This is part of the Global Women series from the BBC World Service, sharing extraordinary interviews and stories from around the globe.
I hated that I looked Asian, that I didn't have blue eyes and blonde hair, because that's what was beautiful at the time, says Arden Cho, the actress who voiced Rumi, star of Netflix's chart-topping animated film, KPop Demon Hunters.
Cho, 40, is describing her childhood in Texas, as the eldest daughter of Korean immigrant parents and her struggle for acceptance in American society.
In the film, which tells the story of a female K-Pop trio who must save the world from evil forces, Rumi has to come to terms with her identity as part human, part demon - and when Cho first read the script this resonated powerfully.
Being born in America, feeling American but having people treat me like I'm not, trying to figure out my identity as an Asian-American, as a Korean-American, as a woman, she says.
These were all elements of her early life that mirrored Rumi's journey.
When it launched on Netflix in June, KPop Demon Hunters registered 33 million views in just two weeks, and reached the top 10 of the Netflix charts in 93 countries. To star in the first Hollywood animated film set in Korea, with Korean leads, was for Cho a dream come true – but it has also made her a powerful role model for Asian-American children, of the kind that she lacked when she was young.
Cho says many Korean-Americans have told her it's such a refreshing moment, making them proud for the first time of their dual heritage and culture.
The film's success was not guaranteed, and Cho said the team faced challenges due to the perception that Asian-led projects could be seen as a risk.
As an Asian-American living in the US, Cho acknowledged the ongoing impact of immigration policy and systemic racism, emphasizing the importance of representation through stories like KPop Demon Hunters.
She feels the film brings hope in difficult times, uniting different communities through shared experiences.
