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"{I disliked that I looked Asian, that I lacked blue eyes and fair hair, because those were the beauty standards back then," says Arden Cho, who voiced the lead character in the streaming platform's chart-topping animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

Cho, forty, recalls her childhood 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 save the world from dark powers, the protagonist has to accept her identity as a hybrid being – and when she first read the script, 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 explains.

These were all components of her early life that paralleled Rumi's journey.

"I can honestly say, at different points in my existence, I despised many parts of me and I wanted to be someone else.

"During childhood, your surroundings influences who you become and I feel like I lacked exposure to enough people that shared my appearance."

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, the animated feature achieved millions of streams in just 14 days, and secured the top 10 of the streaming rankings in dozens of nations. To be part of the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Asian protagonists, was for Cho "an aspiration realized" – but it has also established her as a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the kind that was missing when she was young.

She notes many Korean-Americans have told her it's "such a refreshing moment", making them proud for the first instance of their dual heritage and culture.

"I feel like Korean pop music really, truly, has paved the way. 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, currently," Cho says.

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

"It seems it's unfortunate to mention this, but whenever there's an Asian-led project, it's perceived like a gamble," she reveals.

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

The film was released amid heightened enforcement actions in the United States as part of mass deportation efforts, which triggered demonstrations in numerous regions.

As an person of Asian descent living in the US "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Newcomers have shaped the nation."

Reports have estimated that up to 150,000 individuals from Korea without proper documentation, including those who were adopted, 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 lack of education, as people didn't know what it signified to be Korean or Asian.

"But now, in the modern era, when it seems the society 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 "optimism and happiness to all these different communities".

"Maybe that's why it's sort of like the season's hit film, because there was a need for positivity and a unifying element all together."

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

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

"Sure, I'm sure they're going to have AI actors and singers. I know they already exist. I understand performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I trust people have appreciation and desire for authentic creations."

The film has also been dominating the global music charts, with seven tracks from its score featured on the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and audiences around the world are calling for a follow-up.

She tells us she would like to confirm the inquiry of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved will have to await the platform or the studio, which made the film, to approve the project.

"I know there's lots of murmurs, I've heard wonderful things," she says. "So we shall see, and I think fans everywhere would riot if it didn't happen."

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