EJAE, Lei Ami, Audrey Noona, Yoo Ji-young, Arden Cho, and Mei Hong, who are known for singing and acting as Huntr/X in Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters”, reunited for one night only in a variety show screening series.
Despite the rain, audiences packed into Hollywood’s Egyptian Theater. It was a historic night for women. Earlier in the day, Variety Special Issue featured all six women in exclusive interviews. This issue marked the first time in the magazine’s 121-year history that six Korean-American women graced the cover.
EJAE, who co-wrote the award-winning song “Golden” with Mark Sonnenblick, IDO, 24 and Teddy Park, praised the film’s directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans. “When they told me about this story, and it was the first animated movie set in Korea, I was like, ‘Yes, any song will do.’ It’s very important to me as a Korean-American woman, and it’s just historic.”
The animated film and its hit song continue to break records, including being the most-watched title on Netflix with 482 million views in six months. “Golden” ranked first on Billboard’s Global Exl chart. It set a record for 20 consecutive weeks on the US charts. The KPop team was nominated for two Oscars: Animated Feature and Original Song.
Jazz Tankay, a senior editor at Variety magazine, moderated the conversation and broke the news that the song had gone 5x platinum.
Director Yoo talked about what it meant to have a script in which Korean folklore forms the center of the film’s story: “There are many storytelling avenues that we have yet to explore, and this is just the beginning.” She went on to say how excited she was to hear Kang, Appelhans, and the animators discuss what happened to the story, music, and character development. “I heard from the music team that there are chords that people resonate with certain characters. All of that attention to detail is reflected in this larger, historically significant thing and the spiritual connection I feel with this film,” she said. Connecting the film to “Sinners,” he explained how the film also uses “the power of music to reach across time and space, and the power of our ancestors to fight mythical creatures, which I think is incredibly moving and memorable.”
Cho, who is applying for the Annie Award as the voice of Rumi, talked about how she overcame the difficulties of acting and how this film gave her new confidence. She told the audience that she felt “exhausted” when “KPop Demon Hunter” came along. “This movie went to number one on August 26th, exactly three years after my last show was cancelled. And as Audrey said, we often don’t think we can be the protagonist or be the lead.”
Cho, who has been in the industry for more than 20 years, admitted that although she had previously auditioned for the role of Celine, she never thought she would get the role of Rumi. “I love animation, so I could have been happy just to be a part of a movie like this, and I would have dreamed of a movie like this when I was a kid. But then, when you look at where we’ve come, I mean, this is very meta. This movie brings us all together. I feel like I’ve received some kind of energy and hope just to be able to be a part of it. And I’m a dreamer now.” She added that the film gave her hope for the industry again and reminded her why she loves film.
Talking about her experience in the music industry, Nuna said, “I think everyone has experienced that feeling of, ‘What is my place in this industry, in this world, in this project?'” I think we were programmed to really prepare ourselves for a space that we could fit into. And I think this movie literally blows the roof off every record that I didn’t even know existed. Suddenly, we find ourselves somehow at the center of culture this year, both in the form of expression and alongside many other great projects. ”
For Hong, who starred in Tales of the City and also appeared in Hux and Broad City, the film’s success gave her the courage to pursue her dreams. “This project opened my mind and allowed me to dream boldly and think boldly about what I might be a part of in the future,” she said. “If this is this successful, it gives us all hope.”
Ami also talked about how the film changed her. “When we say we minimize and reduce ourselves, it’s out of shame. It’s about hiding and protecting and preventing people from seeing us as we really are, because it’s so scary to be seen as we are. When we’re vulnerable, it kind of shines a light on ourselves. And that’s a lot. It’s a light that the world needs. It’s scary, but it’s a responsibility to be that light, something I personally didn’t want. But sometimes, by chance, you become a source of inspiration and motivation for many people, and that makes you feel a lot less alone in this world.”
She went on to say that the film helped her embrace her human side, flaws and all. “But that’s what makes life special and unique. And you, too, and it becomes your life, your story. So, yeah, embrace it. Be proud of it.” She went on to quote Natasha Bedingfield’s song “UnWritten.” “Your story isn’t over yet… so keep writing. Don’t put down your pen.”
The six members also talked about the recording process and how they hadn’t recorded vocals together. EJAE, Ami, and Nuna also shared what it was like singing “Golden” and recording that famous A5 note.
The conversation was full of powerful and impactful moments, and ended on a moving note as EJAE shared how all of her successes gave her the confidence to grow as a songwriter and a Korean woman. “This film gave me a lot of challenges in terms of writing, singing, and having to dig deeper into my Korean side.”
She talked about how making this film was a healing journey. “I was rejected as a K-pop trainee when I was a child, and I was told various things about my singing voice, such as “too low” and “a little lame.” So while I was writing songs, I realized that I had been rejected as a K-pop trainee. I was very embarrassed about it, but this movie helped me embrace that side of myself. In fact, it was a superpower I had, and the pain I went through helped me write songs.”
Writing “Golden” allowed her to embrace her voice, sing, and become more confident. “Honestly, this movie saved me,” she concluded, “It’s so beautiful and I feel so accepted. So I’m really grateful to all the fans.”
Watch the video above.
