EJAE is an American composer, lyricist, and singer.
As a Korean-American, she has a deep understanding of Korean K-pop culture and an exceptional musical sensibility. Building on this foundation, she has developed her career by participating in songwriting and production for top-tier K-pop artists such as TWICE, Red Velvet, aespa, and NMIXX.
In 2025, her public recognition soared dramatically as she led the writing and composition of the OST for the animated series K-Pop: Demon Hunters while also providing the vocals for the main character, “Rumi.” That same year, she officially debuted in the United States as a singer-songwriter, further solidifying her presence as an artist.
1. Twelve Years of Frustration as an SM Entertainment Trainee
EJAE was born on December 6, 1991, in Seoul, South Korea. At just six months old, she immigrated to New Jersey in the United States, where she lived until the second grade of elementary school. It is said that her parents’ main base of life was originally in the U.S., and that they had only briefly returned to Korea for her birth.
Her musical talent showed itself early on. Around the age of four, even before she had fully learned Korean, she was able to sing H.O.T.’s “Candy” with perfect lyrics and pitch—something that impressed her uncle enough to encourage her to pursue a career in singing. Later, as she discovered artists such as Shinhwa, she began to nurture her dream of becoming a singer.
In the second grade, she moved back to Korea and lived in Yeonhui-dong, Seoul, through adulthood. Thanks to this background, she is fluent in both Korean and English; however, due to attending an international school, she is more comfortable using English and is effectively a native English speaker. One well-known story is that she practiced tirelessly by visiting karaoke rooms every day with her mother in order to achieve her goal of becoming a singer.
In 2003, EJAE passed an audition personally attended by Lee Soo-man and officially joined SM Entertainment. During her trainee years, she lived and trained alongside artists such as SUPER JUNIOR, Girls’ Generation, SHINee, f(x), EXO, and Red Velvet’s Seulgi. Even at the age of eleven, she was known for her relentless work ethic—staying in the practice room from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. Her determination was so intense that even after fainting, she reportedly woke up at the sound of TVXQ’s Max Changmin approaching and pretended she was fine. She was the type of trainee who voluntarily asked choreographer Shim Jae-won for extra lessons, and her sincerity and discipline were so outstanding that Girls’ Generation’s Yuri once told her, “You will succeed no matter what.”
She also never neglected her studies. After entering a university in the United States, she double-majored in Music Industry and Psychology, and chose to graduate six months early in order to pursue her dream of becoming a singer. She endured an extremely demanding schedule—training in Korea during school breaks, while submitting assignments remotely from the U.S. during the semester.
However, after twelve years as a trainee, she ultimately left SM Entertainment at the age of twenty-three. According to the company, her husky vocal tone did not fit the style SM was pursuing at the time, and factors such as her height and age were also cited. When the years of effort she had poured into training failed to lead to the long-awaited result of debuting, she went through a severe slump and struggled with insecurity. But with encouragement from her family, she chose a new path as a songwriter and composer. Just one month after leaving SM, she began teaching herself music production—spending twelve hours a day making beats at cafés in Hongdae.
2. A Legendary Filmography — From “Psycho” to Billboard No. 1
After letting go of her dream of becoming an idol, EJAE became deeply drawn to underground and electronic music, building a distinctive musical world of her own. While recording for a drama OST, she caught the attention of Shinsadong Tiger and made her professional debut as a composer by writing EXID Hani’s solo track, “Hello.”
Later, with support from her mentor Andrew Choi, she participated in SM’s songwriting camp in 2017 and helped bring Red Velvet’s “Psycho” to life. She reportedly wrote the melody in just thirty minutes, and the song went on to become a global hit—instantly establishing her as one of the industry’s most promising rising talents. From there, she continued to build her reputation through major projects, including co-producing aespa’s “Drama,” among other high-profile works.
The year 2025 became the most brilliant chapter of her life. In Netflix’s animated series K-Pop: Demon Hunters, she served as the singing voice of the main character, Rumi, delivering such total immersion that many described it as “Rumi’s story is essentially her own.” Two songs she worked on—“Golden” and “Your Idol”—achieved a historic milestone, spending eight consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 under the name of the fictional artist “HUNTR/X.” It was a record-breaking moment widely regarded as a landmark event in K-pop history, following in the lineage of PSY and BTS.
That same year, on August 15, she released “The Light That Never Fades,” a commemorative song for the 80th anniversary of Korea’s Liberation Day, taking center stage at a national celebration. Then, on October 24, she officially debuted as a singer with her first solo track, “In Another World.” After twelve years as a trainee and ten more as a songwriter and producer, she finally emerged as a true artist—one who comforts the world with her own voice.
3. EJAE’s Major Song Credits
EJAE showcases a wide musical spectrum that goes beyond genre boundaries. Below are some of the most notable songs she has worked on.
| Year | Artist | Song Title | Notes |
| 2016 | EXID (Hani) | Hello | First major debut track as a composer |
| 2019 | Red Velvet | Psycho | A global hit that solidified EJAE’s status |
| 2021 | TWICE | Last Waltz / Pieces of Love | Pieces of Love,Contributed to a globally released album |
| 2022 | NMIXX | O.O / DICE | Helped define the signature sound of a 4th-generation girl group |
| 2023 | aespa | Drama | The peak of hard-hitting “metallic” K-pop |
| 2024 | aespa | Armageddon | Participated in producing its one-of-a-kind concept |
| 2024 | FIFTY FIFTY | Starry Night | Delivered a refined and stylish pop sound |
OST & Solo Activities
- 2025 K-Pop Demon Hunters (OST): Golden, Your Idol, How It’s Done, Free
(Lead vocals for Rumi & songwriting/composition) - Drama OSTs:
- Woman of 9.9 Billion – Take It Slow
- Human Copy – Once Again
- 2025 Solo Debut: In Another World
(First major single as a singer)
4. K-Pop Demon Hunters — Billboard Chart Records
The fictional groups HUNTR/X and Saja Boys essentially dominated the global music scene throughout 2025 and into early 2026.
Major Milestones on Billboard’s Main Charts
Billboard Hot 100 (Singles Chart)
- “Golden” held the No. 1 spot for 8 consecutive weeks.
- This marked the first-ever No. 1 for a fictional artist, and for a girl group, it was a historic feat—the first in 24 years since Destiny’s Child.
- As of January 2026, after the holiday season ended, the song climbed back up to No. 2, showing strong resurgence and longevity (28 consecutive weeks on the chart).
Billboard 200 (Albums Chart)
- The soundtrack album claimed the No. 1 spot overall.
- As of January 2026, it has re-entered the chart at No. 3, continuing its long-running success.
Global & Additional Records
- Billboard Global 200:
“Golden” topped the chart for 12 consecutive weeks, and holds the record for the longest total time at No. 1 (18 weeks) among songs released in the 21st century. - Full Track Sweep:
All eight tracks from the album entered the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously, an exceptional achievement. - Awards:
At the 31st Critics Choice Awards, “Golden” won Best Song (Theme Song Award).
EJAE has now become more than just a composer—she has emerged as an icon rewriting the history of K-pop. The video below features news coverage from the time when the Golden music video and the OSTs she took part in simultaneously topped Billboard’s singles and albums charts, sparking a global phenomenon.
