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This exclusive piece delves into remarkable conversations and narratives from around the globe.

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

The performer, forty, is describing her early years in Texas, as the firstborn child of parents who emigrated from Korea and her struggle for acceptance in American society.

In the movie, which narrates the tale of a girl group who must save the world from evil forces, Rumi has to come to terms with her true nature as a hybrid being – and when she first read the script, this struck a deep chord.

"Being born in America, feeling American but having others view me like a foreigner, grappling with my identity as an Korean-American, as a Korean-American, as a woman," she says.

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

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

"As kids, what you see influences your development and I feel like I just didn't see sufficient individuals that look like me."

When it debuted on the platform in the summer, KPop Demon Hunters achieved 33 million views in just two weeks, and reached the top 10 of the streaming rankings in dozens of nations. To star in the pioneering animation set in Korea, with Asian protagonists, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a inspiring figure for Asian-American children, the type that she lacked when she was young.

She notes many Korean-Americans have told her it's "a breath of fresh air", making them feel pride for the first time of their mixed background 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 feel like this movie is the one that pushed it further, of, everybody wants to go to Korea, now," she comments.

But the film's success was not guaranteed and Cho admits she felt the team making it were "occasionally struggling against odds".

"I feel like it kind of sucks to say this, but any time there's an production with Asian leads, it's perceived like it's a risk," she says.

So, when she took on the role, she made an effort to connect with the entire cast and crew face-to-face, she says.

The film was launched against the backdrop of increased immigration raids in the US as part of mass deportation efforts, which sparked protests in numerous regions.

As an Asian-American residing in America "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," says Cho. "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 adult, she understood that the racism she had encountered when she was younger was largely due to a knowledge gap, as many were unaware what it signified to be Korean or Asian.

"However today, in the modern era, when I feel like the world and individuals ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and at times I feel like we feel so hopeless," she says.

Because of this, it feels very special, she notes, 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 growth of AI is a major concern for the entertainment sector, creating the potential that in coming years it could be used to make a film like KPop Demon Hunters.

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

"Certainly, I'm sure there will be AI actors and vocalists. I'm aware they already exist. I understand our voices are already being manipulated, but I trust the public have some respect and desire for something real."

The film has also been leading the global music charts, with seven tracks from its score appearing in the Billboard Hot 100. It has its own fan creations, and viewers around the world are calling for a sequel.

She tells us she would like to confirm the question of if a sequel is planned – but both everyone involved 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 says. "Only time will tell, and I think fans everywhere would protest if there wasn't."

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