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"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I lacked blue eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful at the time," says the actress, who portrayed Rumi in the streaming platform's chart-topping animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, 40, recalls her early years in the southern state, as the eldest daughter of Korean immigrant parents and her journey toward belonging in the United States.

In the movie, which narrates the tale of a female K-Pop trio who must rescue humanity from evil forces, Rumi has to come to terms with her identity as part human, part demon – and when Cho first read the script, this struck a deep chord.

"Growing up in the US, feeling American but having people treat me like a foreigner, grappling with my sense of self as an Korean-American, as a Asian-American, as a woman," she explains.

These elements were aspects of her early life that mirrored Rumi's journey.

"I can honestly say, at various stages in my life, I hated many parts of me and I wanted to be someone else.

"During childhood, what you see influences your development 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 two weeks, and secured the highest positions of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Korean leads, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the kind that she lacked when in her youth.

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

"In my view Korean pop music has genuinely broken barriers. 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, inspiring travel to Korea, now," she comments.

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

"I feel like it's unfortunate to say this, but any time there's an production with Asian leads, people feel like a gamble," she says.

So, when she took on the role, she made an effort to meet everyone working on the film in person, she says.

The movie was launched amid heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of extensive removal policies, which triggered demonstrations in many states.

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

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

As an grown-up, she understood that the racism she had encountered when she was younger stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as many were unaware what it signified to be of Asian descent.

"But now, in the modern era, when it seems the society and individuals should know better, it is beyond disappointing and at times it appears there's a sense of despair," she says.

Due to this, it feels very special, she says, that the film could bring "optimism and happiness to all these different communities".

"Perhaps this explains 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, creating the potential that in future it could be used to produce a movie like the animation.

The actress says she is aware that technology is already being used to copy actors' voices, but wants to "maintain faith in people" that audiences will still seek out art created by humans.

"Certainly, I'm sure there will be digital performers and singers. I know they already exist. I understand our voices are already being altered, but I hope the public have appreciation and want and love for authentic creations."

The film has also been leading the global music charts, with multiple songs from its score featured on the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and viewers globally are demanding a follow-up.

Cho tells us she would like to confirm the question of whether that will happen – but both she and fans will have to wait for the streaming service or the studio, which made the film, to give it the green light.

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

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