Kim Chaewon was born on August 1, 2000, in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to a family with deep artistic roots. Her mother, Lee Ran-hee, is a theater actress with over three decades of experience, a background that would quietly shape Chaewon's affinity for performance. During her sixth-grade year at Seoul Poi Elementary School, Chaewon participated in the 2012 KBS Korea Children's Song Contest as part of the Poi Elementary School Choir, performing "Mal-ui Hyanggi" (Scent of the Horse)—her first documented appearance on a broadcast stage.1

Despite this early exposure, Chaewon's initial career aspiration was not entertainment. She has mentioned in interviews that she once dreamed of becoming a flight attendant before the idol path took hold. Her educational trajectory reflected her evolving ambitions: after attending Guryong Middle School and briefly enrolling at Gaepo High School, she transferred to Hanlim Multi Art School's Broadcasting & Entertainment Department, graduating in February 2019. The move to Hanlim signaled her commitment to pursuing entertainment professionally.2

During her high school years, Chaewon auditioned for multiple entertainment companies before successfully passing the audition for Woollim Entertainment in 2017. Her audition song was BoA's "Atlantis Princess," a choice that showcased her clear vocal tone and emotional delivery. She trained under Woollim's rigorous program for 11 months—a relatively short period by K-pop standards—focusing on vocal techniques, dance routines, and stage presence. Her brief appearance in the music video for labelmate group Golden Child's "Let Me" in July 2018 marked one of her early behind-the-scenes contributions before her official debut.3

In May 2018, Chaewon was revealed as a contestant on Mnet's survival program Produce 48, representing Woollim Entertainment alongside future Rocket Punch members Kim Su-yun and Kim So-hee, as well as Kwon Eun-bi. She entered the show with a humble motto: "My skills are still lacking, but I will try harder than anyone to achieve my goals!" Her journey through the competition was marked by steady, unflashy progress. Notably, Chaewon never placed in the top 12 during any interim ranking—a first in Produce history for a finalist—yet she secured the 10th position in the August 31 finale with 238,192 votes, earning her place in the project group IZ*ONE.4

IZ*ONE officially debuted on October 29, 2018, with the EP Color*Iz and its lead single "La Vie en Rose." Within the 12-member group, Chaewon served as a lead vocalist and lead dancer, contributing to chart-topping releases like "Violeta" and "Fiesta." Her clear, sweet vocal color became one of the group's signature sounds. Beyond performance, Chaewon began exploring the creative side of music production. In 2020, she received her first composition credit for "With*One" on IZ*ONE's Oneiric Diary EP.5

Her most personal songwriting contribution came with "Slow Journey" on IZ*ONE's final EP, One-reeler / Act IV, released in December 2020. Chaewon participated in both the lyrics and composition, crafting a mid-tempo pop ballad that expressed regret over the fleeting time with fans and members, comparing their shared moments to "slow travel." The song's intro, featuring the sound of a train, evoked the feeling of embarking on a journey through memories—a fitting farewell as the group's contract neared its end.6 In March 2021, she competed on MBC's King of Mask Singer under the alias "Formosan Deer," showcasing her solo vocal abilities.15 IZ*ONE disbanded on April 29, 2021, after their two-and-a-half-year contract concluded.

Following IZ*ONE's disbandment, Chaewon returned to Woollim Entertainment, participating in magazine shoots for Esquire, Indeed, and Singles alongside former groupmate Kwon Eun-bi. However, the question of her next chapter loomed. In an interview with Weverse Magazine, Chaewon revealed the internal struggle: "I wrapped up my time with IZ*ONE last year but then I became worried and uncertain about what I should do going forward. Two and a half years isn't very long to be in a group, after all. I wanted to be in a group again because I still had a lot of dreams of things I wanted to achieve as part of a group and because I really regretted all the things I never got a chance to show off."7

