EJAE talks 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' emotional recording of “Golden,” and her dream collab with Jungkook

Composer-singer EJAE opened up about the success of 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' and the personal emotions behind its hit songs.

Appearing on JTBC’s 'Newsroom' on October 19, EJAE said, “It still feels like a dream. I always wanted to make a hit song, but I didn’t think it would come this quickly.” She added with a smile, “I love watching the challenge videos on social media — seeing dads dancing in Rumi outfits makes me so happy.”

EJAE provided vocals for Rumi, a member of the fictional girl group HUNTR/X, in the global Netflix hit 'K-Pop Demon Hunters.' She also wrote and composed the Billboard-topping tracks "Golden" and "How It’s Done," while contributing to “Free,” “Takedown,” and “What It Sounds Like.” The song “Golden” recently spent a non-consecutive eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking a historic achievement for K-pop in animation.

EJAE shared that recording “Golden” was deeply personal: “I cried a lot while recording the demo. I was struggling at the time and put my story into the song. I related to Rumi’s character — the song gave me confidence and hope.”

She named the group g.o.d as her biggest K-pop inspiration, saying she learned Korean through their song “Road.” 

When asked about her dream collaboration, EJAE didn’t hesitate to choose BTS’s Jungkook, praising, “He sings so well and delivers emotions beautifully. It would be an honor to work with him.”

Reflecting on her journey, EJAE shared that after leaving SM Entertainment’s trainee program, music became her source of healing. “I want to keep growing as both an artist and a composer,” she said.