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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," says the actress, who portrayed the lead character in the streaming platform's chart-topping animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, 40, is describing 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 narrates the tale of a girl group who must rescue humanity from evil forces, the protagonist has to come to terms with her true nature as part human, part demon – and when Cho first read the script, this resonated powerfully.

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

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

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

"As kids, what you see influences your development and I feel like I lacked exposure to enough people that look like me."

When it debuted on the platform in June, the animated feature achieved millions of streams in just 14 days, and secured the top 10 of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Korean leads, was for her "a dream come true" – but it has also established her as a inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the type that was missing when she was young.

She says many Korean-Americans have expressed it's "such a refreshing moment", making them proud for the first time of their mixed background and cultural roots.

"In my view K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. K-beauty has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I believe this movie is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, currently," Cho says.

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

"It seems it's unfortunate to mention this, but whenever there's an Asian-led project, it's perceived like a gamble," she says.

So, when she took on the role, she took steps to connect with the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she says.

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

As an person of Asian descent living in the US "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Newcomers have made America what it is."

Reports have estimated that up to one hundred fifty thousand individuals from Korea without proper documentation, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be removed.

As an grown-up, she understood that the racism she had experienced when in her youth was largely due to a lack of education, as many were unaware what it meant to be of Asian descent.

"But now, in the modern era, when I feel like the world and individuals should know better, it's deeply disheartening and at times it appears there's a sense of despair," she says.

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

"Maybe that's why it's sort of like the season's hit film, because we just needed positivity and something to unite us as one."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a major concern for the entertainment sector, creating the potential that in future it could be used to produce a film like KPop Demon Hunters.

The actress acknowledges she is aware that technology is already being used to copy actors' voices, but wants to "have hope in humanity" that individuals will still pursue human-made creativity.

"Certainly, I'm sure they're going to have digital performers and vocalists. I'm aware they're already here. I understand performers' voices are already being altered, but I trust the public have some respect and want and love for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the international music rankings, with multiple songs from its score featured on the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and viewers around the world are demanding a follow-up.

She reveals she would like to confirm the inquiry of whether that will happen – but both she and fans will have to wait for the platform or the production company, which produced the movie, to give it the green light.

"I know there's lots of murmurs, I've heard wonderful things," she says. "Only time will tell, and I believe everyone in the world would riot if it didn't happen."

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