'I saw the ghost for a split second': Singer Ejae on the making of hit track from ‘KPop Demon Hunters’
Golden, the infectious track featured in Netflix’s animated blockbuster ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’, has captivated audiences worldwide as the signature song of the fictional girl group Huntr/x. Performed by Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami, the song has become a cultural phenomenon, topping the Billboard Hot 100, Billboard Global 200, and several other international charts. Its popularity has exploded on social media, with fans and celebrities creating covers and sharing their own takes on Instagram and TikTok. The track has also earned Double Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over two million units.
Despite its massive success, Ejae recently revealed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that the making of “Golden” was accompanied by an eerie, unexpected experience. During a technical issue in the studio, she said, “I saw a ghost while recording ‘Golden’. So what happened was midway, my knob wasn't working. In the studio there is a knob for volumes and everything. So the volume wasn't working. When that happens the assistant engineer would come in. I was like, ‘Hey Sully, it’s not working, and I heard him walk in, you know, open the door and his footsteps.”
By the time Ejae looked up, the issue had resolved itself, and no one was present. “And for a split second though, like a 0.3 millisecond, I saw a tall dude with a flannel, it was like a grunge ghost…with blue jeans…he was super tall…he was like walking towards me, but like…for a split second,” she added. Ian Eisendrath, the music director, quickly dismissed the incident and urged the team to continue working.
The following day, Ejae asked studio staff about the building’s age and was told of its reputation for paranormal activity, including reports of a male ghost on the third floor and a female ghost on the fourth. Her mother later reminded her of a Korean myth: seeing a ghost or experiencing paranormal activity while recording a song is believed to signal that the track will be a hit.
Ejae’s encounter is part of a broader tradition in the K-pop industry, where many idols have reported ghostly experiences linked to musical success. Creatrip notes that 2AM’s Jo Kwon once spoke of a “ghost boy” on the basement stairs of the old JYP building, constructed atop a former cemetery. SM Entertainment has also witnessed its share of strange incidents, with NCT members Johnny and Jaehyun recounting odd noises during late-night rehearsals. Jaehyun referenced the same myth, suggesting that seeing a ghost during practice foretells a song’s success. Similarly, RBW’s “Ghost Minji” is said to haunt their recording studio, while BTS’s Jungkook once found another voice on a track after completing his own, an occurrence associated with the album’s success.