"'Beyond K-pop, Even 'K' Resonates'... Lee Jae Tops Billboard for 8 Weeks with 'Golden'"

Netflix's "K-Pop Demon Hunters" OST Makes Waves
"I Wanted to Showcase Korean Culture"

Lee Jae attended the press conference in Korea

"It still doesn't feel real. My schedule is so busy that I haven't even had time to celebrate. But above all, I'm just grateful."

This is how Korean-American singer-songwriter Lee Jae (EJAE), who performed the vocals for Lumi, a member of the girl group Huntress in the Netflix animated film "K-Pop Demon Hunters," described her feelings. Smiling at the press conference in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on October 15, she said, "Just two months ago, I was an ordinary songwriter, and now, suddenly, I'm receiving so much love. It's amazing and makes me proud."

The reason Lee Jae decided to participate in this project was simple. "I wanted to showcase Korean culture. There are many animated films in the United States about China or Japan, but almost none about Korea. When I was young, so many kids would ask me, 'Where is Korea?' and that always made me sad." She added, "That's why I worked hard to study Korean," and said, "Now, I'm truly proud that so many people see Korea as a 'cool country.'"

The original soundtrack "Golden," sung by Lee Jae, not only became a box office hit but also made waves in the global music industry. It topped both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Top 100 charts for eight consecutive weeks, setting an unprecedented record for the K-pop genre. She said, "These days, it's not just K-pop-just the letter 'K' itself resonates around the world," adding, "I'm proud to be Korean." She continued, "Whenever people ask me where I'm from, they all say, 'I love K-pop.'"

The soundtrack includes not only "Golden," but also several other songs such as "How It's Done," "Takedown," and "Your Idol." Lee Jae, who participated in the lyrics, composition, and arrangement, said, "I intentionally made the songs sound pop." She added, "I wanted Huntress to look like a real girl group debuting in the real world."

Lee Jae attended the press conference in Korea.

Riding on its popularity, "Golden" has now been submitted for major categories at the Grammy Awards, including "Record of the Year" and "Song of the Year." She laughed and said, "I really want to win. It would be such an honor to be recognized not just for the soundtrack, but in other categories as well."

When asked about artists she hopes to collaborate with next, she thought for a moment before answering, "I'd love to work with Aespa. I think our musical styles would go well together." She added, "BTS would be amazing too. Jungkook, in particular, is such a great singer," and said, "It would be an honor to work together someday."

Lee Jae is currently active in both the United States and Korea. She said, "Going forward, I want to convey Korean sensibilities and identity through my music," expressing her ambition to "serve as a bridge so that the world of K-pop can expand even further."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.