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

"{I disliked that I looked Asian, that I didn't have light-colored eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," says Arden Cho, who portrayed Rumi in Netflix's chart-topping animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho, forty, recalls her early years in Texas, as the eldest daughter of parents who emigrated from Korea and her struggle for acceptance in American society.

In the movie, which tells the story of a girl group who must rescue humanity from dark powers, the protagonist has to accept her identity as part human, part demon – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this struck a deep chord.

"Being born in America, 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 woman," she explains.

These elements were aspects of her formative years that paralleled Rumi's journey.

"I can honestly say, at different points in my life, I hated many parts of me and I wanted to be a different person.

"As kids, your surroundings shapes who you become and it seems I lacked exposure to sufficient individuals that shared my appearance."

When it launched on Netflix in June, KPop Demon Hunters registered 33 million views in just two weeks, and reached the highest positions of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Korean leads, was for Cho "an aspiration realized" – but it has also made her a inspiring figure for young Asian-Americans, the type that she lacked when she was young.

Cho says many Korean-Americans have expressed it's "a breath of fresh air", making them proud for the first time of their dual heritage and cultural roots.

"I feel like Korean pop music has genuinely broken barriers. Korean cosmetics has had such a big impact on global appreciation for Korea. But I believe this movie is the one that pushed it further, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, now," Cho says.

But the film's success was uncertain and the actress admits she felt the production crew were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"It seems it kind of sucks to say this, but any time there's an production with Asian leads, it's perceived like a gamble," she reveals.

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 against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the United States as part of extensive removal policies, which triggered demonstrations in many states.

As an Asian-American residing in America "it's deeply saddening," she states. "Newcomers have made America what it is."

Reports have suggested that up to one hundred fifty thousand individuals from Korea lacking legal status, including adopted children, are among those who could be removed.

As an adult, Cho understood that the prejudice she had encountered when she was younger was largely due to a knowledge gap, as many were unaware what it meant to be of Asian descent.

"However today, in the modern era, when it seems the world and people ought to be more informed, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes I feel like we feel so hopeless," she says.

Because of this, it feels very special, she notes, that KPop Demon Hunters 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 a unifying element as one."

The growth of AI is a significant worry for the film industry, raising the possibility that in coming years it could be used to produce a movie like KPop Demon Hunters.

Cho says she is aware that AI is already being used to copy actors' voices, but aims to "have hope in humanity" that individuals will still seek out art created by humans.

"Sure, I believe they're going to have AI actors and vocalists. I know they already exist. I understand performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I hope people have appreciation and want and love for something real."

The film has also been leading the international music rankings, with seven tracks from its soundtrack appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and audiences globally are demanding a follow-up.

She reveals she would like to confirm the question of if a sequel is planned – but both she and fans will have to wait for the platform or the production company, which made the film, to give it the green light.

"I know there's lots of murmurs, I've heard wonderful things," she shares. "Only time will tell, and I believe everyone in the world would riot if it didn't happen."

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