From K-pop trainee to global sensation, Kim Eun-jae — professionally known as Ejae — has created quite the name for herself.
At 33, this South Korean singer-songwriter is making waves as the voice behind “Golden,” the viral lead single from Netflix’s animated blockbuster KPop Demon Hunters. Since its June release, the film has become the platform’s most-viewed animated feature ever, and “Golden” is climbing the Billboard Hot 100, already reaching No. 2.
In KPop Demon Hunters, Ejae lends her voice to the character Rumi, part of a K-pop girl group called Huntr/x who secretly battle demons while navigating fame, friendships and the pressures of performing. Not only did she sing, but she also co-wrote “Golden” alongside Mark Sonnenblick and contributed to several other tracks on the soundtrack, including “Your Idol,” “How It’s Done,” and “The Hunter’s Mantra.”
When Ejae was first presented with the opportunity to work on “Golden”, she said she aimed to write “a song that can actually compete with other K-pop idols”, per Rolling Stone. “I think we’re in a time right now where we need hope and people are wanting that,” Ejae told the BBC on the success of the song. “And this song is very hopeful, it just lifts your voice and it’s a very powerful song. I think maybe that’s what people need right now,” she added.
She started out as a trainee with SM Entertainment, home to K-pop giants like EXO, Girls’ Generation, and Red Velvet. Ejae trained there for nearly a decade, but despite her talent, she was told she was too old to debut as a traditional K-pop idol.
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Determined to pursue music, she studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts before returning to SM Entertainment’s songwriting camp in 2017. There, she co-wrote Red Velvet’s hit “Psycho,” which went platinum in South Korea and gold in New Zealand. She has also penned tracks for Twice, Aespa, and Le Sserafim — earning her the nickname “the Benny Blanco of K-pop” for her behind-the-scenes hitmaking.
Now, with a Netflix viral hit under her belt and her unique voice resonating around the world, Ejae is finally stepping into the spotlight she’s long deserved. Scroll through our gallery to learn more about EJAE, from her start to her rise to ~golden~ fame.