Source Music, a HYBE subsidiary, approached her with an offer to join a new girl group project alongside her former IZ*ONE groupmate Miyawaki Sakura. On March 14, 2022, the signing was officially announced. Chaewon acknowledged the difficulty of the decision: "It's not easy changing labels, being a trainee again and having to start everything over from the beginning. But I thought I would have regretted it if I didn't do it. It's not every day that you have an opportunity to debut with a group again, and I wanted to challenge myself, rather than take the safe way and keep myself from the things I want to do." Woollim supported her decision, and Chaewon embarked on a second trainee period—this time focusing on rebuilding her fundamentals from the ground up under HYBE's demanding system.7

On April 7, 2022, Kim Chaewon was revealed as LE SSERAFIM's fourth member—and, crucially, its leader. The role was not one she had sought. "I used to be the kind of person who did whatever other people told me to do and just took things as they came to me," she explained to Weverse Magazine. "But now there are many younger people with me and I have all this accumulated experience so I was leading without even realizing it. When the label watched us after that, they said they wanted me to be the leader and asked me to think about it." As the youngest in her extended family, she had never been responsible for leading anyone. Still, she accepted: "I figured, well, I'm sure it will work out if I just do it. Because they say people always rise to the challenge."7

LE SSERAFIM debuted on May 2, 2022, with the EP FEARLESS, which set records as the highest first-week selling debut album by a girl group. As leader of a group with vastly different backgrounds—a Japanese idol veteran (Sakura), a former ballet student (Kazuha), an opera-trained Korean-American (Huh Yunjin), and a teenage newcomer (Hong Eunchae)—Chaewon focused on emotional support rather than hierarchical authority. "I'm a really shy person, so I'm not someone who tries to talk to others first, but I also realized that maybe the younger members might have a hard time," she said. "I made a serious effort to try and be the one to approach them first and get close to them in my own way."7

In January 2023, Chaewon was featured in the WATCHA documentary series Fill in the Blank, alongside Oh My Girl's Hyojung, The Boyz's Q, and ATEEZ's Wooyoung. Based on a hypothetical psychological theory that modern lives can be explained through nine objects, the documentary explored the personal journeys of its subjects beyond their idol personas. For Chaewon's episode, former IZ*ONE leader Kwon Eun-bi appeared to offer perspective, noting that she had seen Chaewon in tears so infrequently she "could count on her fingers" how often it happened, calling her a "strong person."8

The documentary became a turning point in Chaewon's self-understanding. "I don't think I ever really thought about why I do what I do, what I was thinking about or how I was feeling before any of this," she reflected in a subsequent Weverse Magazine interview. "I'm the kind of person who lives in the moment and accepts everything for what it is. And I was so young back then. But being part of LE SSERAFIM has helped me discover who I am." In the documentary, her poster quote captured her mindset: "I don't think there will be a day when my goal disappears."9

In March 2023, Chaewon joined her first fixed variety show outside of LE SSERAFIM: ENA's HyeMiLeeYeChaePa, alongside Hyeri, (G)I-DLE's Miyeon, dancer Leejung, Choi Ye-na, and TV personality Patricia. The premise—six women decorating an empty house through mission-based games—provided a platform for Chaewon's understated humor to emerge. "This is my first time starring in a TV show alone and I'm thrilled," she told The Korea Herald. "I'm not sure exactly which part of me makes people laugh but I feel good when people laugh because of me and pay attention to me."10

A notable dynamic emerged: Chaewon was the only introvert (MBTI "I" type) among the six cast members. "All the members of LE SSERAFIM are 'I.' I'm among the high-tension members inside the group, but I was kind of exhausted by the explosive energy of H-M-L-Y-P in the beginning," she admitted. Her character was described by producers as an "introvert who's hidden her strength"—a shyness that eventually gave way to matching the group's energy level, with her wit highlighted through "funny remarks that come out every time she opens her mouth."10

