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This exclusive piece delves into extraordinary interviews and narratives from worldwide.

"{I disliked that I looked Asian, that I lacked blue eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful back then," reveals Arden Cho, who voiced Rumi in the streaming platform's highly successful animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho, 40, recalls her early years in Texas, as the eldest daughter of parents who emigrated from Korea and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.

In the movie, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must save the world from dark powers, the protagonist has to accept her identity as part human, part demon – and when she first read the script, this resonated powerfully.

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

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

"Truthfully, at various stages in my existence, I hated a lot of myself and I wanted to be a different person.

"As kids, your surroundings influences who you become and I feel like I just didn't see enough people that look like me."

When it launched on Netflix in June, the animated feature registered millions of streams in just 14 days, and secured the highest positions of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the kind that was missing when in her youth.

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 dual heritage and cultural roots.

"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 this movie is the one that pushed it further, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, currently," she comments.

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

"I feel like it's unfortunate to say this, but whenever there's an Asian-led project, people feel like a gamble," she says.

So, when she took on the role, she made an effort to meet the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she adds.

The film was launched amid heightened enforcement actions in the US as part of mass deportation efforts, which triggered demonstrations in many states.

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

Reports have estimated that up to 150,000 Korean immigrants lacking legal status, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be deported.

As an grown-up, Cho understood that the racism she had experienced when she was younger was largely due to a knowledge gap, as people didn't know what it signified to be of Asian descent.

"However today, in this day and age, when it seems the society and individuals ought to be more informed, it's deeply disheartening and at times 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".

"Perhaps this explains it became this movie of the summer, because we just needed some hope and a unifying element all together."

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

The actress acknowledges she is aware 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 they're going to have AI actors and singers. I'm aware they already exist. I understand performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I hope people have appreciation and desire for authentic creations."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the international music rankings, with multiple songs from its soundtrack appearing in the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and audiences globally are demanding a follow-up.

She reveals she would like to confirm the inquiry of whether that will happen – but both everyone involved will have to wait for the streaming service or the studio, which produced the movie, to approve the project.

"I'm aware rumors are circulating, I've heard wonderful things," she says. "So we shall see, and I believe everyone in the world would protest if there wasn't."

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