Lee Min-young, known globally by her stage name Min, carved a distinct path through the dynamic landscape of K-pop and beyond. Emerging as a key member of the iconic girl group Miss A, her career encompasses early international training, chart-dominating group success, and a transition into a versatile solo artist and performer.
Profile
- Name: Min
- Birth Name: Lee Min-young
- Birthday: June 21, 1991
- Zodiac Sign: Gemini
- Height: 161 cm (5 ft 3 in)
- Instagram: @therealminnn
- Twitter: N/A
Fun Facts
- She was once part of a dance crew called Little Winners with Hyoyeon, with both photos and stage footage from that time still circulating online. According to Hyoyeon, Min instinctively starts dancing wherever she hears music, a habit Min said she developed in the U.S., believing it was also normal in Korea.
- She lived in the U.S. for five years to receive training, which made her fluent in English.
- A huge fan of Michael Jackson, Min was reportedly heartbroken by his passing.
- Min is a self-professed big eater, a fact confirmed by both writers and friends. She’s known for eating right before going on set and even prioritizing sweet and sour pork over noodles at Chinese restaurants.
- Min is also a fan of electronic musician Kaskade, often dancing to his track “Last Chance” and recommending his album Atmosphere in interviews.
Career
A Member of Miss A
Min became the final piece of the puzzle for JYPE’s new girl group, Miss A. The group initially formed with trainees Fei, Jia, and Lim (Woo Hyerim), known informally as the “JYP Sisters” or “Chinese Wonder Girls”. After Lim moved to Wonder Girls, Bae Suzy joined, and Min was added in April 2010, solidifying the four-member lineup just before their official debut. Min’s addition was reportedly a last-minute decision.
Miss A launched officially on July 1, 2010, under AQ Entertainment (a JYPE subsidiary), with the single album Bad but Good and its title track, “Bad Girl Good Girl”. The debut was nothing short of explosive. “Bad Girl Good Girl” stormed the charts, achieving the unprecedented feat of becoming the first debut song by any artist to reach #1 on the Gaon Digital Chart. It didn’t just top the chart; it dominated, ultimately becoming the best-performing single of the entire year in 2010. This immediate and record-breaking success instantly established Miss A as a formidable force in the K-pop industry. They secured their first music show win on KBS Music Bank faster than any girl group before them and quickly collected wins on other major shows like Mnet’s M Countdown and SBS’s Inkigayo.
Within Miss A, Min held the official positions of Lead Vocalist and Main Dancer. Her powerful stage presence and dance prowess were frequently highlighted, often mentioned alongside fellow members Fei and Jia as the group’s dance line. Fan commentary often praised her skills in both singing and dancing.
Forging a Solo Path
Min’s solo musical journey began early. Shortly after Miss A’s debut in 2010, she collaborated with labelmate San E on his debut single “Tasty San,” joining him for promotional stages. In 2016, she formed the project trio Triple T with close friends Hyoyeon (Girls’ Generation) and Jo Kwon (2AM), releasing the single “Born to be Wild” (featuring Park Jin-young) as part of the SM Station project.
She also ventured into songwriting, receiving credit for penning the lyrics for Miss A’s B-side track “Stuck” from the Colors EP (2015) and co-writing the lyrics for G.Soul’s single “Far, Far Away” (2016).
After parting ways with JYP, Min continued to release music. She dropped several digital singles: “Onion” (feat. Chang Suk-hoon) in November 2021, “Hit Me Up” (feat. JMIN) in April 2022, and “To The Beach” in September 2022.
A significant milestone was the release of her debut solo EP, Prime Time, on June 21, 2024 (coinciding with her birthday). Released under Monstar Entertainment, the EP featured the title track “Prime Time” featuring rapper Lil Cherry, along with songs “SHIMMY (Skip),” “M.A.W.,” and the poignant “HAPPY PLANT (A Call from Grandma),” which included a recorded phone call with her grandmother. Min described the EP as a project about self-discovery and empowerment, reflecting her journey after leaving the structured K-pop system.
Other collaborations include featuring on Lil Cherry & GOLDBUUDA’s track “WHO WE R *” (2022) and Aidan Kim’s “IDK”. She also contributed vocals to the Original Broadway Cast Recording of the musical KPOP (2023).
Acting
Min expanded her career into acting relatively early. Her film debut came in 2011 with “Countdown,” where she played Hyeon-ji, the rebellious daughter of one of the main characters. She was also cast in the film “Sooni: The Executioner’s Daughter” (listed with varying release years, possibly unreleased or delayed).
