Save this story Save Story Save this story Musical artist Ejae and producer-turned-computer programmer Samuel Kim’s relationship first began as a creative collaboration. A mutual friend set the two up for a songwriting session at Sam’s home studio in May 2017. “We worked on a couple of songs, but mostly, we just connected,” Ejae recalls. “We both loved anime and the same kind of music.” The two kept things professional—until a night out to see Sam’s roommate’s band perform. “Later that night, [he] confessed his feelings,” the singer says. “We've been together ever since.”
The couple built their lives by each other’s side over the next eight years, settling together in Brooklyn, New York as they built their careers. On June 1, 2025, Sam took the next step in their relationship with a (sort of) surprise proposal. “I had caught on about a week before,” adds Ejae. “Still, it was fun and memorable, and I cried.” To throw her off the scent, Sam worked with Ejae’s best friend to set up a fake dinner. “Instead, Sam brought me to a park in Brooklyn where we spent so much time together, walking Honey, my late dog. He suggested a walk through to go down memory lane,” remembers Ejae. “When we turned a corner, all our friends had set up a picnic with photos of us and our dog all around.” After sharing a thoughtful speech, he popped the question and the singer said “yes.”
Shortly after the proposal, the hit film KPop Demon Hunters came out, which featured Ejae as the lead singer behind the fictional girl group HUNTR/X and the soundtrack’s hit songs. “Our lives changed completely,” says Ejae. The long press tour and awards season surrounding the film meant wedding planning would have to take a pause. “At first, we planned a November 2026 wedding in California, but ultimately after discussing location, we decided to hold it in Korea and moved the date up to October 2026. That left us about four months to plan everything,” says the bride. “It was hectic and a little stressful, but it was real teamwork, and everything has fallen into place perfectly.”
Bringing the wedding to Seoul allowed the couple to further infuse their heritage into their nuptials, along with stories of their lives from childhood to today. The celebration began with a Paebaek ceremony and welcome party at Congdu50, a restaurant with Korean fusion cuisine and sweeping views of the city. “Not everyone does Paebaek, but we wanted to have that traditional element as part of our wedding,” says Ejae.
On October 17, 2026, Ejae and Sam would exchange vows at Stage 28, a venue with meaningful history for the bride. “My grandparents lived in the house at the venue when I was a little girl,” she says. “I spent much of my childhood exploring the garden and walking with my grandfather in the hills behind the house.” The home and property were later purchased and turned into an event venue—making it the perfect choice for their family’s future nuptials. With its nostalgic significance to their family, Ejae’s brother had already tied the knot at Stage 28 as well. For Ejae and Sam’s wedding, the garden ceremony’s décor would evoke the shades of green and earthy tones from the bride’s childhood memories and the property’s landscape.
The venue’s large glasshouse would hold the reception. Ejae envisioned the space being filled with soft fabrics and flowing drapes to create an ethereal, surreal atmosphere. “The glasshouse represents my life today—a time when the dreams I worked toward for so long are becoming reality,” says the artist. “After years of dedication to music, the recognition I am experiencing makes this chapter feel almost like a dream.”
These whimsical aesthetics flowed seamlessly into the bride’s wardrobe choices for the big day. Ejae tapped Danielle Frankel to create a custom gown that captured this spirit as she walked down the aisle. “I had long admired Danielle's modern, but slightly twisted take on a classic wedding dress, and I knew I wanted to reach out to see if she would be interested in working with me on a custom dress,” she says. “From our first meeting, Danielle immediately understood my vision: ethereal, modern, chic, and timeless with a twist.” They worked together to create a tulle gown with a strapless neckline, a bubbled hem, and a nude chiffon layer that brought airiness to the look. “I kept my jewelry simple so the dress could make the statement,” adds the bride of her accessories. Heirloom jewelry passed down from her grandmother to her mother was the perfect sentimental touch to the ensemble.
