'K-Pop Demon Hunters' EJAE commented on the global hit of "Golden."
On the morning of the 15th, a press conference for the Netflix film "K-Pop Demon Hunters" was held at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul. Composer and singer EJAE (Lee Jae), who created the mega-hit OST "Golden," attended the event.
The Netflix film "K-Pop Demon Hunters" is an action-fantasy animation set in Korea about K-pop superstars "Rumi," "Mira," and "Joy" who, behind their dazzling stages, act as hidden heroes protecting the world. Since its debut on June 20, it has continued to enjoy explosive popularity and has become a global sensation. Since its release, it has consistently held a place on Netflix's global top 10 list in the English films institutional sector, and with the OST "Golden," it achieved the record of eight consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. In addition, it is receiving tremendous acclaim for its catchy music, details infused with uniquely Korean culture, and its original genre of "K-pop exorcism action."
Korean American EJAE spent more than 10 years as a singer trainee at SM Entertainment before focusing on composing. In addition to "Golden," he also personally composed Red Velvet's "Psycho," released in 2019.
EJAE, who said he has been busy with the success of "K-Pop Demon Hunters," responded to remarks that he had returned to Korea to great acclaim, saying, "I'm proud and pleased because the love is so overwhelming that it doesn't feel real. The reason I wanted to do 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' was because I really wanted to show Korean culture. Until now, in the U.S., many animations were from China or Japan. When I grew up in the U.S., kids didn't even know where Korea was. They would always say, 'Japan? China?' That made me angry, so I practiced Korean harder," he said.
He added, "At the time I wanted to become an idol and worked hard, and I'm just grateful and proud that such good results came from all that effort," and said, "These days my family is so happy. My mother has put up lots of 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' photos in her room and says she needs to get my autograph. My ringtone is all 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,'" he said.
Regarding "Golden" topping the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks, he expressed emotion, saying, "I feel that the hard work has been rewarded."
EJAE said, "It was important for this work to showcase Korean culture. So I had to include Korean in the lyrics. Because including Korean was important, it had to be in the chorus," and smiled, saying, "I'm so proud. When there are sing-along screenings in the U.S., non-Koreans sing the part 'which can never be broken.' I'm very proud. I love it so much."
Meanwhile, "K-Pop Demon Hunters" surpassed 300 million views on Netflix, overtaking the record of Squid Game, and attention is focused on whether it will win the Academy Award for Best Original Song at next year's ceremony in the United States.
[Photo] Provided by Netflix
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