For over ten years, Korean-American singer Ejae dedicated her youth to becoming a K-pop idol. Starting as a precocious 11-year-old trainee at one of South Korea's largest entertainment agencies, she underwent relentless training in singing and dancing, aspiring to be selected for debut in a K-pop group. Despite her efforts, she never debuted, and her agency allowed her contract to expire without offering that opportunity.
Reflecting on those years, Ejae expressed that she gave her utmost to perfect her voice, dance skills, and appearance but ultimately felt she failed to make a distinctive mark. The ongoing pressure and competition not only challenged her emotionally but also affected her academic performance. She recounted a period of hopelessness following her departure from the agency, feeling as though she was failing on all fronts after investing so much in her dream.
However, Ejae did not sever ties with the K-pop world entirely. Seeking a new direction, she embraced songwriting, carving out a rare path. This venture brought her back to New York and eventually to the soundtrack of "KPop Demon Hunters," a Netflix original animated film that became the platform for her breakout success.
"KPop Demon Hunters" narrates the story of a Korean girl group that combats demons through music. Ejae contributed significantly, co-writing and recording demos, including the uplifting anthem "Golden." That song earned a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and is a contender for multiple Grammy Awards as well as an Oscar nomination. Moreover, Ejae provided the singing voice for the film’s protagonist, Rumi.
Claire Marie Lim, an associate professor at Berklee College of Music and K-pop expert, noted that Ejae's rise from former trainee to acclaimed songwriter is quite uncommon. Lim, who trained as a K-pop trainee concurrently with Ejae, observed that most trainees who did not debut typically left the professional music field. She also explained that participation in songwriting and music production was considerably less common among idols and trainees a decade ago, who were mainly expected to sing, dance, rap, and model without engaging significantly in creative production.
Ejae's artistic journey exemplifies this "super rare" transition from trainee to creative contributor behind the scenes—a path she had to establish herself.
The film "KPop Demon Hunters," which elevated Ejae's profile, ironically embodies the very K-pop industry that once left her aspirations unfulfilled. Though K-pop idols enjoy immense public admiration and fanfare, their careers often come at a steep personal cost, including stringent beauty expectations, grueling schedules with early call times, and public scrutiny, including backlash over personal relationships.
Training regimes are infamously demanding, involving lengthy daily hours of singing, dancing, and rapping rehearsals. Ejae recounted staying after school until midnight for practice sessions. Notably, her family had a history in entertainment, with her grandfather being a prominent South Korean actor and producer in earlier decades.
Joining SM Entertainment at 11 placed Ejae within one of Korea’s most prominent talent agencies, known for intensive artist development and strict management of its idols’ public and personal lives. Trainees face rigorous competition and constant evaluation from a very young age.
Ejae described frequent rejections and critiques during her training period, with persistent feedback emphasizing inadequacy. At the contract's conclusion in 2015, she was in her early twenties—considered old for trainees hoping to debut. Debuting at that age is exceptional, and unfortunately, she was not selected.
Leaving SM was akin to a painful breakup for Ejae, given the emotional and developmental investment made over formative years. This abrupt end left her uncertain about her future. During a hiatus from training, she studied music at New York University, where her interest in music production was kindled. Encouraged by family and inspired by attending DJ performances, she pursued self-education in music production and software, drawn partly by the scarcity of women in production roles.
A studio session with a Korean producer unexpectedly introduced her to songwriting when he asked her to compose rather than produce beats. Despite feeling rusty and uncertain about her songwriting abilities, she embraced the challenge and discovered a newfound passion for crafting pop songs. Her initial song, "Hello," was picked up and released by K-pop singer Hani.
Though she never achieved idol status, Ejae's training equipped her with an understanding of song structures and melodies suited for K-pop. Recognizing her talent, mentor Andrew Choi invited her to join songwriting camps at SM Entertainment, leading to collaborations with prominent K-pop acts such as Twice, Suzy, Aespa, and Red Velvet. One of her widely recognized works is the hit "Psycho" by Red Velvet.
By 2019, Ejae was involved as a songwriter on the "KPop Demon Hunters" soundtrack and was later cast as the lead singing voice by the film’s creators, who valued her demos highly enough that they helped greenlight the project. Although initially hesitant to step into a vocal performance role for the film, she was confident in her ability to deliver the songs authentically due to her intimate connection with the material.
"Golden" and other tracks from the movie have achieved global chart success, with extensive streaming figures and cultural reach. The song "Golden" particularly resonated worldwide, entering the Billboard Hot 100 and being heard widely across various everyday settings. Additionally, "Golden" even played a part in international diplomacy when leaders of Japan and South Korea performed it together publicly.
Looking back, Ejae views her accomplishments as a full-circle moment. Two decades after aspiring to be a K-pop idol and a decade since her initial dream was quashed, she now inspires audiences through her songwriting and vocal performances on a global scale. Her acceptance speech at the Golden Globe honored those who have faced closed doors and underscored her belief that rejection often redirects one's path rather than ending it.
Her experience underscores the arduous nature of the K-pop trainee system, the limited opportunities for debut, and the challenges of redefining one’s identity beyond traditional expectations within the industry. At the same time, it illustrates the potential for reinvention and success through unconventional routes, particularly embracing creative roles behind the scenes in music production and songwriting.