Ejae, the singer-songwriter and composer of K-Pop Demon HuntersThe popular theme song “Golden” made a highly anticipated appearance on the Oct. 22 episode of the tvN variety show Take the block quiz.
When asked about the global success of “Golden,” which became a worldwide hit thanks to its inclusion in the Netflix animated hit, Ejae humbly admitted that he is still processing it all. “So many things happened so fast that I didn’t even have time to understand them. Even being here right now feels surreal, like a dream,” he said.
I am currently following a program that mirrors that of a global superstar, Ejae shared, “I went to the Virginia Film Festival and the Academy Museum Gala. I did interviews for three days straight and now I’m going to New York. This is no joke.”
Host Jo Se Ho raised a hot topic among fans: “Many people speculate that the cumulative royalties of ‘Golden’ could rival the KRW 45.6 billion prize of Squid game.” Ejae, visibly surprised, replied, “I knew it” while Yoo Jae Suk jokingly urged him to do so “show us your bank account.”
Ejae clarified the timeline for music royalties, especially those coming from abroad. “In Korea, payments arrive quickly. But in the United States it takes about a year” he explained, pointing out that he hasn’t even received the majority of his international earnings yet.
Ejae also talked about his stressful debut performance Tonight’s show with Jimmy Fallon earlier this month. “Honestly, it was like a movie: I lost my voice the morning of the show. I was exhausted from a busy schedule and my body couldn’t keep up.” he said. “I had never done a live performance before, and it was my first stage ever Jimmy Fallon. The pressure was overwhelming: I couldn’t speak, I just cried.”
He shared that even during rehearsals, his voice cracked, shocking his fiancée. “My manager told me to rest for five minutes. Two months ago I was just a normal composer, and now everything changed overnight,” he said.
It was the encouragement of his girlfriend that helped him achieve success. “He told me not to stress about the high notes, to just focus on the lyrics, because this song isn’t just for me. It gives hope to Asian Americans, Koreans, and everyone else. That grounded me.” Ejae said with emotion.
As “Golden” continues to climb the charts and capture hearts around the world, Ejae’s unexpected rise is proving that heartfelt music, paired with talent and timing, can transform even an ordinary composer into an international phenomenon.
Sources: Daum
