YOU MAY have heard their single “Dalla Dalla” which is honestly an earworm! The catchy lyrics, killer dance steps and upbeat rhythm deserves to be played over and over again. Itzy, the five-member girl group that debuted in 2019 marked explosive entrance in the Korean pop world of entertainment.
As of now, the group is slowly becoming one the country’s fastest growing girl groups. They have already released their first EP which is titled “It’z Icy” which contains their debut single “Dalla Dalla” and anoter terrific song “Icy”.
ITZY is managed by the entertainment giant JYP Entertainment. The group is composed of Lia, Yeji, Chaeryong, Ryujin and Yuna, all of whom had different paths in making their debuts.
To the newly minted “Midzy”, what their fandam is called, read for a brief profile of these talented ladies.
LIA
Choi Jisu uses Lia as her stage name, the only one to do so in the group. She used to live in Toronto, Canada. In fact, she first auditioned and passed the calls for YG Entertainment when she was in middle school. Although she did trained with them since she was fourteen, she left the company due to the insistence of her parents. She trained with JYP Entertainment for two years before making her debut.
She admits unabashedly that she doesn’t love eating vegetables, particularly green ones. Although she does eat salad these days, she will say a flat no to one particular green vegetable – cucumber.
YEJI
Hwang Yeji only trained with JYP for two years before debuting as a member and at the same time the group’s leader, an impressive feat for a trainee. Junho, from 2PM, called her “JYP’s secret weapon”.
Prior to her debut, she had a cameo in the popular drama called “Twenty Again” in 2015. But she gained massive following after she appeared in the program “The Fan”. She loves jelly – all of it! Chewy and sweet in any forms she could get. She admitted that sometimes, she eats a bowl as her meal.
CHAERYONG
Lee Chaeryong knew she would be an entertainer at a young age. Prior to her debut, she auditioned to another entertainment company but failed to make it. She joined other reality shows such as K-Pop Star 3 and Sixteen. She successfully auditioned with JYP Entertainment, with the songs “End of Time” and “Lose Control” as her music. Among the group members, she was a trainee the longest – five years.
French fries are the love of her life! Particularly thin and crunchy ones. But she would not say not to wedge potatoes either! IN her spare time, she watches tons of romantic comedies and even admittedly, fancams of fellow girl groups.
RYUJIN
Born as Shin Ryujin, she was actually scouted while waiting in line for a bathroom. She was in an event for GOT7, another JYP talent, when a scout asked for her number. She then trained with the company for four years before debuting in 2019. She is the rapper of the group and had already appeared in BTS’ “Love Yourself” video.
One thing you don’t know about her is that she really is good with Aegyo. Aegyo is the cute gestures Koreans do when expressing themselves. YG’s Yang Hyun Suk expressed his regret when she signed in with JYP, as he wanted to sign her himself at his own agency – YG.
YUNA
Known as the maknae (the youngest) of the group, Shin Yuna is also the group’s rapper. She attended a music festival with her sister in 2015 when a scout hander her a business card and told her to call her. Eventually, she trained for three years with JYP before debuting. Like Ryuhin, she also appeared on the BTS video “Love Yourself”.
Pizza is her weakness! Pepperoni, even though too salty, is her favorite. In fact, when she was still a trainee, she makes sure to eat some after practice.
Although there are a lot of Kpop groups being debuted left and right, I find ITZY’s presence so charismatic. It may be due to their fresh youthful charisma or their catchy upbeat songs, whatever it maybe, I know, they are here to stay for a long, long time!
