Yulee Choi is not just another singer-songwriter. She is the CEO and driving force behind SRP Entertainment, a company she founded to nurture fresh musical talent and she has just launched her own solo career.
Finding her voice has been a journey—on paper, as she writes her songs; in the studio, as she brings them to life; and on magazine covers, as she shares her vision with the world. This is her story, one of passion, perseverance, and a pursuit of harmony between art and enterprise.
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THE FORMATIVE YEARS
It began in childhood. Her parents nurtured her love for music, enrolling her in piano classes after noticing her passion. While she was raised in a family of doctors, it was clear from an early age that her heart lay elsewhere.
Recalling her childhood, her lips curve into a soft smile. “My father spent most of his time caring for patients,” she says. “His busy schedule was one of the reasons I realised that being a doctor was probably not my passion." This realisation set her on a path to seek fulfilment beyond the family tradition.
Her father’s advice to embrace new languages and experiences broadened her horizons. Driven by this encouragement, Yulee volunteered in Greenwich, England, where she assisted people with disabilities. She also expanded her language skills and explored modelling, appearing in television advertisements abroad in 2006.
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Soon, she moved to Bangkok for a language exchange program where she learnt Thai, and it became pivotal in her journey. It taught her to listen—really listen—to the rhythms and cadences of cultures. There she encountered the local music scene, sparking her interest in songwriting, guided by a Thai music teacher.
“[He] continually encouraged me and emphasised the importance of writing lyrics that reflect social responsibility, with a slightly indie approach,” she says. Bangkok left her with a head full of melodies and a heart set on creating.
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MEANING BUSINESS
When she returned to Seoul, those tunes found their way to paper, and later, at a café she opened in the bustling Gangnam district. It quickly became her creative haven. In the quiet moments there, surrounded by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the soft murmur of conversations, she would find herself tapping a rhythm on the counter, lyrics forming in her mind.
The turning point came in 2014 when she sold her first song, “LITTLE GIRL”, which jumpstarted her music career. The song, “reflects the reminiscence of a girl’s childhood dreams,” she says. “She sings and dances in the rain with innocence, unaware of the painful fate that awaits her in the future.” It was a poignant, bittersweet piece, echoing the simplicity of youth and the inevitable shadows of growing up—sentiments that would become a hallmark of her songwriting style.
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But Yulee was not content with merely being a behind-the-scenes composer. Embracing the momentum from “LITTLE GIRL” she decided to take control of her path, transforming her entrepreneurial ambitions into a broader vision. By 2020, she had founded SRP Entertainment, stepping boldly into the competitive K-pop scene as CEO. She aimed to foster new talent by blending Korean and international influences, giving its groups creative narratives that set them apart in a crowded market.
Rocking Doll—the four-member K-pop girl group she founded that debuted in December 2021—was built around a unique storyline, with each member representing a guardian of a different celestial star. She preferred to allow the label to carve out a niche by supporting the growth of their artists both in terms of skills and storytelling.
“I look for the talents of artists in various dimensions,” she declares. “For instance, they may enjoy singing and dancing, but I might perceive their charm in dimensions they are unaware of, such as the ability to act.”
GOING SOLO
Her solo career took a much different track. Instead of the beat-heavy tunes of Rocking Doll, she harnessed the raw power of her songwriting. Her debut single, “BACK TO THE UNKNOWN”, was released in late 2023, marking her entry into the music scene as an artist in her own right while maintaining her role as CEO.
The song drew praise for its emotional depth, exploring past love and the longing for simpler times. Critics noted that her smooth, understated vocals created a mood that was both introspective and soothing, drawing comparisons to artists known for their emotive, atmospheric soundscapes.
Following this, she released a series of tracks leading up to her first full album in mid-2024. The title track, “PARACETAMOL” deals with themes of pain and solace. “[It’s about] encountering difficult problems that we can’t solve or enduring pain until we can’t take it anymore—and having to rely on medication to ease our suffering,” she says. “Originally, I named this song ‘MORPHINE’, but for certain reasons, I had to change it to the name ‘PARACETAMOL’.”
Her album includes other singles like “ATMOSPHERE IN THE HEART” which captures the essence of love, and “SUDDENLY”, a poignant song reflecting on themes of loss and longing. Additionally, tracks such as “TWENTY YEARS AND UP” and “AFTER THE RAIN” explore deeper emotions and life reflections, making her music relatable to a broad audience. These songs illustrate her ability to blend personal narratives with broader, universal experiences.
“Being both a CEO and an artist teaches us the importance of looking at both sides of a coin, not just one perspective,” she explains. “This is essential in striving to create the best satisfaction for our fans.”
As she reflects on her journey, Choi’s voice is steady, yet there’s a wistfulness there—an echo of the lyrics she wrote in 2014. “I want to be young again on a day dancing in the rain,” she says softly when asked what she would say to her past self. “Oh little girl with no pain, being a grown-up is no fun at all.”
And yet, with every step she’s taken, every note she’s composed, she has built something beautiful—a symphony of dreams, art, and resilience.
Photographer MARIO WANG
Creative Direction ERIC GAO
Stylist XU ZI
Hairstylist YAN SONG
Make-up Artist RUI