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"{I hated that I looked Asian, that I lacked blue eyes and blonde hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," reveals Arden Cho, who portrayed the lead character in Netflix's highly successful animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

Cho, forty, is describing her childhood in Texas, as the firstborn child of parents who emigrated from Korea and her journey toward belonging in the United States.

In the film, which narrates the tale of a girl group who must rescue humanity from dark powers, Rumi has to accept her identity as a hybrid being – and when Cho first read the script, this struck a deep chord.

"Growing up in the US, identifying as American but having people treat me like I'm not, grappling with my identity as an Asian-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she explains.

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

"I can honestly say, at various stages in my life, I despised many parts of me and I wanted to be someone else.

"As kids, what you see influences your development and it seems I just didn't see enough people that look like me."

When it debuted on the platform in June, the animated feature achieved 33 million views in just 14 days, and secured the highest positions of the streaming rankings in dozens of nations. To be part of the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Asian protagonists, was for her "an aspiration realized" – but it has also established her as a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the kind that was missing when she was young.

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

"I feel like K-Pop has genuinely broken barriers. Korean cosmetics 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," she comments.

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

"It seems it's unfortunate to say this, but any time there's an Asian-led project, people feel like a gamble," she reveals.

So, when she took on the role, she made an effort to connect with everyone working on the film in person, she says.

The movie was launched amid 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," says Cho. "Immigrants have made America what it is."

Reports have estimated that up to one hundred fifty thousand Korean immigrants without proper documentation, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be deported.

As an grown-up, Cho came to realise that the prejudice she had experienced when she was younger was largely due to a lack of education, as many were unaware what it signified to be Korean or Asian.

"However today, in this day and age, when I feel like the world and people should know better, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes it appears there's a sense of despair," she expresses.

Due to this, it's particularly meaningful, she notes, that the film could bring "optimism and happiness to various groups".

"Maybe that's why it became this movie of the summer, because we just needed positivity and a unifying element all together."

The growth of AI is a major concern for the entertainment sector, creating the potential that in coming years it could be used to produce a film like the animation.

Cho says she is conscious that technology is already being used to replicate performers' vocals, but wants to "have hope in humanity" that individuals will still seek out human-made creativity.

"Sure, I believe they're going to have digital performers and singers. I'm aware they already exist. I understand our voices are already being altered, but I hope the public have some respect and want and love for authentic creations."

The film has also been leading the global music charts, with seven tracks from its soundtrack appearing in the prestigious charts. It has its own fan creations, and viewers around the world are calling for a follow-up.

She reveals she would like to confirm the question of whether that will happen – but both everyone involved will have to wait for the platform or the production company, which produced the movie, to approve the project.

"I know rumors are circulating, the feedback is positive," she says. "Only time will tell, and I believe everyone in the world would protest if it didn't happen."

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