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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," reveals the actress, who portrayed Rumi in Netflix's chart-topping movie, the K-pop themed animation.

Cho, 40, recalls her childhood in Texas, 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 rescue humanity from evil forces, the protagonist has to come to terms with her identity as a hybrid being – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Growing up in the US, identifying as American but having people treat me like I'm not, trying to figure out my sense of self as an Asian-American, as a Asian-American, as a woman," she says.

These were all components of her formative years that mirrored Rumi's journey.

"Truthfully, at different points in my existence, I despised many parts of me and I longed to become a different person.

"As kids, your surroundings shapes your development and I feel like I lacked exposure to enough people that shared my appearance."

When it launched on Netflix in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters achieved 33 million views in just two weeks, and reached the highest positions of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, was for her "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the kind that she lacked when she was young.

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

"I feel like Korean pop music really, truly, has paved the way. K-beauty 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, now," she comments.

But the movie's triumph was not guaranteed and the actress admits she felt the team making it were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"I feel like it's unfortunate to say this, but whenever there's an production with Asian leads, it's perceived like a gamble," she says.

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

The film was launched amid increased immigration raids in the US as part of mass deportation efforts, which triggered demonstrations in many states.

As an Asian-American residing in America "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Newcomers have shaped the nation."

Reports have estimated that up to 150,000 individuals from Korea without proper documentation, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be deported.

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

"However today, in this day and age, when I feel like the world and people ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes I feel like we feel so hopeless," she says.

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

"Maybe that's why it became the season's hit film, because we just needed positivity and a unifying element all together."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a major concern for the film industry, creating the potential that in coming years it could be used to produce a movie like the animation.

The actress acknowledges she is aware that AI is already being used to copy actors' voices, but aims to "maintain faith in people" that individuals will still pursue human-made creativity.

"Sure, I believe they're going to have AI actors and vocalists. I know they're already here. I know performers' voices are already being altered, but I hope people have appreciation and desire for something real."

The film has also been leading the international music rankings, with seven tracks from its soundtrack featured on the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and audiences around the world are calling for a follow-up.

She tells us she would like to confirm the question of if a sequel is planned – but both she and fans will have to await the streaming service or the production company, which made the film, to approve the project.

"I know rumors are circulating, I've heard wonderful things," she says. "Only time will tell, and I think everyone in the world would riot if it didn't happen."

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