Table of contents
Who is Yeji?
Yeji. whose full name is Hwang Yeji, was born on May 26, 2000. She is the leader of famous K-pop girl group ITZY, and is considered the main dancer of the group.
Yeji’s Biography
- Birth Name: Hwang Yeji (황예지)
- Stage Name: Yeji (예지)
- Date of Birth: May 26, 2000
- Zodiac Sign: Gemini
- Nationality: Korean
- Instagram: @yezyizhere
Yeji’s Basic Information & Trivia
Yeji was born in Jungnang -gu, Seoul, South Korea, and graduated from Jeonju Commercial Information High School. Her family consists of her mother, father, and older sister (born in 1998), and they also raise 2 dogs.
Even before Yeji becomes the leader of ITZY, it is said that during her trainee days, she would always finish any task given to her, and that she had an excellent ability to lead and command her teammates during important exam stages or difficult practices. She often listens to the members’ worries, demands, and complaints, and leads them gently while comforting them. However, Yeji is not docile, and can be calm, strong, and confident when she has to represent the team on official stages, broadcasts, or during stage rehearsals.
Yeji is also known for her iconic cat-like visuals with charming and bewitching expressions. Due to her visuals, Yeji is often said to resemble Stray Kids’ Hyunjin, to the point the two of them have been mistaken as siblings.
When she was around 8 years old (Korean age), Yeji got severely sick with 3 deadly illnesses – pneumonia, osteomyelitis, and sepsis at the same time.
Yeji’s Career
Pre-debut
Yeji passed her audition to join JYP as a trainee in 2015, and made her first public appearance at the JYP trainee showcase on August 18, 2016. When Yezi performed on stage at that time, many said that her looks were typical of JYP, and many said that her dancing was truly amazing, leading to comments that she was worthy of being a JYP trainee who is known for her dancing. She also participated in the JYP trainee showcase held on February 21, 2017 and the one held on August 22, 2017 – the last showcase she participated in as an official trainee.
In February 2018, Yezi was nowhere to be found at JYP trainee showcases, leading to worries that she may have left the agency.
In 2018, she participated in SBS’ “The Fan”, where she was referred to as “JYP’s Secret Weapon”. However, she was eliminated in episode 5.
ITZY
Yeji was revealed as a member of ITZY on January 20, 2019. The girl group made their official debut on February 12 with the digital single “IT’z Different” and the title track “DALLA DALLA”, which immediately went viral and gained immense popularity.
You can read more about the career of ITZY in the group’s profile HERE.
Solo ventures
Throughout her career, Yeji was active as the MC for various shows, including MBC’s “Show! Music Core”.
In January 2024, Yeji released her solo song “Crown On My Head” as part of ITZY’s 8th mini album “BORN TO BE”. She also sang the OST “Think about You” for the K-drama “Love Your Enemy”, which was released in the same year.
On March 10, 2025, Yeji will be debuting as a solo artist with her 1st mini album “AIR”. The opening trailer for “AIR” caught everyone’s attention with an atmosphere reminiscent of a sci-fi movie trailer, where appearing against a backdrop of mysterious sounds, Yeji boasted breathtaking visuals and acted out a variety of appearances, raising expectations for her solo debut.
Dating Rumors
In 2021, there were rumors of ITZY’s Yeji and Stray Kids’ Seungmin dating due to the two’s alleged “lovestagram”. In particular, the two often used the same emojis in their photos, leading to suspicions of the two being in a relationship.
However, many netizens find these rumors to be non-sense, as the “evidence” are too far-reaching.