As the party moved into the glasshouse, Ejae would swap her gown for a custom, body-skimming design by Zac Posen . “The dress is chiffon, like the ceremony gown, so the ethereal feeling carries over into the next chapter of the night,” she says. Working with Posen held special meaning for the bride. “Zac brought me to my first-ever CFDA Awards in 2025, and our creative partnership has only blossomed since,” Ejae shares. “Zac perfectly executed the vision I had for the reception dress—‘wow factor, with a sparkle.’” That shine would continue later in the night with a change into a shimmering Milla Nova mini for dancing.
Sam also put care into creating each look for his wedding day. “I really wanted to learn about bespoke tailoring, and after a lot of research, I chose Bhambi's Custom Tailors in New York, who could make a fully bespoke tuxedo in time,” he says. “It's a classic double-breasted tuxedo in Loro Piana fabric.” To help the newlyweds match at the reception, Posen also created a custom white tuxedo for the groom. “I see it as a new take on the reception suit and the best part is that it's extremely comfortable, fits perfectly, and is elegant,” says Sam.
The bride admits the week leading up to the wedding was a bit “crazy.” “My wedding team and I spent much of the week before the big day finalizing little details and ensuring everything would run smoothly,” she says. It all came together for a moment of connection and joy at the Paebaek ceremony. “Weaving traditional Korean wedding ceremonies into our wedding weekend was so special for us and our family,” says Ejae. “After our Paebaek ceremony, Sam and I relaxed and grounded ourselves in the moment together.”
“There was so much joy to be shared,” says Ejae of the wedding day. “The ceremony was beautiful, heartfelt, and fun.” The bridesmaids and groomsmen walked down the floral-adorned aisle to cheers from all their guests before the bride made her way to the groom. “I’ll never forget the feeling of walking down the aisle and seeing all of my closest friends and family members surrounding me with their love and support,” the bride says. “Sam and I had set intentions to try to stay in the moment and connect with each other and our guests. We definitely were both a bit nervous, but mostly excited to start our lives together as husband and wife.”
That feeling of excitement never stopped throughout the night. Says the bride, “Honestly, we are so proud that we had fun at our wedding!” Their wedding band, After Eight, kept up the energy with a set of songs curated by the couple for the entire reception. Dinner was full of speeches—in both English and Korean—as well as “ great food,” says Ejae. Once everyone was on the dance floor, guests could refuel outdoors with bites from Korean street food tents. The party didn’t stop for the couple, as they headed off to Itaewon with a small group after the reception to dance the night away.
With celebrations now at a close, the newlyweds say an overwhelming feeling of gratitude remains: “We are so thankful for each other and for our family and friends, especially given how many of our guests traveled across the world to celebrate with us!”
Expand Photo: Pakbae 1/69 We began our wedding weekend with the traditional Paebaek ceremony at Congdu50 in Seoul. Celebrating our Korean heritage with our closest family and friends was such a special way to start the weekend.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 2/69 My first look of the weekend: a green-and-gold hanbok with a deep red skirt, designed by Han Eun Hee.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 3/69 Paebaek is often a fun celebration with shared laughs between the families. Sam and I laughed so much, which is one of the things that made our Paebaek so special.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 4/69 Our Paebaek table, framed by a painted folding screen.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 5/69 And now our guests arrive! Being with Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna made the party complete. They’ve been such a key part of my life the last year, and I’m so honored they were able to come to Seoul for us to celebrate together.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 6/69 A closer look at my hair ornaments and ceremonial headpiece.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 7/69 Paebaek traditionally follows the wedding, but we chose to hold ours the day before. It was important to us to include this tradition in our celebrations, blending traditional Korean wedding traditions with American ones.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 8/69 Sharing a smile with Sam in our ceremonial hanboks.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 9/69 An instant-camera portrait in my ceremonial hanbok.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 10/69 Making my entrance for the Paebaek ceremony. I remember beaming from ear to ear as I took in how so many of the most important people in my life were all in one room together, many traveling across the world to be with us.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 11/69 The traditional clothing, table, and set design are all part of honoring our Korean heritage.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 12/69 Receiving a fruitful blessing from my grandparents, Kim Sun-hee and Shin Young-kyun. During the ceremony, beginning with the most senior members of our family, relatives give us well wishes and gifts, and throw jujubes, signifying a hope for us to continue the family with children of our own.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 13/69 Catching the jujubes during our Paebaek. This is such a fun moment, tied to such a deep-rooted love and hope for children of our own.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 14/69 Near the end of the Paebaek, Sam and I shared a jujube together, another fun tradition. We ended up “kissing” twice, so that we both got a piece of the fruit!
