who wrote the songs for kpop demon hunters
The main songwriters behind the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack are the duo EJAE (EJae Lee) and Mark Sonnenblick , working under executive music producer Ian Eisendrath , alongside several well‑known K‑pop writers and producers such as Danny Chung , Ido , and collaborators connected to THEBLACKLABEL and other K‑pop camps.
Who wrote the songs?
For the original English/K-pop hybrid songs that drive the movie’s story, the primary credited writers are:
- EJAE (EJae Lee) – Korean-American singer‑songwriter with a K‑pop background; co‑wrote key songs like “Golden” and helped shape the main character Rumi’s musical voice.
- Mark Sonnenblick – Musical theater and film songwriter who partnered with EJAE to make the songs function both as pop bangers and narrative musical numbers.
- Ian Eisendrath – Executive music producer who also co‑wrote and arranged several tracks, especially the bigger choral and cinematic moments.
These three formed the core creative team for the film’s original songs, making sure each track fit specific story beats rather than being just generic K‑pop.
K‑pop producers and lyricists involved
Beyond the core film songwriting team, the official soundtrack credits include a lineup of familiar K‑pop names:
- Danny Chung – Rapper/lyricist known in K‑pop for work with major idols; credited as a writer and performer on several tracks on the official soundtrack album.
- Ido – Producer associated with K‑pop idol tracks, credited as one of the key producers/songwriters contributing to the sound design and hooks.
- Additional K‑pop–linked contributors and vocalists (such as Saja Boys, Andrew Choi, Neckwav, Kevin Woo, and others) are credited across multiple tracks, sometimes as both performers and co‑writers.
A behind‑the‑scenes breakdown of the soundtrack specifically highlights that each major song (“Golden”, “How It’s Done”, “Your Idol”, “Soda Pop”, “Free”, “Takedown”, etc.) pulls from different high‑profile K‑pop producer circles, including ties to houses like THEBLACKLABEL.
How the songwriting was approached
Songwriting on KPop Demon Hunters was done very much like a hybrid of a K‑pop album and a stage musical:
- EJAE and Sonnenblick describe starting from story and character needs first , then building melodies and lyrics so that the songs move the plot forward rather than just existing as standalone singles.
- For a hit like “Golden” , EJAE has said the melody came quickly—famously sketching it on the way to a dentist appointment—before she and Sonnenblick refined it together into the final track.
- Tracks like “Your Idol” were deliberately written to reflect the darker, obsessive side of fandom and the demon‑idol concept, with Eisendrath helping turn them into big, theatrical choral moments.
This mix of narrative‑driven writing and K‑pop production polish is a big reason the movie’s songs feel like both chart‑friendly tracks and full musical numbers.
Quick HTML table of key songwriters
| Creator | Role on KPop Demon Hunters | Notable Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| EJAE (EJae Lee) | Lead songwriter, vocalist | Co‑wrote main story songs, melody and lyrics for “Golden” and other core tracks. | [7][1][3]
| Mark Sonnenblick | Lead songwriter | Structured songs as musical‑style numbers that advance the plot. | [1][9]
| Ian Eisendrath | Executive music producer, co‑writer | Oversaw soundtrack, arranged and co‑wrote larger cinematic/choral sections. | [2][7]
| Danny Chung | Songwriter, vocalist | Credited on multiple soundtrack tracks; brings K‑pop rap/lyric background. | [5][6]
| Ido | Producer, songwriter | Helped craft the synth‑driven K‑pop sound and hooks used throughout the OST. | [6][1]
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.