Yeji Was Born

K-pop's fierce leader takes her first breath

In Seoul, South Korea, Hwang Ye-ji was born -- the dancer and singer who would become the charismatic leader of the girl group Itzy. Formed by JYP Entertainment in 2019, Itzy burst onto the K-pop scene with an empowering message of self-confidence that resonated with a generation. Yeji's fierce performance style, combining razor-sharp choreography with magnetic stage presence, helped establish Itzy as one of the defining girl groups of fourth-generation K-pop.