With LE SSERAFIM's first studio album UNFORGIVEN (May 2023), Chaewon found an unexpected signature moment. The B-side track "Fire in the belly," a Latin pop-infused song, featured a spoken line—"Join my crew"—delivered with playful bravado. The phrase quickly became a viral catchphrase associated with Chaewon and the group. "When I first got the 'join my crew' part, I was pretty embarrassed," Chaewon told Weverse Magazine. "But a lot of people probably got to know both 'Fire in the belly' and LE SSERAFIM through that so I'm very honored and grateful."11

The line transcended the album's promotional cycle. At the 38th Golden Disc Awards in January 2024, Chaewon performed her "Join my crew" line alongside rock legend Yoon Do-hyun of YB. "I was worried it might seem cringey, but Do Hyun just laughed and had fun with it. The whole thing turned out really well. In many ways, that 'join my crew' line has become very important to me," she reflected. The moment illustrated her evolution from a shy trainee into a performer comfortable commanding attention.11

In April 2024, Chaewon marked her first solo feature since debut with "Spruce," a track on Grammy-winning singer Tori Kelly's fifth studio album TORI.. The collaboration was conducted remotely. "I was incredibly excited as soon as I heard the song. I was looking forward to the day of recording because I wanted to sing this song as soon as possible," Chaewon said through Source Music. Tori Kelly praised Chaewon's contribution in an interview with NME: "When she sent over her part, it was astonishingly perfect—no adjustments needed."12

On August 27, 2024, jewelry brand Swarovski announced Chaewon as its Korea Brand Ambassador—her first major solo luxury endorsement. The partnership was framed around Swarovski's "Joyful Extravagance" brand ethos, with Chaewon described as an "all-rounder" whose "healthy and bright image" aligned with the company's values. The announcement, accompanied by a Marie Claire Korea digital cover shoot, marked a significant step in her individual brand trajectory beyond the group's collective endorsements with Louis Vuitton.13

Within LE SSERAFIM's internal YouTube content, particularly the fan-favorite series LE SSERAFIM Company, Chaewon's leadership style has become a subject of fan analysis. Her "method acting" as "Intern Kim"—a vlogging character she developed after watching numerous YouTube vlogs—showcased her deadpan humor. "We don't prepare anything in advance for the show; I think it's just the chemistry between us in the moment that makes the show so good," she explained. "It's just us being our normal, everyday selves. We had no idea the fans would be so into it."14

Her ISTP personality type has earned her the description of a "warm iced americano"—seemingly cool or aloof on the surface but ultimately warm. When discussing the age gap with maknae Hong Eunchae, who is six years younger, Chaewon noted: "There's a lot of times where I'm the only one who knows what people are talking about. When I talk with staff at the label or the hair and makeup artists, I'm the only one who knows what they're talking about." Yet her approach remains supportive rather than authoritative: "I was worried about Eunchae at first because of how shy she was, but now she's super playful and feels like a younger sister to me."14

By 2024, Chaewon's trajectory reflected a deliberate evolution. In discussing LE SSERAFIM's EASY era, she described the conceptual shift: "Up to now, it was always like, 'I'm working hard. Look how passionate I am! I'm pretty good, right?' But I was hoping this time I'd look cool enough without having to do any of that. But even though the lead single is called 'EASY,' neither the dancing nor the singing was in any way easy. The real hard part was making it look easy." The performance director even told her to loosen up—a note she had never received before.11

Reflecting on her journey from a shy trainee who sang BoA's "Atlantis Princess" in an audition room to the leader of one of K-pop's most prominent fourth-generation groups, Chaewon offered a characteristically pragmatic assessment in her Weverse Magazine interviews: "I made the most of it. Because, no matter what you choose, all that matters is what you make of it." At 24, she continues to lead LE SSERAFIM through their global expansion—from Coachella stages to world tours—embodying the group's ethos of fearlessness through quiet, persistent determination rather than loud proclamation.14