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| ▲ Singer-songwriter Ejae, known for her work on Netflix's hit animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" is seen in this photo provided by Netflix. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
animation soundtrack-composer
Singer-songwriter Ejae says success of 'KPop Demon Hunters' soundtrack feels unreal
By Shim Sun-ah
SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- Singer-songwriter Ejae, who came into the spotlight with her work on Netflix's hit animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," said Wednesday the soundtrack's runaway success feels "unreal," though she is deeply grateful for the support.
"Two months ago, I was just a composer. Suddenly, so many people are showing me love and interest. It feels strange and amazing," Ejae told reporters at a press conference in Seoul. "I feel proud and fulfilled."
The Korean American artist who trained at South Korea's SM Entertainment contributed to and performed several tracks on the film's original soundtrack, including "Golden," "How It's Done," "Takedown" and "Your Idol."
She became an overnight sensation when "Golden" achieved a milestone for K-pop, topping both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the British Official Singles Chart Top 100 for eight weeks, a first for the genre.
"KPop Demon Hunters" tells the story of a fictional K-pop girl group, Huntr/x, who use their music to fight evil spirits and save the world.
Ejae said she drew inspiration for "Golden" from her own experience as a trainee at SM Entertainment, when she often tried to hide her husky voice.
"I went through a trainee period, and what was difficult back then was that I kept trying to cover up my weaknesses," she recalled. "My voice was considered unfeminine and too low, so I was criticized a lot. The trend at the time favored clean, pure voices, so I wanted to hide my husky tone."
That experience, she added, helped her relate to the film's main character, Rumi. "I really understood her feelings -- wanting to chase her dream and do her best. I could completely relate to that."
The 33-year-old went on to reflect on her trainee years. "Everything happens for a reason. I practiced a lot at a young age, and it's not easy to deal with rejection. I was hurt when I was younger, but you have to go through pain to grow. What matters is how you overcome it. I never thought being rejected by SM was a bad thing. I understood their reasons, and I believe everything has its time. The important thing is growth -- even if you fail, you just have to keep going."
Both the soundtrack and "Golden" have been submitted by Netflix for consideration in the Record of the Year and Song of the Year categories at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
Ejae said she "really wants to win a Grammy," expressing strong hopes to be recognized not only in the soundtrack categories but for broader musical achievement.
She also shared her aspirations for future collaborations within the K-pop scene.
"I'd love to work with aespa -- I think our styles would match well," she said, when asked to name one. "I also admire BTS so much. It would be such an honor to collaborate with them. They're incredible artists, and Jungkook, in particular, is an amazing vocalist."
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