Chi.U (치유)

When singer Lee Jae — known by her stage name Chi.U — took the stage at the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup to perform "DNA," the official theme song for the Netflix animated film *K-Pop Demon Hunters*, she did so in front of one of the largest live audiences in modern broadcast history. The performance, which she shared with Andrea Bocelli, drew global attention in part because of lyrics she had written herself — Korean phrases woven into an otherwise international production, including the line "Even if I fall again, I'll rise again." It was a moment that distilled the arc of a career still in its relatively early stages: a vocalist who emerged as a member of the K-pop group X:IN and has since stepped into a solo profile with considerable cultural weight.

From Group to Global Stage

Chi.U, whose legal name is Lee Jae-yi, is a South Korean vocalist and sub-rapper who debuted as a member of X:IN. Within the group she performs as both vocalist and sub-rapper, but her solo activity has increasingly defined her public profile in the mid-2020s. The *K-Pop Demon Hunters* association placed her at the center of a significant cross-media moment: a Netflix animated production that carried a Korean-language title and recruited a Korean artist to voice — and score — its emotional center through song.

Awards and Ceremony

In March 2026, Chi.U attended the 98th Academy Awards as a winner, taking home the Best Original Song award for her contribution to *K-Pop Demon Hunters*. Her appearance at the ceremony drew attention beyond the award itself. She arrived in a custom dress designed around explicit references to Korean heritage: a pure white base evoking the historical identity of the "white-clad people," with gilded bronze ornamentation drawn directly from ancient Korean gold crowns, and golden embroidery throughout. The choice read as a considered artistic statement at one of the entertainment industry's most visible international platforms — and it arrived ahead of an evening that apparently ended, by her own account, at a gukbap restaurant.

The World Cup Performance

Three months after the Oscars, Chi.U performed "DNA" live at the opening stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was hosted across North America. The performance alongside Andrea Bocelli positioned her in a format that Korean pop artists have rarely occupied — a ceremonial, multi-generational duet at a sporting event of that scale. What drew particular notice was the Korean-language lyrical content she had written personally for the song. The phrase "Even if I fall again, I'll rise again," embedded in the World Cup broadcast's global reach, was widely highlighted in coverage of the event.

Her choice of footwear at the ceremony also attracted commentary. Chi.U wore a hanbok-inspired dress paired with sneakers — a decision that, according to reporting at the time, was made to minimize damage to the turf. The practical reasoning behind what might otherwise have read as a fashion statement was noted by observers as a considered and courteous gesture toward the venue.

Standing

Chi.U occupies a layered position in the current Korean music landscape: an active group member within X:IN while simultaneously building a solo discography and public profile anchored in film and ceremony. Her 2026 run — an Academy Award for Best Original Song followed by a World Cup opening performance — represents a level of crossover visibility that few K-pop-rooted artists have achieved through original songwriting credit alone. The Korean-language content she has brought to both contexts, and her deliberate use of ceremonial appearance to reference Korean cultural history, suggest a consistent creative perspective beneath the individual occasions.