EJAE and the Golden Voice Behind K-Pop Demon Hunters
From Idol Dreams to Global Soundtrack Phenomenon
When Netflix’s animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters burst onto the global stage, it wasn’t just another win for Korean pop culture — it was a resounding anthem of resilience, artistry, and transformation. At the center of this global sensation is the voice that sang its heart out into every note: EJAE (김은재), a Korean-American singer-songwriter whose journey from a failed idol trainee to the emotional soul of a worldwide hit is as moving as the melodies she wrote.
This is the story of how one woman’s voice — once deemed “too old” for the stage — has become the sound of a global generation.
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The Rise of a Global Phenomenon: *K-Pop Demon Hunters*
Released on Netflix, K-Pop Demon Hunters captivated viewers from Seoul to São Paulo. Within days, it topped Netflix charts in 26 countries and entered the Top 10 in 93. The animated action-musical struck a chord with K-pop fans and newcomers alike, blending fantasy, girl power, and addictive music into a genre-bending cultural triumph.
But the film’s emotional and musical gravity wasn’t just due to flashy visuals or its supernatural premise. Much of its power came from its soundtrack — particularly its breakout hit, “Golden,” which topped the Billboard Global 200 and Spotify’s U.S. charts. The accompanying soundtrack soared to #1 on iTunes K-Pop, Apple Music Pop, and K-Pop album charts.
As producer Ian Eisendrath noted, the film’s music was built “to stand alone as chart-topping pop.” And it did. With Golden slated as a potential Oscar contender, the film is now making history not just as an animated musical, but as a K-pop landmark. The woman at the helm of this sonic triumph? EJAE — the voice of Rumi, and the pen behind the soundtrack’s most resonant lyrics.
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The Voice Behind the Screen: Who Is EJAE?
Born on December 6, 1991, in Seoul, EJAE (real name Kim Eun-jae) spent her formative years between Korea and the U.S., living a bicultural life that would later shape her musical storytelling. She currently resides in Brooklyn, New York, but her artistic identity remains deeply rooted in both cultures.
She is also the granddaughter of legendary actor and arts patron Shin Young-kyun — a lineage that perhaps foreshadowed her artistic destiny. Yet her journey was anything but easy.
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The Idol Who Never Debuted: EJAE’s Hidden Years
EJAE’s K-pop career began like countless others: as a young trainee at SM Entertainment. For nearly a decade, she trained alongside future members of Girls’ Generation, hoping to debut. She honed her vocals, studied dance, balanced intense idol prep with academic work — eventually earning degrees in psychology and music business from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
But when the time came, the door closed. Despite her talent, she was told she was “too old” to debut. The final rejection, based not on ability but on age, left a deep wound. She had given her youth to an industry that deemed her expendable — a sentiment shared by many who trained in the shadows of K-pop.
Still, her passion for music didn’t fade. It simply shifted.
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From Shadows to Spotlight: A Composer Is Born
After the heartbreak, EJAE turned inward. She began quietly writing music, gradually discovering that she could still contribute to the world she loved — not in front of the camera, but behind the music.
Her first breakthrough came when producer Shinsadong Tiger gave her a shot with EXID’s Hani solo track “Hello.” That opened the door to a mentorship with songwriter Andrew Choi, who brought her into the SM songwriting camp — a collective that pioneered K-pop’s collaborative approach to songwriting.
And that’s where lightning struck.
In that workshop, EJAE co-wrote the topline for Red Velvet’s iconic hit “Psycho.” The song not only dominated Korean charts but became the most streamed SM artist track on Spotify U.S., surpassing 50 million units sold and earning a U.S. RIAA Gold certification — a rare feat for K-pop songs. Red Velvet became the only SM artist with two RIAA-certified songs: “Bad Boy” and “Psycho.”
With that success, EJAE’s name became synonymous with K-pop excellence. And she didn’t stop there.
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The Woman Behind the Hits: EJAE’s Expanding Legacy
Since “Psycho,” EJAE has worked with some of K-pop’s most prominent names:
- TWICE (“Last Waltz”)
- NMIXX (debut single “O.O”)
- CHUNG HA (“Bad Girl”)
- aespa (“Drama” — mini album title track)
- EXID (“Woo You”)
In 2025, she signed with U.S. indie publisher Prescription Songs, expanding her reach globally. She’s since been hailed as one of the most versatile and emotionally astute songwriters in the K-pop ecosystem.
Yet her success never led her to forget the barriers she overcame. She often speaks candidly about the increasing domination of non-Korean songwriters in K-pop, noting how local talent faces growing challenges. “There’s a perception that foreign songs are better,” she says, “and that makes it harder for Korean or Asian composers.”
