She’s smart. “Idol life isn’t forever”

Therapist for K-pop idols, yes please!

And look where she is now! Grammy-nominated! Looking forward to her future works.

She dodged a bullet.

It's always interesting to hear from "failed" trainees. Pursuing a professional career as an artist -- musician, novelist, actor, etc -- is filled with rejection, and the bigger the dream, the harder the fall. Ejae's story reminds of me a bit of Gina Maeng's (Gina Everywhere on YT) who was also a trainee for over 10 years and never debuted. It's nice knowing how both these women made their peace with their time spent in training. When you spend that long of a time in program like that, at least there's no "what if I stuck it out for a while longer" because you did stick it out. You can know for sure that it wasn't meant to be.

For reference:
EJAE joined SME in 2003
The Grace (CSJH) debuted in 2005
Girls’ Generation (SNSD) debuted in 2007
F(x) debuted in 2009

After those six years, if SME still didn’t think she was ready, the next group would be Red Velvet. And they are SHORT lol Watch them at any award show and all other idols tower over them. Even groups with tall members (Twice, Everglow, Cherry Bullet, etc) have members somewhat similar in height so that one member doesn’t stand out too much. Had EJAE debuted with Red Velvet, she would’ve been half a foot taller than most of the members (and still three inches taller than Joy). It would be somewhat jarring to have her in the group.

Ultimately, it was for the best. Had EJAE remained in SME, she probably wouldn’t have become the accomplished songwriter she was prior to KDH. And she definitely wouldn’t have had the opportunity to write for the movie and become Rumi. Sometimes the universe just works out like that where something doesn’t pan out, but a better outcome is waiting for you!

Her intelligence and insights are incredible. She's like... visionary.

A lot of people say that she was a miss for SM, but she already told she wasn't that good at that time, meaning that her no-debut was what made her who she is now. She's really inspiring to me, bc she was always working behind and at her 33-34 years she finally got the chance to shine all the way, make me think on my future and how i still have too much time to shine too

I knew height was def a factor why she didn’t debut, she’s so lovely and tall! Would be hard to fit into, say, red velvet that way since there’s a lot of short members

I love her. Hopefully she wins her first grammy. She deserves it. i love her

Now all kpop idols and foreign artists sing the songs she's wrote and sung herself!

She was in training with everyone who went on to be Girls Generation.  Ejae is stunning!  
And she wrote Physco for Red Velvet.  Among other songs.  Did she ever meet Lee Soo-man?

Mental health is important for everyone... not just for kpop trainees... 😢

We ABSOLUTELY made the right person famous for once

That’s a long time being a trainee,  that wasn’t her path. A blessing in disguise tho.

And look where Ejae is now.  This is possibly where she meant to be.  Was good interview not always these things are talked about  🎉 🎉

I'm so proud of the kind of person she is. She really deserves a Grammy nomination 🤧

She is a treasure to this world. Diamonds are formed under pressure fr

While I'm sure she really deserve to debut but somehow I just can't imagine her as idol, especially kpop idol.
Just by looking at her, hearing her speak and how she carried herself. She is already at her own league.
Hope she will shine more after quitting that idol path.

♡♡♡♡ proud of you ejae!