From Kpop Reject to Golden Globe Winner: EJAE's Inspiring Journey

Korean-American singer-songwriter EJAE becomes the first person of Korean descent to win a Golden Globe.

A Historic Victory

EJAE's win for "Golden" from the Netflix film "KPop Demon Hunters" marks a significant milestone in her career and the Kpop industry.

Born Kim Eun-jae, EJAE spent nearly a decade training at SM Entertainment, starting at just 11 years old.
Despite her hard work, she was never selected to debut in any group or pursue a solo career.
This rejection led her to move to the United States, where she enrolled at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.

Instead of giving up on music, EJAE shifted her focus to songwriting.

Breakthrough in 2019: Co-wrote "Psycho" for Red Velvet.
Opened doors to work with other popular Kpop groups like aespa, TWICE, LE SSERAFIM, and NMIXX.

Cast as the singing voice for the character Rumi in "KPop Demon Hunters".
Her demos played a crucial role in getting the film greenlit.
"Golden" from the film became a global hit, spending eight weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
First female Kpop single to top the chart.

At the Golden Globes, EJAE delivered an emotional acceptance speech:

"KPop Demon Hunters" became Netflix's most-watched film, with over 325 million views.
The film's soundtrack debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making it the biggest-selling soundtrack of 2025.
Historic win at the Golden Globes follows the film's success at the Critics Choice Awards, where it won Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.

For EJAE, this win represents a profound moment of vindication.

Spoken openly about her struggles in the Kpop industry.
Once resented the industry but now her journey serves as an inspiration to many.
Proves that sometimes the path to success is not straightforward.