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This exclusive piece delves into extraordinary interviews and stories from around the globe.

"{I hated that I had Asian features, that I didn't have blue eyes and blonde hair, because that's what was beautiful back then," says the actress, who voiced the lead character in Netflix's highly successful movie, the K-pop themed animation.

The performer, 40, is describing 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 movie, which tells the story of a girl group who must save the world from dark powers, Rumi has to come to terms with her identity as a hybrid being – and when she first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Growing up in the US, identifying as American but having people treat me like a foreigner, grappling with my identity as an Asian-American, as a Asian-American, as a woman," she explains.

These were all components of her early life that paralleled Rumi's journey.

"I can honestly say, at different points in my existence, I despised a lot of myself and I wanted to be a different person.

"During childhood, what you see shapes who you become and it seems I just didn't see enough people that shared my appearance."

When it launched on Netflix in the summer, the animated feature achieved 33 million views in just 14 days, and secured the highest positions of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, was for Cho "an aspiration realized" – but it has also made her 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 "such a refreshing moment", making them proud for the first instance of their mixed background and cultural roots.

"I feel like Korean pop music really, truly, has paved the way. K-beauty has had a significant influence on Korea being loved. But I believe this movie 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 uncertain and Cho says she felt the production crew were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"I feel like it kind of sucks to mention this, but any time there's an Asian-led project, it's perceived like a gamble," she says.

So, when she accepted the part, she made an effort to connect with the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she says.

The film was released amid increased immigration raids in the US as part of mass deportation efforts, which triggered demonstrations in numerous regions.

As an person of Asian descent living in the US "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Newcomers have shaped the nation."

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

As an grown-up, Cho understood that the racism she had experienced when she was younger was largely due to a lack of education, as people didn't know what it meant to be Korean or Asian.

"But now, in this day and age, when it seems the world and individuals ought to be more informed, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes it appears there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

Due to this, it feels very special, she says, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "hope and joy and love to all these different communities".

"Perhaps this explains it became this movie of the summer, because we just needed positivity and a unifying element as one."

The growth of AI is a significant worry for the entertainment sector, raising the possibility that in future it could be used to produce a film like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho acknowledges she is aware that technology is already being used to replicate performers' vocals, but aims to "maintain faith in people" that individuals will still pursue art created by humans.

"Sure, I believe there will be digital performers and vocalists. I'm aware they're already here. I understand performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I hope the public have some respect and desire 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 creations, and audiences globally are calling for a sequel.

She tells us she would like to confirm the inquiry of whether that will happen – 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 rumors are circulating, I've heard wonderful things," she shares. "So we shall see, and I believe fans everywhere would protest if there wasn't."

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