Expand Photo: Pakbae 15/69 For the last part of the on-stage Paebaek ceremony, the groom often carries the bride on his back.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 16/69 Sam’s signature humor is always present.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 17/69 Another hanbok look for our Friday celebration, which we wore when we were able to spend some time with guests after being on stage. Lavender is my favorite color!
Expand Photo: Pakbae 18/69 Giving my grandmother, Kim Sun-hee, a kiss. My grandparents have been together for 70 years! Having them there to kick off the family portion of the Paebaek ceremony meant the world to me.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 19/69 A little pre-wedding skin prep with Rejuran . I wanted to keep my beauty look really natural for the wedding, so a lot of my focus beforehand was taking care of my skin—even with all of the travel and wedding planning stress.
Expand Photo: Su Mustecaplioglu 20/69 A moment for my wedding dress! Designed by the incredible Danielle Frankel , who really captured the vision: ethereal, modern, chic, and timeless with a twist.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 21/69 A special remembrance of my sweet, late dog Honey! I wish Honey could have lived to be at the wedding, but he will always be an important part of our love story.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 22/69 Accessories for my special day! I wore heirloom jewelry passed down from my grandmother to my mother—and then to me. My shoes for the ceremony were Danielle Frankel, and my reception shoes were Christian Louboutin .
Expand Photo: Pakbae 23/69 Cheers! Celebrating with my girls while getting ready together for the big day. My bridal party was made up of close friends I’ve made at different stages of my life, all so vital to the woman I am today. We all got ready in our matching robes at the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul , who made us these custom robes to get glammed up in! I also stayed at their hotel on my wedding night and they took such great care of us.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 24/69 I can’t believe the day is finally here! I couldn’t be happier.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 25/69 Final moments of prep with Lynda, my maid of honor, before becoming husband and wife. I got ready in the house where my grandparents lived when I was growing up, before stepping outside for the ceremony in their garden. The location holds so much meaning for me.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 26/69 Thank you to my glam team for making me feel so beautiful! Makeup by Minseok Choi , hair by Semin Park , creative direction by Theo Song and Jeffrey Jin .
Expand Photo: Pakbae 27/69 A final hug and prayer with my bridesmaids. I’m so grateful to have them by my side on my special day!
Expand Photo: Pakbae 28/69 My mother, the most important woman in my life. There is so much I owe to her, including making this special day a reality.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 29/69 Sam and his wedding party. His brotherhood! Sam’s friends have been so supportive of our relationship and have always made me feel like a welcome part of their friend group. It meant so much to Sam and me to have them all here.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 30/69 Guests were welcomed to an outdoor reception where they could have a glass of champagne, mingle, and have photos taken before the ceremony.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 31/69 We knew we wanted a lot of the wedding elements to feel really customized to who we are as a couple so we worked with the Minted Concierge who paired us with dedicated designers to create custom stationery for our ceremony and reception.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 32/69 Our custom-wrapped Kodak FunSaver27 cameras. We had a no-phones wedding, so these were how our guests captured their memories. Guests were given disposable film cameras to use throughout the ceremony; we’ll develop the film and share the images with them!
Expand Photo: Pakbae 33/69 Garden Hill at Stage 28, where we held our ceremony. I spent so much of my childhood exploring this property with my grandfather, who would show me the trees he had planted before I was born. He lived here from 1968 until 2010, and then in 2015 they opened it up as a venue. My brother also got married here, so it’s such a special place for my family.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 34/69 Guests were seated on stools on both sides of the runway. Floral details by room2243 made the day feel like a dream.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 35/69 Sam’s ceremony tuxedo was made by Bhambi’s Custom Tailors in New York. He chose a classic double-breasted design in Loro Piana fabric.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 36/69 My custom Danielle Frankel gown had asymmetric draping across an elongated bodice, flowing into a fluted skirt with a bubbled hem. This dress is a complete dream come true for me. Thank you so much to Danielle Frankel and her team for creating this absolute vision of a dress with me.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 37/69 My bridesmaids wore Jenny Yoo in fern green. I chose green for growth and nurturing, because our relationships are about constantly growing together and taking care of each other along the way.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 38/69 These traditional umbrellas are not only practical on a sunny day, but so beautiful. We had umbrellas available for guests to give themselves some shade during the ceremony.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 39/69 Sam made his entrance to D’Angelo’s “Really Love.” The love of my life and now my groom, Sam.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 40/69 Our flower girls, Lianne and Yuna, making their way down the aisle. Flower girl dresses were made by Vedette Dress.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 41/69 One of my beautiful flower girls!
