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"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I lacked light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because that's what was beautiful back then," reveals Arden Cho, who portrayed Rumi in Netflix's highly successful animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

Cho, 40, recalls her early years 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 dark powers, the protagonist has to come to terms with her true nature as a hybrid being – and when she first read the script, this resonated powerfully.

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

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

"Truthfully, at various stages in my existence, I hated a lot of myself and I wanted to be someone else.

"As kids, what you see shapes who you become and it seems I lacked exposure to enough people that shared my appearance."

When it launched on Netflix in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters registered 33 million views in just two weeks, and reached the top 10 of the Netflix charts 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 established her as a inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the type that she lacked when she was young.

Cho notes many individuals of Korean descent have expressed it's "a breath of fresh air", making them feel pride for the first time of their mixed background and culture.

"I feel like K-Pop really, truly, has paved the way. K-beauty has had a significant influence on Korea being loved. But I feel like the film is the one that pushed it further, of, inspiring travel to Korea, now," Cho says.

But the movie's triumph was uncertain and Cho admits she felt the production crew were "occasionally struggling against odds".

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

So, when she accepted the part, she took steps to connect with everyone working on the film in person, she says.

The movie was released amid heightened enforcement actions in the United States as part of extensive removal policies, which triggered demonstrations in numerous regions.

As an Asian-American living in the US "it's deeply saddening," says Cho. "Immigrants have made America what it is."

Reports have suggested that up to 150,000 Korean immigrants lacking legal status, including adopted children, are among those who could be deported.

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

"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 at times it appears we feel so hopeless," she expresses.

Because of this, it's particularly meaningful, she notes, that the film could bring "hope and joy and love to various groups".

"Maybe that's why it became this movie of the summer, because we just needed some hope and a unifying element as one."

The growth of AI is a major concern for the entertainment sector, creating the potential that in coming years it could be used to produce a movie like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho acknowledges she is conscious that technology is already being used to copy actors' voices, but aims to "have hope in humanity" that audiences will still pursue human-made creativity.

"Certainly, I believe they're going to have digital performers and vocalists. I'm aware they already exist. I know performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I hope people have some respect and want and love for authentic creations."

The film 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 globally are calling for a sequel.

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

"I know there's lots of murmurs, I've heard wonderful things," she says. "So we shall see, and I think everyone in the world would riot if there wasn't."

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