On the small screen, she appeared in web dramas like “Dream Knight” (2015) playing Jenny Lee and “L.U.V Collage” (2015) as Kim Na-ra. She also made a cameo appearance as a flash mob dancer in the popular drama “Dream High” (2011).
Min made significant inroads into musical theatre. Her musical debut was in the lead role of Tsukushi Makino in the Korean adaptation of “Boys Over Flowers The Musical” in 2017. A major step was her Broadway debut in the fall of 2022 in “KPOP The Musical” at the Circle in the Square Theatre. She played Riya, a member of the fictional K-pop group RTMIS, alongside other K-pop alumni like f(x)’s Luna, U-KISS’s Kevin Woo, and SPICA’s Bohyung. Despite the high-profile cast and concept, the musical unfortunately closed after a short two-week run.
Personal Life
Pre-Debut Path
Min’s engagement with the entertainment world began at a remarkably young age. Before her formal idol training, she participated in “BoBoBo,” a popular South Korean children’s program akin to “Sesame Street,” as part of the duo Eolleong Ddungddang. Her innate talent for performance was evident early on. At age 13, she formed a dance duo named “Little Winners” with Kim Hyo-yeon, who would later debut as a member of the globally renowned group Girls’ Generation. Their dance videos reportedly gained popularity online even then.
Min’s potential caught the eye of JYP Entertainment (JYPE), one of South Korea’s leading entertainment agencies. She auditioned for the company while in the 6th grade. After approximately one year of training in Korea, JYPE identified Min for a significant, early push into the American market. At just 13 years old, she was sent to the United States to prepare for a U.S. debut, a move indicative of JYPE’s burgeoning global ambitions even in the mid-2000s. This wasn’t merely a short-term cultural exchange but a substantial, multi-year investment in grooming a young talent for international stardom. During this period, she honed her skills while studying at the Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts in Manhattan, New York City.
JYPE founder Park Jin-young actively sought to launch Min’s U.S. career, enlisting prominent American producer Lil Jon to collaborate on her album’s production. Between 2007 and 2008, Min released three English solo singles intended for this debut: “Dance Like This” (2007), “Go Ahead” (2008), and “Boyfriend” (2008). While these tracks were officially released as singles, a full album did not materialize at the time, and her planned U.S. solo debut ultimately did not proceed as envisioned. Despite this, her extensive training period in the U.S., spanning several years, equipped her with unique skills and experiences that would later distinguish her upon her return to the Korean music scene.
Relationships
Min’s most public relationship was with fellow JYP artist G.Soul (Kim Ji-hyun). Their connection stemmed from a long friendship, deepened by their shared experiences training and living in the United States under JYPE. Their romantic relationship was confirmed in November 2016. However, the relationship was relatively short-lived, with reports of their breakup emerging in March 2017, after approximately six months of dating. The separation was described as amicable, with the two deciding to remain supportive colleagues. G.Soul’s impending mandatory military service was noted around the time of the breakup. In a later interview, Min acknowledged that G.Soul had written songs inspired by her following their split.
More recently, it was reported in April 2025 that Min is set to marry. The wedding ceremony is scheduled for June 7, 2025, and is planned to be a private event attended by family and close acquaintances.
Controversies and Industry Pressures
Broadcast Attitude Controversy
Min faced criticism for her on-screen demeanor after she was caught on camera with her head down, using her phone during an episode of MBC’s “Sebakwi.” Viewers pointed out her behavior as inappropriate for a broadcast. In response, a representative from her agency clarified that it was true she looked at her phone during the segment on Quiz That Changes the World.
However, they explained that she had previously submitted a contact number to the writers for the “Sudden Call Quiz” segment, but when the number failed to connect, she took out her phone to provide a new one. The agency concluded, “Regardless of the reason, if viewers felt uncomfortable, we sincerely apologize.”
Rick Ross-Sunmi Edit and Racism Controversy
Min also sparked backlash after posting an edited image on Instagram with the caption “Not enough, not enough 24 hours aren’t enough.” The photo featured Sunmi’s body with the face of Black rapper Rick Ross superimposed, referencing Sunmi’s 24 Hours music video. Notably, the image included fried chicken placed near Sunmi’s hands, with text beneath reading, “Rick Ross 24 pieces aren’t enough.”
This led to accusations of racial insensitivity, as fried chicken is often used in racist caricatures against Black people, especially in Western contexts. Many also felt the image was disrespectful to Sunmi, a senior artist from the same agency, who was making her highly anticipated solo comeback at the time. Critics questioned why Min would post such an image that could mock her labelmate.
JYP Entertainment responded by stating the photo was shared without any malicious intent and was meant to be lighthearted. However, the image was later deleted following the controversy.
