Appearing on KBS Cool FM’s “Lee Eun Ji’s Music Plaza” on October 13, Ejae expressed deep gratitude for the overwhelming global success of the Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters and its record-breaking soundtrack. The OST “Golden” not only topped the Billboard Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks but also made Ejae a rising name in both K-pop and global music circles.
Ejae, a Korean-American artist currently based in the U.S., revealed plans to release her first solo single, “In Another World,” on October 24 and will return to Korea for promotional activities, including a press conference and an appearance on tvN’s “You Quiz on the Block.”
“I’ve wanted to come back to Korea for so long,” she said. “It feels amazing to finally greet Korean fans in person. I wish I could’ve come sooner.” The musician admitted she barely sleeps three to four hours a night due to her busy schedule but added that “Korea feels like home,” as she spent around 15 years living there.
During the show, Ejae revealed she was once an SM Entertainment trainee from 2003 to 2015, training to become an idol before shifting paths. “I was a trainee for about 12 years. It wasn’t easy, especially during my teenage years, but I learned discipline and hard work. That experience shaped the way I compose today I always think about choreography when I write songs,” she explained.
Ejae confessed that she had completely let go of her dream of becoming a singer. “Singing was my old dream. I decided to focus on songwriting instead and had no plans to debut as a singer. So when this opportunity came along, it really felt like fate. Everything in life happens for a reason.”
Discussing KPop Demon Hunters, Ejae shared, “I knew right away I wanted to be part of it. I’ve always loved animation, and while there are many great works from Japan and China, there hadn’t been one that truly represented Korea. That made me even more determined to join.”
The song “Golden” known for its powerful high notes was purposefully written that way, Ejae said. “It’s not a song meant for a human singer but for a character. The soaring notes were necessary to capture Rumi’s desperation. The pressure was real for both of us for her as a character, and for me as a vocalist.”
Ejae’s emotional live performance of “Golden” on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” also became a hot topic. “I actually lost my voice that day. I was hyperventilating from nerves, but I managed to finish the performance,” she recalled.
Before her success with KPop Demon Hunters, Ejae had already made a name for herself as a K-pop hitmaker, composing for artists like aespa, Red Velvet, NMIXX, and KARD. She revealed that Red Velvet’s “Psycho” remains one of her favorite creations. “It was my first SM songwriting camp track and only the fifth or sixth song I ever wrote. I was going through a tough long-distance relationship at the time, and the song came from that emotional place,” she said.
As she prepares for her solo debut, Ejae described her new single as “a calm, reflective song that’s perfect for listening before bed or while taking a walk.” Her long-term dream is to win a Grammy for songwriting and to keep experimenting across all genres.
Sources: Daum
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