EJAE, the singing voice behind Rumi in KPop Demon Hunters, is now opening up in a heartfelt way about her past, way before her success as a singer. In an interview with People, published on April 22, 2026, the Korean-American singer said she was mocked at school for her interest in K-pop. The “Golden” hitmaker explained that, when she was younger, she did not feel accepted as Korean. Instead of feeling proud, she often felt embarrassed. “It was so uncool. I was actually embarrassed to be Korean,” she revealed in the interview.
See EJAE posing for PEOPLE below:
#EJAE for PEOPLE’s World’s Most Beautiful Issue. pic.twitter.com/tDfaZT96Jo
— EJAE Updates (@EjaeUpdates) April 22, 2026
Her comments became even more meaningful because they came after a historic awards season this year. Two days after the 2026 Academy Awards, EJAE reflected on everything that had happened after her song “Golden” became a huge success. The track became the first K-pop song to win an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a Grammy. Then, she said that after the ceremony, she finally cried during a late-night run in Los Angeles. It was the first time she really allowed herself to feel the full weight of the moment and everything that had led to it.
The KPop Demon Hunters diva also said her Oscars performance meant a lot because Korean culture was finally being shown with pride on one of the biggest stages in entertainment. She performed with Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, and they were emotionally touched during rehearsals when they saw traditional Korean music and instruments included.
Watch the KPop Demon Hunters trio perform “Golden” at the 2026 Oscars below:
“At rehearsals, we saw these Korean pansoris and traditional Korean music and instruments, and seeing that made all of us cry,” she says. “[Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami] were raised in the States, so it just means a lot because that’s the side that we try to hide away for so long. To see that come out and be performed in the Oscars, we felt very, very proud.”
