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"{I disliked that I had Asian features, that I lacked light-colored eyes and fair hair, because those were the beauty standards at the time," says Arden Cho, who voiced the lead character in Netflix's highly successful animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.
Cho, forty, is describing her early years in Texas, as the eldest daughter of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in the United States.
In the movie, which narrates the tale of a girl group who must rescue humanity from dark powers, the protagonist has to come to terms with her identity as part human, part demon – and when she first read the script, this resonated powerfully.
"Growing up in the US, feeling American but having people treat me like a foreigner, grappling with my identity as an Korean-American, as a Korean-American, as a female," she says.
These elements were components of her early life that paralleled the character's path.
"I can honestly say, at different points in my existence, I hated a lot of myself and I wanted to be a different person.
"As kids, your surroundings shapes who you become and I feel like I lacked exposure to enough people that shared my appearance."
When it launched on Netflix in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters achieved 33 million views in just 14 days, and secured the highest positions of the Netflix charts in dozens of nations. To star in the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Korean leads, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for young Asian-Americans, the type that was missing when she was young.
Cho says many Korean-Americans have told her it's "such a refreshing moment", making them proud for the first instance of their mixed background and cultural roots.
"I feel like Korean pop music really, truly, has paved the way. Korean cosmetics has had a significant influence on Korea being loved. But I believe this movie is the one that pushed it further, of, inspiring travel to Korea, currently," she comments.
But the movie's triumph was uncertain and Cho says she felt the team making it were "sometimes facing an uphill battle".
"It seems it's unfortunate to say this, but whenever there's an production with Asian leads, people feel like it's a risk," she says.
So, when she accepted the part, she took steps to meet everyone working on the film in person, she adds.
The film was released amid increased immigration raids in the US as part of extensive removal policies, which triggered demonstrations in many states.
As an person of Asian descent living in the US "it's deeply saddening," she states. "Newcomers have shaped the nation."
Korean news sources 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, she came to realise that the racism she had encountered when in her youth stemmed mainly from a knowledge gap, as people didn't know what it signified to be Korean or Asian.
"However today, in this day and age, when it seems the society and individuals ought to be more informed, it's deeply disheartening and sometimes it appears there's a sense of despair," she says.
Due to this, it feels very special, 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 there was a need for some hope and something to unite us all together."
The growth of AI is a significant worry for the film industry, creating the potential that in coming years it could be used to produce a film like the animation.
Cho says she is aware that AI is already being used to replicate performers' vocals, but wants to "have hope in humanity" that audiences will still seek out human-made creativity.
"Sure, I believe they're going to have AI actors and singers. I'm aware they already exist. I know performers' voices are already being altered, but I trust people have appreciation and desire for authentic creations."
KPop Demon Hunters has also been dominating the global music charts, with multiple songs 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 wishes she could answer the question of if a sequel is planned – but both she and fans will have to await the streaming service or the production company, which produced the movie, to give it the green light.
"I'm aware there's lots of murmurs, I've heard wonderful things," she says. "So we shall see, and I think fans everywhere would protest if it didn't happen."
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