her "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the type that was missing when she was young.

Cho says many Korean-Americans have told her it's "such a refreshing moment", making them feel pride for the first time of their mixed background and cultural roots.

"I feel like K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. Korean cosmetics has had a significant influence on Korea being loved. But I believe this movie is the one that pushed it further, of, inspiring travel to Korea, now," she comments.

But the movie's triumph was not guaranteed and the actress says she felt the team making it were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

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

So, when she took on the role, she made an effort to meet the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she says.

The movie was released 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 residing in America "it's deeply saddening," she states. "Newcomers have shaped the nation."

Reports have suggested 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, Cho came to realise that the racism she had encountered when she was younger stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as people didn't know 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 is beyond disappointing and sometimes it appears there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

Due to this, it feels very special, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "hope and joy and love to various groups".

"Maybe that's why it's sort of like this movie of the summer, because there was a need for positivity 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 movie like the animation.

Cho says she is conscious that technology is already being used to replicate actors' voices, but aims to "have hope in humanity" that individuals will still seek out human-made creativity.

"Certainly, I believe they're going to have digital performers and singers. I'm aware they already exist. I understand performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I hope the public have some respect and want and love for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the global music charts, with multiple songs from its soundtrack appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and audiences around the world are demanding a follow-up.

Cho tells us she wishes she could answer the inquiry of if a sequel is planned – but both she and fans will have to wait for the streaming service or the production company, which produced the movie, to give it the green light.

"I know rumors are circulating, the feedback is positive," she says. "So we shall see, and I believe everyone in the world would riot if there wasn't."

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