Lee Ye Ji says 'I hate it' is about emotional release

Lee Ye Ji, the winner of SBS's 'Our Ballad' last year, released her first digital single, 'I hate it,' on the 6th. The track moves the singer from ballad-focused activities into soul R&B.

After the single's release, Lee has continued activities through music broadcasts and digital content. She has shown different concepts on stage, and also appeared in one-take live content with friends from Seoul Institute of the Arts.

Lee said releasing a first single brought both excitement and concern. 'Because it was my first single, I was very excited, but I also had many worries. Starting with a new genre rather than a ballad required a lot of courage,' she said.

She described 'I hate it' as a song about expressing emotions honestly rather than simply saying something negative. Lee said the track's appeal can be felt more clearly by following how the emotion grows from the bridge through the final section.

On the recording process, Lee said she spent the most time thinking about how to deliver the lyric 'I do not want it ever again.' She said she discussed the emotional line with the director, recalled moments when she had actually felt annoyed and used facial acting to make the emotion feel real.

Lee said she wanted this activity to show bright and free energy, unlike the emotional ballads she mainly performed on the audition program. She said the phrase that best sums up the song is 'I will get annoyed for you,' and recommended it for moments when work feels frustrating or stressful.