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A Film that Mirrors Her Life: Becoming Rumi
“K-Pop Demon Hunters” was never just a job. It was my life, reimagined through animation.” — EJAE
In late 2020, composer Daniel Rojas brought EJAE onto the K-Pop Demon Hunters team. Her role was initially that of a vocal producer and topline writer, but it quickly evolved. Working with musical director Ian Eisendrath, she shaped the emotional core of the film’s songs.
Eventually, directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans decided there was no better voice for the protagonist Rumi than EJAE herself. After years of listening to EJAE’s demos, her voice had become the emotional blueprint of the film. And so, she became Rumi’s singing voice — quite literally breathing life into the film’s central character.
It was a poetic full circle. EJAE, once silenced by the industry, now embodied a character overcoming the exact fears she had known: hiding parts of herself to be accepted, struggling with perfectionism, and ultimately learning to embrace her whole identity.
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Writing Rumi’s Songs: From the Heart to the Screen
1. “Golden”
Arguably the film’s centerpiece, “Golden” is more than a song — it’s EJAE’s personal story wrapped in melody. “I wrote it for the girl I was in training,” she says. The lyrics, particularly:
> “Put these patterns all in the past now > And finally live like the girl they all see,”
reflect a deep emotional release — a long overdue liberation. The song came together quickly, with help from Mark Sonnenblick and TheBlackLabel, but required months of refinement. “It was the last song finished,” EJAE recalls. “We rewrote the bridge in December and re-recorded it in January.”
Today, the song’s anthemic chorus — “Gonna be, gonna be golden” — echoes across TikTok, Spotify, and red carpets. It’s also Netflix’s Oscar submission for Best Original Song.
2. “Your Idol”
Composed for the boy group Saja Boys, “Your Idol” reflects a darker satire of celebrity worship. Drawing from her Christian upbringing, EJAE embedded commentary about idolization bordering on sin. “It was fun and twisted,” she admits. It became a breakout streaming success, surpassing BTS records on Spotify.
3. “How It’s Done”
Inspired by BLACKPINK and the “girl crush” trend, “How It’s Done” fused fierce beats with swaggering vocals. EJAE collaborated with Danny Chung, famous for his rap lyricism, practicing his flow “50 million times” before nailing the demo. One high note — recorded from an Airbnb in Japan — remains one of her proudest (and most spontaneous) vocal feats.
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A New Kind of Stardom
Though EJAE is not the face of the film — that title belongs to voice actress Arden Cho — her voice is the emotional compass. Critics have heaped praise on her performance. Vocal coach Rachel Walker Mason described her tone as “smoky and sweet like Mariah Carey.” Chris Liepe commended her “light but powerful delivery,” praising her emotional fluency and ability to command presence without force.
Even with the acclaim, EJAE remains humble. “It’s surreal hearing myself on social media,” she says. “I’ve always done demos — but now strangers are using my voice for their videos. It’s weird… and wonderful.”
Some fans have voiced concern that EJAE hasn’t received enough credit for her vocals. She admits the film’s promotional focus leaned more toward the animated cast, but she’s grateful that musical director Ian Eisendrath consistently pushed for her recognition. “He advocated for us to get credited on Netflix, Billboard, World Music Awards — everywhere,” she says.
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The Voice of Two Worlds
EJAE’s unique strength lies in her ability to straddle both Korean and Western perspectives. Her bilingual fluency allowed her to write lyrics that move seamlessly between Korean idioms and English phrasing — a necessity in today’s globalized K-pop.
Having lived both as a trainee in Seoul and a producer in New York, she understands the tensions of identity and expression. “We all have two sides,” she says. “And learning to love both — that’s where beauty comes from.”
Rumi, too, embodies that duality. In the film, she battles literal demons while hiding her true voice. EJAE’s voice — raw, full of ache, and strength — captures that conflict with uncanny precision.
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The Next Chapter: What’s Next for EJAE?
With K-Pop Demon Hunters now a global hit, fans are clamoring for more. EJAE’s name is trending not only in composer circles but in fan forums, Reddit threads, and TikTok challenges. Many hope she will release her own solo album, stepping out from behind the scenes and into her own spotlight.
In the meantime, she’s staying busy. She recently penned TWICE’s Jihyo’s solo track “ATM,” and she’s expressed strong interest in returning for a K-Pop Demon Hunters sequel.
To many, her current success feels like poetic justice — a rebuke of the system that once rejected her. “It’s like sweet revenge,” fans say. But EJAE sees it differently.
“It’s not revenge,” she says quietly. “It’s redemption.”
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Final Note: A Voice for the Dreamers
EJAE’s story is not just about music — it’s about perseverance, reinvention, and healing. From a decade of rejection to an Oscar-bound soundtrack, she has redefined what it means to “make it” in K-pop.
In a world that often prioritizes youth, conformity, and perfection, she is a reminder that authenticity, experience, and pain can create something more powerful: resonance.
Her golden voice, once silenced, now sings for millions. And in doing so, it reminds us all — the story you once tried to hide may one day become your masterpiece.