Minji

Kim Min-ji was born on May 7, 2004, in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, South Korea. She grew up as the middle child in a family with an older brother and a younger sister. During her elementary school years, she spent time studying in Canada as a homestay transfer student, where she learned English. Although she initially considered attending a foreign language high school, her path shifted toward music after she began learning the guitar at an academy.

Her guitar instructor encouraged her to audition for entertainment companies, leading her to perform TWICE's "SIGNAL" at an audition for Source Music. During her middle school years, Minji attracted significant interest from casting scouts and received business cards from several agencies, including SM Entertainment. She officially joined Source Music as a trainee in 2017. Following Hybe Corporation's acquisition of Source Music in 2019, Minji transitioned to the subsidiary label ADOR, where she was chosen as the first trainee for its upcoming girl group project.

Prior to her official debut, Minji served as the promotional face of Hybe's 2019 Plus Global Auditions, where she was introduced in promotional videos as "The Girl." In July 2021, she made a pre-debut cameo appearance alongside future group mate Hanni in the music video for BTS's single "Permission to Dance." Alongside her training, she attended Hanlim Multi Art School, graduating from its Department of Entertainment in February 2023 with a special achievement award.

Minji officially debuted with NewJeans on July 22, 2022, when ADOR released the music video for their debut single "Attention" without prior teasers or public lineup reveals. The group quickly achieved widespread success with their self-titled debut EP and follow-up singles such as "Hype Boy" and "Cookie." As the oldest member of the group, Minji frequently contributed to their vocal arrangements with her distinct lower-register tone and handled public-facing duties, including interpretation during English-language appearances.

In December 2022, NewJeans released the single "Ditto," for which Minji is credited as a lyricist. The song set records across South Korean music charts, achieved multiple Perfect All-Kills, and earned major Grand Prize (Daesang) awards at the MAMA Awards, Melon Music Awards, and Golden Disc Awards. Minji also contributed lyrics to the group's 2024 single "Supernatural." Alongside group releases, she made guest television appearances, including a hosting role as a special MC at KCON Japan in October 2022 alongside Hwang Min-hyun and JO1's Junki Kono.

Following her musical debut, Minji established a significant presence in the fashion and advertising sectors. In February 2023, Chanel Korea appointed her as an ambassador across three categories: beauty, fashion, and watches and jewelry. The simultaneous appointment marked the first time the luxury fashion house selected a single ambassador to represent all three divisions at once in South Korea.

Minji has also represented cultural and public campaigns in South Korea. She became a featured figure for the Seoul Jazz Festival starting in 2023, appearing on special commemorative covers of W Korea for both the 15th anniversary edition and the 2024 festival. In March 2024, she took part in a nationwide media campaign for the South Korean National Election Commission, recording promotional material to encourage civic engagement and voter turnout among young voters during the 22nd legislative election.