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"{I hated that I had Asian features, that I lacked blue eyes and fair hair, because that's what was beautiful back then," says the actress, who voiced Rumi in Netflix's chart-topping animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.
The performer, 40, recalls her early years in Texas, as the eldest daughter of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in American society.
In the film, which narrates the tale of a female K-Pop trio who must rescue humanity from dark powers, Rumi has to accept her identity as part human, part demon – and when Cho first saw the screenplay, this resonated powerfully.
"Being born in America, 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 aspects of her early life that mirrored Rumi's journey.
"Truthfully, at different points in my existence, I despised many parts of me and I longed to become someone else.
"During childhood, your surroundings shapes who you become and I feel like I just didn't see sufficient individuals that shared my appearance."
When it launched on Netflix in the summer, the animated feature registered millions of streams in just two weeks, and secured the top 10 of the streaming rankings in 93 countries. To star in the pioneering animation with a Korean setting, with Asian protagonists, was for Cho "a dream come true" – but it has also made her a powerful role model for Asian-American children, the type that she lacked when in her youth.
She notes many Korean-Americans have told her it's "such a refreshing moment", making them feel pride for the first time of their mixed background and culture.
"I feel like Korean pop music really, truly, has paved the way. K-beauty 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, inspiring travel to Korea, now," Cho says.
But the movie's triumph was not guaranteed and the actress says she felt the team making it were "occasionally struggling against odds".
"It seems it's unfortunate to mention this, but any time there's an production with Asian leads, people feel 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 says.
The film was released against the backdrop of heightened enforcement actions in the United States as part of mass deportation efforts, which sparked protests in numerous regions.
As an person of Asian descent residing in America "it's heartbreaking and disappointing," she states. "Immigrants have made America what it is."
Korean news sources have estimated that up to one hundred fifty thousand individuals from Korea without proper documentation, including those who were adopted, are among those who could be removed.
As an grown-up, she understood that the prejudice she had encountered when she was younger was largely due to a knowledge gap, as people didn't know what it signified to be of Asian descent.
"But now, in this day and age, when it seems the society and individuals ought to be more informed, it is beyond disappointing and sometimes I feel like there's a sense of despair," she expresses.
Due to this, it's particularly meaningful, she says, that the film could bring "hope and joy and love to all these different communities".
"Perhaps this explains it became the season's hit film, because there was a need for some hope and a unifying element all together."
The growth of AI is a major concern for the film industry, raising the possibility that in future it could be used to make a movie like the animation.
Cho says she is aware that AI is already being used to copy actors' voices, but aims to "maintain faith in people" that audiences will still pursue human-made creativity.
"Certainly, I'm sure there will be AI actors and singers. I know they already exist. I know performers' voices are already being manipulated, but I trust the public have appreciation and want and love for something real."
The film has also been dominating the international music rankings, with seven tracks from its score featured on the prestigious charts. It has its own fan art, and viewers around the world are calling for a follow-up.
Cho 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 made the film, to approve the project.
"I'm aware rumors are circulating, the feedback is positive," she says. "So we shall see, and I think fans everywhere would riot if there wasn't."
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