East Asia Tonight - Thu 14 Aug 2025
Spotlight on East Asia, a region steeped in history and now helping to write the future of our world. We'll break down the key stories and explain why they matter.
East Asia Tonight
About the show:
'East Asia Tonight' shines a spotlight on a region steeped in history and now helping to write the future of our world. Greater China, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula have economic and political might, and are major drivers of daily news and business. We'll break down the key stories and explain why they matter.
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CNA
a day ago
- CNA
East Asia Tonight - Thu 14 Aug 2025
48:06 Min Spotlight on East Asia, a region steeped in history and now helping to write the future of our world. We'll break down the key stories and explain why they matter. East Asia Tonight About the show: 'East Asia Tonight' shines a spotlight on a region steeped in history and now helping to write the future of our world. Greater China, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula have economic and political might, and are major drivers of daily news and business. We'll break down the key stories and explain why they matter.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
KPop Demon Hunters singer-songwriter Ejae on becoming Rumi, writing Golden and gunning for a Grammy
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Everyone has a dream. Some see it through. Others are forced to let go. For 33-year-old Korean-American singer-songwriter Ejae, born Kim Eun-jae, the dream was to debut as a K-pop idol after spending 10 years training at SM Entertainment. But the call never came. Neither in a group nor as a soloist did the South Korean powerhouse label see her fit to debut. Instead of turning her back on music, Ejae found another path – one that would lead her to co-write Golden, the soaring anthem from Netflix's megahit movie KPop Demon Hunters. The song has made history, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping both the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. US charts – a rare feat for a song from an animated film soundtrack. It also claimed No. 1 on the UK Official Singles Chart, becoming the first K-pop track to do so since South Korean singer Psy's Gangnam Style in 2012. Netflix has also reportedly submitted Golden for awards consideration. Ejae's next goal is no longer about becoming a famous singer. It is about winning a Grammy – an achievement she says would carry a meaning far beyond her own career. 'It wouldn't just be a personal milestone,' she said in an e-mail interview. 'It would be a message to every Asian-American girl who's ever felt impostor syndrome in this industry.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia India, Singapore ministers discuss deeper tie-ups in digitalisation, skills, industrial parks Business More seniors remain employed after retirement and re-employment ages raised in 2022: MOM study Singapore askST: Will assets seized in $3b money laundering case be sold at public auctions? Singapore To Vers or not to Vers: How will this scheme affect HDB prices? Asia Malaysia's ex-economy minister says his son was jabbed with syringe in planned attack Business StarHub first-half profit falls 41.7% to $47.9m; telco eyes 'more aggressive stance' amid competition Business CapitaLand Investment first-half profit falls 13.3%, appoints new CEO of private funds Life Taylor Swift's new album, The Life of a Showgirl, will release on Oct 3 From trainee to songwriter Ejae describes her years at SM Entertainment as 'incredible' and 'character-defining', instilling in her a work ethic and perseverance that would later sustain her. Learning dance and performance at such a high level also proved invaluable when she began writing for K-pop idols. 'As a trainee, I learnt to think about how a song might translate into choreography or a music video,' she said. 'That perspective has shaped my songwriting ever since.' In 2011, Ejae left SM Entertainment to study at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Around that time, she discovered the underground SoundCloud scene, drawing inspiration from artistes like Ta-ku, Sango and Shlohmo. Making beats became both a creative outlet and a way to cope with the depression that followed her trainee years. Her pivot to songwriting came unexpectedly. 'Some producers in Korea asked me to topline on tracks for fun,' she recalled, explaining how she started by contributing melodies. 'My first song ended up being picked up by a well-known artiste. That's when I realised writing wasn't just something I enjoyed – it was something I needed. It became my therapy.' Ejae's trainee period at SM Entertainment ended about two years after she graduated. Her passion crystallised in 2017 when she attended her first SM Entertainment songwriting camp. On the very first day, she penned what would become girl group Red Velvet's hit Psycho, a song born from an argument with her then long-distance fiance. Released in 2019, the track's success opened new doors and eventually led her to the opportunity that would change everything: KPop Demon Hunters. Becoming Rumi and finding Golden Korean-American singer-songwriter Ejae voices Rumi in KPop Demon Hunters. PHOTO: NETFLIX Ejae entered the project through composer Daniel Rojas, joining early in the creative process. Together, they wrote some of the first songs that set the tone for the soundtrack. Because she recorded most of the initial demos, the directors invited her to become the singing voice of the film's lead character Rumi. 