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"{I hated that I looked Asian, that I lacked light-colored eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful back then," reveals Arden Cho, who voiced the lead character in Netflix's highly successful movie, the K-pop themed animation.

The performer, forty, recalls her early years in the southern state, 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 dark powers, the protagonist has to accept her true nature as part human, part demon – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this resonated powerfully.

"Being born in America, feeling American but having others view me like I'm not, trying to figure out my identity as an Asian-American, as a Asian-American, as a female," she explains.

These elements were components of her early life that paralleled the character's path.

"I can honestly say, at various stages in my existence, I despised many parts of me and I wanted to be a different person.

"During childhood, your surroundings influences your development and I feel like I just didn't see enough people that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters achieved 33 million views in just two weeks, and secured the top 10 of the Netflix charts in dozens of nations. To be part of the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, was for her "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the kind that she lacked when she was young.

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

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

But the movie's triumph was not guaranteed and the actress says she felt the team making it were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

"It seems it's unfortunate to say this, but any time there's an production with Asian leads, it's perceived like it's a risk," she reveals.

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

The film was launched amid heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of extensive removal policies, which sparked protests in numerous regions.

As an Asian-American living in the US "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," says Cho. "Immigrants have shaped the nation."

Korean news sources 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 in her youth was largely due to a knowledge gap, as many were unaware what it signified to be of Asian descent.

"But now, in this day and age, when I feel like the world and individuals should know better, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes it appears 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 various groups".

"Maybe that's why it's sort of like the season's hit film, because there was a need for positivity and a unifying element as one."

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

The actress acknowledges she is conscious that AI is already being used to copy performers' vocals, but aims to "maintain faith in people" that audiences will still pursue art created by humans.

"Certainly, I believe there will be AI actors and singers. I know they're already here. I know our voices are already being manipulated, but I hope the public have some respect and desire for something real."

The film has also been leading the global music charts, with seven tracks from its soundtrack appearing in the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and audiences globally are demanding a sequel.

She reveals she wishes she could answer the question of if a sequel is planned – but both she and fans 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, the feedback is positive," she says. "Only time will tell, and I believe fans everywhere would protest if it didn't happen."

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