Hwang Ye-ji

Hwang Ye-ji, known mononymously as Yeji, is a South Korean singer and dancer born on May 26, 2000. She is best known as the leader of the South Korean girl group Itzy, formed by JYP Entertainment in 2019. In addition to her work with the group, she launched her solo career with the release of her debut extended play (EP), Air, in March 2025.

Yeji was born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised in Jeonju. She developed a desire to become a singer during elementary school. Encouraged by her older sister, who showed her choreography from Wonder Girls' songs, she began dancing and enrolled in a local dance academy. She later attended Jeonju Commercial Information High School.

In 2015, Yeji became a JYP Entertainment trainee after auditioning with Twice's song "Like Ooh-Ahh". That year, she appeared briefly as a backup dancer in episode 8 of the television drama Second 20s. In 2017, she appeared in the first episode of Stray Kids alongside her future groupmates Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna. She also competed in SBS's The Fan in 2018, where 2PM's Junho introduced her as "JYP's secret weapon".

Yeji was revealed as Itzy's leader on January 20, 2019. The group officially debuted on February 12, 2019, with the single album It'z Different and the music video for "Dalla Dalla". In August 2019, she claimed the top spot in the Korean Business Research Institute's individual girl group member brand reputation ranking. She was later selected as Studio Choom's "Artist of the Month" in March 2021, covering Bishop Briggs's "River", and performed Bebe Rexha's "Break My Heart Myself" alongside Ryujin for Studio Choom's "Mix & Max" series in June 2022.

Yeji continued with various solo endeavors, including a May 2023 cover video of "Uchiage Hanabi (Fireworks)" by Daoko and Kenshi Yonezu. In November 2023, she and Chaeryeong appeared as mentors on the SBS reality survival series Universe Ticket. She released her solo track "Crown On My Head" for Itzy's EP Born To Be in December 2023. In late 2024, she released a cover of IU's "Strawberry Moon" and her first OST song, "Think about you", for the drama series Love Your Enemy.

Yeji officially debuted as a solo artist on March 10, 2025, with the EP Air and its lead single of the same name, having co-written the lead track's lyrics based on her stage performance experiences. Outside of music, she has featured on covers for W Korea, Elle Korea, Allure Korea, Harper's Bazaar Korea, and Elle Hong Kong. She attended Milan Fashion Week for Dolce & Gabbana in 2024 and was named a brand ambassador for Roger Vivier in February 2025. In March 2025, she donated ₩50 million to the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association to assist wildfire victims and firefighters in South Korea.