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"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I didn't have blue eyes and fair hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," says Arden Cho, who portrayed the lead character in the streaming platform's chart-topping animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

Cho, forty, is describing her childhood in Texas, as the firstborn child of parents who emigrated from Korea and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.

In the film, which tells the story of a girl group who must save the world from dark powers, the protagonist has to come to terms with her true nature as a hybrid being – and when she first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

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

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

"I can honestly say, at different points in my existence, I despised many parts of me and I longed to become someone else.

"During childhood, what you see influences who you become and I feel like I just didn't see sufficient individuals that look like me."

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters achieved millions of streams in just two weeks, and reached the top 10 of the Netflix charts in dozens of nations. To star in the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Asian protagonists, was for her "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the kind that she lacked when she was young.

She says many Korean-Americans have told her it's "a breath of fresh air", making them proud for the first instance of their mixed background and culture.

"I feel like K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. Korean cosmetics has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I feel like the film is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, inspiring travel to Korea, currently," she comments.

But the film's success was not guaranteed and Cho admits she felt the team making it were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"It seems it kind of sucks to mention this, but whenever there's an production with Asian leads, it's perceived like it's a risk," 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 sparked protests in numerous regions.

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

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

As an grown-up, she understood that the prejudice she had encountered when she was younger was largely due to a knowledge gap, as many were unaware what it signified to be Korean or Asian.

"But now, in the modern era, when I feel like the world and people should know better, it is beyond disappointing and at times I feel like there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

Due to this, it's particularly meaningful, she says, that the film could bring "optimism and happiness to various groups".

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

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a significant worry for the entertainment sector, raising the possibility that in coming years it could be used to make a movie like the animation.

The actress acknowledges she is aware that technology is already being used to replicate actors' voices, but aims to "maintain faith in people" that individuals will still seek out art created by humans.

"Certainly, I believe they're going to have digital performers and vocalists. I know they're already here. I understand our voices are already being altered, but I hope people have appreciation and want and love for authentic creations."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been leading the global music charts, 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 wishes she could answer the inquiry of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to wait for the platform or the production company, which produced the movie, to approve the project.

"I'm aware there's lots of murmurs, the feedback is positive," she says. "Only time will tell, and I believe fans everywhere would protest if there wasn't."

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