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"{I hated that I had Asian features, that I lacked blue eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful at the time," reveals Arden Cho, who portrayed the lead character in the streaming platform's highly successful movie, KPop Demon Hunters.

The performer, forty, is describing her early years in Texas, as the firstborn child of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.

In the film, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must save the world from dark powers, Rumi has to accept her true nature as part human, part demon – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Growing up in the US, feeling American but having people treat me like a foreigner, trying to figure out my sense of self as an Asian-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she says.

These were all components of her formative years that mirrored 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 someone else.

"As kids, what you see influences your development and I feel like I lacked exposure to enough people that look like me."

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters achieved 33 million views in just 14 days, and reached the highest positions of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To be part of the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Korean leads, was for her "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for young Asian-Americans, the kind that was missing when in her youth.

She notes many individuals of Korean descent have expressed it's "a breath of fresh air", making them feel pride for the first time of their dual heritage and culture.

"In my view K-Pop really, truly, has paved the way. K-beauty has had a significant influence on Korea being loved. But I feel like the film is the one that tipped it over the edge, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, currently," Cho says.

But the film's success was not guaranteed and the actress says she felt the production crew were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"It seems 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 took on the role, she took steps to meet the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she adds.

The film was launched against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the United States as part of extensive removal policies, which sparked protests in many states.

As an person of Asian descent residing in America "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Immigrants have shaped the nation."

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

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

"But now, in the modern era, when I feel like the world and individuals ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes it appears we feel so hopeless," she expresses.

Because of this, it feels very special, she says, that the film could bring "hope and joy and love to various groups".

"Maybe that's why it became this movie of the summer, because there was a need for positivity and something to unite us all together."

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

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

"Certainly, I believe there will be AI actors and vocalists. I know they already exist. I know performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I trust people have some respect and desire for something real."

The film has also been leading the international music rankings, with seven tracks from its score featured on the prestigious charts. It has its own fan creations, and viewers around the world are demanding a follow-up.

She reveals she wishes she could answer the inquiry of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to wait for the streaming service or the studio, which produced the movie, to give it the green light.

"I know there's lots of murmurs, the feedback is positive," she shares. "Only time will tell, and I think everyone in the world would riot if there wasn't."

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