Lee Jae, the protagonist Lumi of ‘Kedehon’, rises to global stardom!
π₯ Lee Jae, Rising to Global Stardom as Lumi from ‘K-Demon’!
π Table of Contents
π€ The Billboard No. 1 Song that Came to Mind on the Way to the Dentist?
Do you know where song inspiration can strike? π΅ Lee Jae came up with the melody for ‘Golden’ while heading to get dental treatment! (Really… getting cavities treated helps with creativity? I guess I’ll have to look for melodies instead of fearing my next visit π)
“As soon as I sat in the chair, I recorded it in my phone’s notes. I ended up humming out of tune and got scolded by the nurse, but… who would have thought this would top Billboard!”
π From SM Trainee to Leader of Hentricks, Lumi
Interestingly, Lee Jae is a former trainee from SM Entertainment! (If you thought, ‘Hmm, Iβve seen that face somewhere…’ while watching variety shows, youβre not mistaken π)
- Selected as an SM trainee in 2018
- Decided to expand to the U.S. in 2021
- Recognized for his dancing, singing, rapping, and voice acting skills in the ‘K-Demon’ auditions in 2023
What captivated the fans? A trending comment is: “The tone change when Lumi gets mad is just like an animated character!” (I think… just his voice alone gives him the presence of an animated protagonist π€©)
π« Behind the Scenes of ‘Golden’
Among Billboard Hot 100 achievements, there are three major milestones:
- First Korean American artist
- Third in animation OST history
- Reached 300 million streams on Spotify globally
Fun fact: The golden Lumi doll featured in the music video was actually designed by Lee Jae himself! (Fans are enthusiastically collecting this, calling it ‘Golden Lumi’ π§Έ)
π Presenting Korean American Identity on The Tonight Show
During his appearance on NBC’s ‘The Tonight Show’, Lee Jae incorporated Korean traditional patterns into his stage outfit. In a post-performance interview, he said:
“I designed this with the production team using hanbok material sent by my grandmother. I wanted to showcase the beauty of K-pop and Korean culture to the world.”
This performance surpassed 1 million views on YouTube in just three minutes, and overseas fans flooded social media with the #GoldenKoreanPride hashtag, expressing their excitement! (It was a moment full of pride as a Korean American π°π·πΊπΈ)
π What’s Next? (Upcoming Visit to Korea)
Rumor has it… (according to the article!) there are plans for a press conference in Korea early next year! The specific schedule is still a secret, but fans are already buzzing about potential dates in fan cafes.
π¬ Frequently Asked Questions
- Q. How is Lee Jae’s Korean language skill?
- A. He mentioned in an interview, “I speak 100% Korean when talking to my parents.” However, he feels more comfortable speaking English in official situations.
- Q. Is ‘K-Demon’ season 2 confirmed?
- A. Currently, Netflix is positively considering it, but there is no official announcement yet. (We welcome tips! π)
- Q. Are there plans for activities in Korea?
- A. According to the article, there seems to be plans for a fan meeting in Korea during his visit, so it looks promising!
What I’m personally looking forward to is his wit! I’m curious how his sense of humor, showcased in American entertainment, will be received in Korea π (Perhaps Lumi will crack Korean-style jokes in ‘K-Demon’ season 2…? )
β¨ In Conclusion
Lee Jae’s success cannot simply be explained as ‘being lucky.’ It’s the result of his skills, creativity, and cultural identity bridging Korea and the U.S. that he has built since his days as an SM trainee.
Have you all listened to ‘Golden’? π Let me know your favorite part in the comments below! (I think the part where Lumi sings “Golden~” in the chorus is super addictive… it keeps playing in my head πΆ)
