KPop Demon Hunters Star Shares The Ways Her Personal Path Reflected Main Character's Experience

This feature explores extraordinary interviews and stories from around the globe.

"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I lacked blue eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful at the time," reveals the actress, who portrayed Rumi in Netflix's highly successful animated film, the K-pop themed animation.

The performer, 40, recalls her early years in Texas, as the firstborn child of Korean immigrant parents 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 evil forces, Rumi has to accept her identity as part human, part demon – and when she first read the script, this resonated powerfully.

"Growing up in the US, identifying as American but having people treat me like I'm not, trying to figure out my sense of self as an Korean-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she says.

These were all aspects of her early life that paralleled the character's path.

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

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

When it debuted on the platform in June, KPop Demon Hunters achieved 33 million views in just two weeks, and secured the highest positions of the streaming rankings in dozens of nations. To star in 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 type that she lacked when in her youth.

She notes many individuals of Korean descent have expressed it's "such a refreshing moment", making them feel pride for the first instance of their dual heritage and cultural roots.

"In my view Korean pop music has genuinely broken barriers. Korean cosmetics has had a significant influence on global appreciation for Korea. But I feel like this movie 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 admits she felt the team making it 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 it's a risk," she reveals.

So, when she took on the role, she took steps to connect with the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she adds.

The movie was released against the backdrop of increased immigration raids in the US as part of mass deportation efforts, which sparked protests in many states.

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

Korean news sources have suggested that up to one hundred fifty thousand Korean immigrants lacking legal status, including adopted children, are among those who could be removed.

As an adult, she came to realise that the racism she had experienced when in her youth stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as many were unaware what it signified to be Korean or Asian.

"But now, in this day and age, when it seems the world and people should know better, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes it appears we feel so hopeless," she says.

Because of this, it's particularly meaningful, she says, that KPop Demon Hunters could bring "hope and joy and love to various groups".

"Perhaps this explains it's sort of like the season's hit film, because we just needed positivity and a unifying element as one."

The advancement of artificial intelligence is a significant worry for the entertainment sector, raising the possibility that in future it could be used to produce a movie like the animation.

Cho acknowledges she is aware that technology is already being used to copy performers' vocals, but wants to "maintain faith in people" that individuals will still seek out human-made creativity.

"Sure, I believe there will be digital performers 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 authentic creations."

KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the global music charts, with seven tracks from its score featured on the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan art, and audiences globally are calling for a sequel.

She tells us she would like to confirm the question of whether that will happen – but both everyone involved will have to await the platform or the studio, which made the film, to approve the project.

"I'm aware rumors are circulating, I've heard wonderful things," she says. "So we shall see, and I think fans everywhere would protest if there wasn't."

• Starting conversations, building connections and combating false narratives through articles, investigations, conversations and remarkable accounts