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"{I hated that I looked Asian, that I didn't have blue eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," reveals the actress, who portrayed Rumi in Netflix's chart-topping movie, the K-pop themed animation.

The performer, forty, recalls her early years in the southern state, as the firstborn child of Korean immigrant parents and her journey toward belonging 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 accept her identity as a hybrid being – and when Cho first read the script, this resonated powerfully.

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

These were all components of her formative years that paralleled Rumi's journey.

"Truthfully, at different points in my life, I despised a lot of myself and I wanted to be a different person.

"During childhood, your surroundings shapes 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, the animated feature registered millions of streams in just 14 days, and secured the top 10 of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To be part of the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Korean leads, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the kind that was missing when in her youth.

She notes many Korean-Americans have told her it's "a breath of fresh air", making them proud for the first instance of their dual heritage and cultural roots.

"I feel like K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. Korean cosmetics has had a significant influence on global appreciation for Korea. But I believe the film is the one that pushed it further, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, now," Cho says.

But the film's success was uncertain and the actress says she felt the production crew were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"I feel like it kind of sucks 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 made an effort to connect with the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she adds.

The movie was launched against the backdrop of increased immigration raids in the United States as part of extensive removal policies, which sparked protests in numerous regions.

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

Korean news sources have suggested that up to one hundred fifty thousand Korean immigrants lacking legal status, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be deported.

As an adult, Cho understood that the prejudice she had encountered when she was younger stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as people didn't know what it meant to be of Asian descent.

"However today, in this day and age, when it seems 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.

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

"Maybe that's why it became this movie of the summer, because we just needed positivity and something to unite us as one."

The growth of AI is a significant worry for the film industry, raising the possibility that in coming years it could be used to produce a film like the animation.

Cho says she is conscious that technology is already being used to copy actors' voices, but aims to "have hope in humanity" that audiences will still seek out art created by humans.

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

The film has also been leading the international music rankings, with seven tracks from its score appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan art, and audiences globally are demanding a follow-up.

She reveals she wishes she could answer the inquiry of whether that will happen – but both she and fans will have to await the streaming service or the studio, which produced the movie, to give it the green light.

"I know rumors are circulating, the feedback is positive," she shares. "So we shall see, and I believe everyone in the world would protest if there wasn't."

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