'Having been part of the project from the start, I felt deeply connected to her,' she said. 'As a former K-pop trainee, I related to her perfectionism, her struggle to hide her flaws and her drive to chase her dream.' Golden, co-written with Mark Sonnenblick under the guidance of music director Ian Eisendrath, is a pivotal moment in the film. The song reflects each character's struggles, while carrying a message of perseverance. 'There's a bittersweet layer,' said Ejae. 'Rumi's lyrics reflect her desperation to fix her patterns. It's like her personal pep talk – telling herself not to give up and that she can reach her dreams.' In crafting the song, Ejae also had to meet a personal challenge: hitting Rumi's high notes to showcase her 'crazy vocal skills'. The result is both technically impressive and emotionally resonant, a combination that has resonated with audiences far beyond the film. Beyond Golden, Ejae is especially proud of Hunter's Mantra, the film's opening number that fuses traditional Korean genres like pansori and Arirang with modern pop sensibilities. Pansori is a traditional Korean musical storytelling performance that combines singing, narration and dramatic expression. 'I wanted to bring Korea's rich traditional sounds into the music with my own twist,' she said. 'It's part of who I am.' Chasing Grammy gold For Ejae, the Grammy dream is not just about recognition – it is about representation. 'As an Asian American, specifically a Korean-American woman, I don't really see enough people who look like me in the pop and K-pop industry,' she said. 'That's why winning an award for a song about hope and chasing your dreams would be incredibly serendipitous.' As someone who once doubted her skill and talent, fearing that she would be exposed as a fraud, Ejae has a message for others who find themselves feeling the same way. 'Your voice matters. Your stories are worth telling. Don't give up,' she said. 'If this song (Golden) can spark even a little hope in someone to keep going, then that, to me, is the greatest honour.' THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
CNA
2 days ago
- CNA
Japanese singer Nobuo Yamada dead at age 61 following battle with kidney cancer
Japanese singer Nobuo Yamada has died at the age of 61, following a long battle with kidney cancer. Yamada, who also went by NoB, was the vocalist of the Japanese heavy metal band Make-Up, which performed Pegasus Fantasy – the iconic theme song of the original Saint Seiya anime series. As a soloist, Yamada was famous for his contributions to the Super Sentai drama franchise, performing the theme songs of 2006's GoGo Sentai Boukenger and 2010's Tensou Sentai Goseiger. On Wednesday (Aug 13), Yamada's agency, Mojost, announced that he had died on Aug 9 at a hospital where he had been admitted. Yamada's death comes six months after his team revealed that he was diagnosed with kidney cancer seven years ago. "He has endeavoured to carry on with his work as normally as possible, but due to health conditions, there have been occasions when he has been forced to cancel events. We sincerely apologise to everyone who had been looking forward to those appearances for the inconvenience and concern this has caused," announced his team in February this year. Following Yamada's death, Mojost revealed that Yamada "continued his fight against the illness" while undergoing radiation therapy and drug treatments. "At the time, he was given a prognosis of five years to live but with his strong will to keep singing, he fought bravely to the very end," wrote Mojost. "Even on the day before his passing, he spoke about arrangements for a song he had composed and about the stage where he could meet his fans, remaining 'Rock star NoB' until his final moments." Yamada's death has triggered an outpouring of condolences from the Japanese music industry, including artistes he had worked with. Japanese singer-actress Shoko Nakagawa, who worked with Yamada in 2012's Saint Seiya Omega, said that his singing voice gave her strength countless times – a feeling she believed was shared "not only by people in Japan but by people all over the world". "He sang one of my favourite songs live on the radio and his smile and kindness, which instantly filled the place with brightness and warmth, gave me encouragement," wrote Nakagawa. "Thinking now that he was singing while battling an illness makes my heart ache. I will never forget the soul he poured into his songs, his conviction to bring hope to those around him through music and the way he carried figure was, for me and many others, the very embodiment of the will to live. The voice, smile, and warmth of heart that NoB left for us will continue to live on within us forever. With deep gratitude, I pray for your peaceful rest."
