The singer-songwriter Lee Jae, who shook the world by recording eight consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard main singles chart Hot 100 with "Golden," reveals his tumultuous musical life on You Quiz on the Block.
The 315th episode of tvN's You Quiz on the Block (directed by Kwak Cheong-ah and Hong Jin-joo, writer Lee Eon-ju), airing on the afternoon of the 22nd, features Lee Jae, the singer of the K-POP Demon Hunters OST "Golden," who appears to tell the journey from 12 years as a trainee to standing as a Billboard No. 1 singer.
Lee Jae confessed, "I was always a trainee," saying he spent 12 years as a trainee at SM Entertainment alongside Super Junior, Girls' Generation and SHINee but ultimately did not debut.
He recalled, "After the failed debut, I was hurt by K-pop and for a while resented music," but he said a word of consolation from Girls' Generation member Yuri gave him the courage to start again and added, "I always felt sorry for the child I once was."
Lee Jae also revealed a surprising twist while sharing behind-the-scenes of his first live performance on the Jimmy Fallon show. He said, "My voice was hoarse until dawn that day and I had lost my voice. But I couldn't not go on stage," recounting how he completed the performance amid extreme nervousness.
Yu Jae-seok and Cho Sae-ho were unable to contain their amazement at his story, saying, "It's like a real drama." In particular, they also revealed an anecdote that Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson's surprise appearance heated up the scene.
Reemerging as a composer, Lee Jae was recognized for his skills by working on Red Velvet's "Psycho" and aespa's "Armageddon," among others. He said, "I had a deep complex about my voice, but I overcame it by performing Rumi's high notes myself."
Having reached the top of the world with "Golden," he said, "The 12 years of waiting were not in vain. I'm proud that Korean music is loved on the world stage."
At the end of the broadcast, Lee Jae left a heartfelt message, saying, "Even if you don't debut, even if you are unknown, if you love music, a moment that shines like Golden will come someday."
Meanwhile, on that day You Quiz on the Block also features announcer Kim Jae-won and Shin Seung-hun sharing their life stories. You Quiz on the Block airs every Tuesday at 8:45 p.m.<
[Photo] Provided by tvN's You Quiz on the Block
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