October 16, 2025
SEOUL – Ejae, the Korean American singer-songwriter behind the “KPop Demon Hunters” breakout track, “Golden,” is debuting as a solo artist with her new single “In Another World,” set for release on Oct. 24.
Best known as the voice behind the film’s heroine, Rumi, and as the composer of its viral hit, Ejae is unveiling her first solo project — marking her emergence as an artist in her own right. She said the new song reflects her personal story, one that feels as close to her heart as “Golden.”
“I never really saw myself as an artist,” Ejae said during her first Seoul press conference for “KPop Demon Hunters” on Wednesday.
“But after receiving so much love and hearing people say they wanted to hear more of my songs, I found the courage to release my own music. Writing songs is a form of therapy for me. ‘Golden’ gave me strength, and I believe that when it comes to deeply personal songs, I should be the one to sing them. ‘In Another World’ is one of those songs.”
Ejae said “Golden” resonated so widely because she shared emotional similarities with Rumi, the film’s main character, both perfectionists who push themselves to overcome their perceived flaws.
“Rumi and I are a lot alike. We’re both perfectionists who work a lot,” she said. “When I was a trainee, I was often told my voice was too husky. Back then, people preferred clean, pure vocals, so I worked hard to change my tone. Rumi also struggles to overcome her weaknesses, and I really connected with that feeling.”
Before her breakthrough, Ejae spent over a decade at SM Entertainment, training to become a K-pop idol. It is this experience, she says, that helped her authentically capture the emotions in “KPop Demon Hunters.”
Ejae revealed that when she first wrote “Golden,” she envisioned it not as a soundtrack, but as a song for a real K-pop group.
“Even without the film, I believed ‘Golden’ could have been a hit on its own,” she said, adding with a laugh, “If I hadn’t sung it myself, I think Ailee, another Korean American singer, would’ve done it perfectly.”
Now stepping into the spotlight as a performer, Ejae says there are many artists she dreams of collaborating with, both in K-pop and in Western pop.
“In K-pop, I’d love to work with Aespa. I think my sound would fit them really well. And of course, collaborating with BTS would be an incredible honor, especially Jungkook, who’s amazing,” she said. “On the pop side, I’d love to write or sing with Dua Lipa or Sabrina Carpenter someday.”
Ejae also shared her thoughts on the future of K-pop’s global direction, emphasizing that staying true to Korean roots is key to sustaining its worldwide appeal.
“K-pop is about showing Korean culture,” she said. “I think it’s better to focus on Korea itself. The language is beautiful, and the culture has so much personality. It’s good to mix Western elements for global listeners, but the essence should always remain Korean. It’s about fusion — but keeping the core intact.”
