JEONGYEON

Early Life

Yu Jeong-yeon, known mononymously as Jeongyeon, was born on November 1, 1996, in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Growing up in a family with artistic inclinations, she has two older sisters, one of whom is the actress Gong Seung-yeon. Jeongyeon's father was a chef who served for Kim Dae-jung, a former president of South Korea. From a young age, she took aerobics classes, which sparked her interest in singing and dancing.

Career

Jeongyeon's journey in music began when she initially failed an audition for JYP Entertainment as a child. However, she persevered and successfully joined the agency in 2010, training for five years before debuting with the girl group Twice. In 2015, she participated in the reality show "Sixteen," which determined the final lineup of Twice. Jeongyeon officially debuted with the group in October 2015, with their first EP, "The Story Begins," featuring the hit single "Like Ooh-Ahh."

In addition to her group activities, Jeongyeon co-hosted the South Korean music program "Inkigayo" with her sister from July 2016 to January 2017, earning a Newcomer Award at the 2016 SBS Entertainment Awards. She has also contributed as a songwriter for some of Twice's tracks. Jeongyeon was recognized as one of the top 20 most popular idols in South Korea from 2016 to 2019 in Gallup Korea's annual music poll, showcasing her significant impact in the K-pop industry. Despite facing health challenges, including spinal disc herniation and Cushing's syndrome, Jeongyeon continues to be a prominent figure in music.