[Edaily Reporter KIM HYUNSIK ] “Have I Become the Adult I Dreamed Of?” by Mureum, a song created using a generative AI music app, continues to enjoy long-lasting popularity on music charts. Even amid a barrage of new releases from idol groups with strong fan bases, the song is maintaining its position at the top of the charts and making its presence felt. It is also broadening its appeal, with its ranking rising sharply on karaoke charts.

◇Making a Name for Itself Amid Lisenne and A2O Light
“Have You Become the Adult You Dreamed Of?”, released last June, reached as high as No. 2 on Melon’s Top 100 and has consistently maintained a spot in the top ranks. On the chart dated the 5th (as of 9:00 a.m.), it ranked third, following “With” by Lisenne—dubbed “the miracle of a small-label idol group”—and “NEON” by “monster rookie” A2O Light, produced by singer-turned-producer Lee Soo-man.
It is the only non-idol song currently ranked within the top 10 on the Melon Top 100. It is demonstrating exceptional staying power even as Lisenne continues to gain momentum by placing every track from their fourth mini-album “PULSE,” released on the 3rd, at the very top of the charts. On the Genie Music real-time chart, it has climbed to No. 1, surpassing both Lisenne’s and A2O Light’s songs.
It has also begun to make its mark on the karaoke charts. “Have You Become the Adult You Dreamed Of?” ranked 42nd on the karaoke chart for Week 43 (October 18–24), released by Circle Chart—the integrated music chart operated by the Korea Music Industry Association—marking a 50-rank rise from the previous week. This demonstrates that the song has established itself not just as a track for listening but also as one people enjoy singing along to.
“Have You Become the Adult You Dreamed Of?” is a modern rock song that explores the disconnect between the image of an adult one dreamed of as a child and the reality faced after actually becoming one. The song’s relatable lyrics are cited as the key to its popularity. It calmly expresses the inner struggle of asking oneself whether one is truly living as a proper adult while enduring the hardships of daily life.
In fact, the song’s YouTube video has been flooded with comments from viewers sharing their personal life experiences and expressing how much they relate to the lyrics. Stories from a wide range of age groups continue to pour in—from a listener in their 20s battling cancer to someone in their 30s who experienced the pain of a miscarriage, and a person in their 50s venting about the exhaustion of office life. The video has surpassed 16 million views.
Pop music critic Seong Si-kwon analyzed, “While music created with AI often feels awkward or unnatural, this song features a melody and vocals that flow smoothly and naturally, resulting in a highly polished piece.” He added, “The vocal lines that strike a chord with listeners are particularly impressive. The lyrics, which offer comfort and hope to those navigating these difficult times, are also a key factor in its popularity.”
◇“Lyrics Based on Personal Experience”
GLORYWAVE is a virtual artist introduced as a “side character” by the two-person songwriting team consisting of composers Lee Yong-seok (Martin East) and Choi Seong-hyeok (Beatjaru).
Both are active composers who have collaborated on tracks such as Hwang Chi-yeol’s “Why Now?” and “It Might Sound Funny,” as well as Gilgu Bonggu’s “Goodbye Tomorrow.” They are releasing songs created using the AI music app Suno under the name “Mureumyeora.” The process involves entering their own lyrics into Suno to generate melodies and vocals, then completing the song through additional editing, mixing, and mastering.

In an interview with Edaily, Glorywave shared their thoughts on the popularity of “Have You Become the Adult You Dreamed Of?” saying, “We didn’t expect it at all,” and adding, “It was surprising and fascinating, and at the same time, we were a bit dazed.” They continued, “What makes us happiest is that so many people are listening to the songs we’ve created as if they were their own stories.”
Regarding the background of the song’s creation, they explained, “Ever since we first conceived ‘Mureum,’ we had the idea of telling the stories of ordinary people,” adding, “There’s a bigger gap than you might think between the image of adulthood we imagined as children and reality. Since we, too, are ordinary people who feel anxious about financial issues and workplace concerns, we wrote the lyrics based on our actual experiences and emotions.” He added, “I think the reason so many people relate to it as if it were their own story is that it contains questions everyone has probably asked themselves at least once.”
◇“We’ll Create Music Where People Can Pause and Find Solace”
Glory Wave launched the “Stay” project last May with the release of “Even If We Can’t Last Forever.” Since then, they have released songs such as “Have You Become the Adult You Dreamed Of?,” “Practicing How to Hug Myself,” “There’s No Answer to Cuteness,” “Amazing, Incredible!,” “I Took a Break, Young Man,” and “My Love Is Like a Stray Cat.”
Their stage name, “Meomureu,” is derived from the Korean verb “meomureuda” (to linger). Glory Wave explained, “It embodies our goal to create music where people can linger for a moment and, at times, find solace,” adding, “Rather than focusing on the stories of extraordinary individuals, we primarily explore the emotions and concerns that ordinary people experience in their daily lives.”
They plan to continue capturing the diverse emotions experienced in everyday life through their music. Their vision is to combine AI technology with traditional composition and production methods to suit the characteristics of each song, while also seeking collaborations with actual singers.
Glory Wave stated, “We want to present not only songs that offer comfort and empathy but also songs about love and lighthearted stories.” The group, which has posted the phrase “Tools may change, but the story remains the same” on their YouTube channel, emphasized, “We, too, were initially skeptical of AI music, and even now, we continue to grapple with its possibilities and limitations as we experience them firsthand.” They added, “Ultimately, we believe what matters most is not which tools were used, but what story the music conveys and what kind of music is created.”