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

"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I lacked light-colored eyes and fair hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," reveals the actress, who voiced Rumi in the streaming platform's highly successful animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

Cho, 40, recalls her early years in the southern state, as the eldest daughter of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.

In the movie, which narrates the tale of a girl group who must save the world from evil forces, Rumi has to come to terms with her true nature as a hybrid being – and when she first read the script, this resonated powerfully.

"Growing up in the US, identifying as American but having others view me like a foreigner, trying to figure out my sense of self as an Korean-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she explains.

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

"I can honestly say, at different points in my life, I despised a lot of myself and I longed to become someone else.

"During childhood, what you see shapes your development and it seems I lacked exposure to sufficient individuals that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in June, the animated feature registered 33 million views in just 14 days, and reached the highest positions of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Asian protagonists, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the type that was missing when she was young.

She notes many individuals of Korean descent have told her it's "a breath of fresh air", making them proud for the first time of their mixed background and culture.

"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 tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, now," Cho says.

But the film's success was uncertain and Cho admits she felt the team making it were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".

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

So, when she accepted the part, she made an effort to connect with everyone working on the film face-to-face, she adds.

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

As an Asian-American living in the US "it's deeply saddening," she states. "Immigrants have shaped the nation."

Reports have suggested that up to 150,000 Korean immigrants without proper documentation, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be deported.

As an grown-up, she came to realise that the racism she had encountered when in her youth stemmed mainly from a lack of education, as people didn't know what it meant to be Korean or Asian.

"However today, in this day and age, when I feel like the world and people ought to be more informed, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes I feel like there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

Due to this, it's particularly meaningful, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "hope and joy and love to all these different communities".

"Maybe that's why it became this movie of the summer, because there was a need for some hope and a unifying element all together."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a major concern for the entertainment sector, creating the potential that in future it could be used to produce a movie like KPop Demon Hunters.

The actress says she is conscious that AI is already being used to replicate actors' voices, but aims to "maintain faith in people" that audiences will still pursue art created by humans.

"Sure, I believe there will be AI actors and vocalists. I'm aware they're already here. I understand performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I trust people have appreciation and want and love for something real."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the international music rankings, with seven tracks from its score appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and viewers around the world are demanding a follow-up.

Cho reveals she would like to confirm the question of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to wait for the streaming service or the studio, which made the film, to approve the project.

"I'm aware rumors are circulating, I've heard wonderful things," she says. "Only time will tell, and I think fans everywhere would protest if it didn't happen."

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