Singer-songwriter Ejae. Photo from Ejae's Instagram account
In recent months, songs from Netflix’s animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” have climbed the charts and gone viral on social media, inspiring covers from artists worldwide. At the heart of the soundtrack’s appeal is Korean-American singer-songwriter Ejae.
The 33-year-old artist, whose real name is Kim Eun-jae, provides the singing voice for Rumi, vocalist of the film’s protagonist group Huntrix. Her rich, emotive vocals shine on several tracks, including the heartfelt ballad “Free” (with Andrew Choi), the rousing finale “What It Sounds Like”, and the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Golden,” where she soars through the chorus’s high notes.
Ejae attends the premiere screening of 'KPop Demon Hunters.' Photo from Ejae's Instagram account
But behind her distinct tone lies a gift for crafting memorable songs. Apart from voicing Rumi, Ejae is also credited as a songwriter on several of the film’s tracks, including “Golden.” In fact, prior to the film, she has written for a number of popular K-pop acts such as Red Velvet, aespa, NMIXX and Le Sserafim, among others.
Ejae’s connection to K-pop goes way back. She spent a decade training at major label SM Entertainment, according to reports. Although she never realized her dream of becoming an idol, the granddaughter of actor and politician Shin Young-kyun took a different path, channeling her love for music into songwriting instead.
“Over time, I realized I was more passionate about songwriting than performing,” Ejae told the Korea JoongAng Daily.
Below are five K-pop singles that carry Ejae’s mark as a songwriter.
Red Velvet, “Psycho” (2019)
Released at the end of 2019, “Psycho” became one of Red Velvet’s most loved and acclaimed songs, praised by both fans and music critics. The track was created during an SM Entertainment songwriting camp in 2017, and co-written with Los Angeles-based producer Andrew Scott, Swedish songwriter Cazzi Opeia and K-pop hitmaker Kenzie. Here, Ejae reportedly contributed the topline or the song’s melodies and lyrics.
NMIXX, “O.O” (2022)
Co-written by Ejae, Dr.JO (153/Joombas), and several composers from The Hub, “O.O” served as the debut single for NMIXX. While the song sparked mixed reactions upon release, its bold blend of genres (including baile funk and pop-rock) effectively introduced the girl group’s signature “MIXXPOP” sound. In an Instagram post, Ejae shared she specifically “wrote the [second] half of the song,” did vocal arrangements and sang the background vocals.
READ: Dive into K-pop group NMIXX’s genre-blending music
KARD , “Icky” (2023)
Serving as the title track of KARD’s sixth extended play, “Icky” showcases the co-ed group’s signature sound, largely drawn from moombahton and tropical house, along with lyrics that member BM describes as containing “a lot of innuendos.” The song was also named by Dazed as one of the best K-pop tracks of 2023, hailed as “the grind anthem we deserve.”
aespa, “Armageddon” (2024)
In 2024, aespa had a standout year marked by a string of solid singles, including “Armageddon,” the lead track from their first full album of the same name. In an Instagram post, Ejae shared that she co-wrote the song, sang, and arranged the background vocals. It was also her second consecutive title track for the hitmaking quartet, following her work on “Drama.”
Irene (Red Velvet), “Like A Flower” (2024)
Red Velvet’s “original visual” Irene made her solo debut in 2024 with “Like A Flower,” marking another instance of Ejae contributing to a Red Velvet project, albeit featuring only one member. The feel-good, Afro-inspired track has Irene singing about “growing like a flower” and finding the courage to “be more gentle.”