EJAE Wins Golden Globes for Best Animated Feature and Original Song; SM Trainee Achieves International Success

Netflix’s animated series “KPop Demon Hunters” received the Golden Globe awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. EJAE, who composed the theme song “Golden” and voiced Rumi—one of the three members of the fictional K-pop group HUNTR/X—was honored with the Best Original Song award.

This Golden Globe victory aligns with her two wins at the Critics Choice Awards, the first major ceremony of 2026. “KPop Demon Hunters” has since become one of Netflix’s most popular titles.

EJAE’s musical journey began with setbacks. From the age of 11, she trained as a Trainee at SM Entertainment for 10 years. During that time, she trained alongside future artists such as Girls’ Generation, SHINee, and f(x) but never received a Debut opportunity. After leaving SM between 2014 and 2015, EJAE decided to move to the United States.

Upon settling in the U.S., EJAE enrolled at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. She soon shifted her focus to composition and began her career as a K-pop songwriter in 2019 by contributing to Red Velvet’s global hit “Psycho.” Since then, she has composed hits for major K-pop artists including aespa, TWICE, LE SSERAFIM, and NMIXX.

At the Golden Globe ceremony, EJAE delivered her acceptance speech through tears. “I dedicated 10 years since my childhood to one dream—becoming a K-pop idol—and I worked hard despite being rejected. I was disappointed because I felt my voice wasn’t good enough, but I kept going by relying on singing and music. Now, I am here as a singer-songwriter.”

EJAE further solidified her position on the international stage by being named an “Artist to Watch” by Amazon Music. Around the time of her Golden Globe win, she shared the message: “Rejection is just a change in direction—never give up. It’s never too late to shine exactly as you were born to.”