Expand Photo: Pakbae 42/69 Our ceremony was officiated by our close friend, Andrew Choi.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 43/69 Today is a fairytale come true.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 44/69 Our first kiss as husband and wife!
Expand Photo: Pakbae 45/69 Our first walk back up the aisle as husband and wife, to Stevie Wonder’s “For Once in My Life.”
Expand Photo: Mysweetpea.snap 46/69 Walking back through our loved ones as husband and wife.
Expand Photo: Mysweetpea.snap 47/69 Taking in all the love as we made our way back down the aisle.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 48/69 This wedding day exceeds all of our expectations. There is no better way to describe this moment other than pure joy.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 49/69 Taking a moment to soak in our loved ones celebrating us!
Expand Photo: Pakbae 50/69 Thank you, Sam, for making me the happiest girl in the world!
Expand Photo: Pakbae 51/69 We will cherish this moment for the rest of our lives.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 52/69 A look at the Glass House, the most perfect location to celebrate with all my loved ones.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 53/69 Setting the tone for the reception.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 54/69 I loved planning all of the little details that would define our wedding. We worked with Minted on custom menus, name cards, table numbers, and wedding programs that tied everything together and made the day feel like ours.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 55/69 The Glass House at Stage 28, filled with greenery, represented my dreams becoming a reality this year. Soft fabrics and flowing drapes gave the space the dreamlike feeling we wanted.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 56/69 Taking in the beautiful space at Stage 28 in my custom Zac Posen reception dress. Zac brought me to my first CFDA Awards in 2025, and our creative partnership has continued to grow. My vision for this look was wow factor, with an elegant sparkle.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 57/69 Sam in his custom white double-breasted reception tuxedo by Zac Posen. He loved how comfortable it felt, as well as the fit.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 58/69 Looking at the person I get to love for the rest of my life.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 59/69 Just us, in each other’s arms, knowing that this is just the beginning of always! Smiling hard looking at my HUSBAND!
Expand Photo: Pakbae 60/69 Smiles all around, hand in hand with the love of my life, ready to get the party started with our loved ones at the reception!
Expand Photo: Pakbae 61/69 Our first dance as husband and wife! We danced to “Sentimental Reasons” by Nat King Cole.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 62/69 I often joke that I’m not a dancer, but Sam makes it so easy and fun.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 63/69 Dinner in the Glass House with our closest family and friends.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 64/69 My mom and little brother giving a heartfelt (and funny!) speech.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 65/69 Time for something sweet! This cake was so delicious. It was a chocolate cake with chocolate chips, baked by Caissette .
Expand Photo: Pakbae 66/69 Snapshot! Our photo crew captured the day with a mix of DSLR cameras, a digicam, an iPhone, and an instant camera that gave us prints like this on the spot.
Expand Photo: Bo Ha Kim/The Third Mind Studio 67/69 Outside the reception, once the party started, we had a Pocha, which is a tent with Korean street food for our guests to step outside the dance floor and a delicious bite to eat.
Expand Photo: Pakbae 68/69 On The Move Entertainment helped us organize our dream wedding band, After Eight, to soundtrack our reception. Sam and I chose the music together. They made every song sound even better than we could have imagined!
Expand Photo: Bo Ha Kim/The Third Mind Studio 69/69 Dancing with our friends in my Milla Nova after-party dress. Thank you so much to everyone for making our day a dream.
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Source: Lifestyle
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