Kim Ji-won's path to becoming Liz of IVE began not in a Seoul audition room, but on the windswept island of Jeju. Born on November 21, 2004, in Nohyeong-dong, Jeju City, Liz grew up far from the K-pop industry's epicenter. Her early years were marked by musical inclination—she was a member of the KBS Jeju choir during elementary school and developed proficiency in piano—but her dream of becoming an idol remained distant.

The first glimpse of her potential came in December 2017, when a 13-year-old Liz appeared in the music video for Girls Generation member Taeyeon's winter ballad "This Christmas."1 Cast to portray the younger version of Taeyeon herself, Liz delivered the role before she had even joined any entertainment agency as a trainee. The casting was serendipitous—and for Liz, personally significant. "This Christmas" was the song that sparked her love for K-pop, and Taeyeon would become her lifelong role model.2 Meeting her idol on set, however, proved overwhelming for the shy girl from Jeju. "I was so shy that I could only say, 'I'm a fan,'" she later recalled.3

Nearly two years after her music video appearance, Liz's trajectory shifted decisively. In the summer of 2019, Starship Entertainment hosted its "Pepsi Summer Open Audition"—the same audition whose promotional video happened to feature An Yujin and Jang Wonyoung, then active members of IZ*ONE.4 A 14-year-old Liz, then in her third year of middle school, traveled from Jeju to audition—and delivered a performance that left an immediate impression.

According to a member of Starship's rookie development team, Liz's vocal talent and visuals were "overwhelming."5 The staff member recalled Liz's eagerness when introducing herself despite her shy personality. For her audition songs, Liz performed Taeyeon's "This Christmas" and Kim Sejeong's "Flower Road"—songs that demonstrated both her vocal range and her emotional delivery.3 She passed, joining Starship's trainee system alongside future groupmates. To pursue her idol dreams, Liz made a significant sacrifice: she transferred from Halla Middle School in Jeju to Unbuk Middle School in Seoul in her third year, leaving behind her island home and family.6

An interesting footnote to Liz's audition decision: she has mentioned that one reason she applied specifically to Starship Entertainment was because she was a fan of actor Lee Kwang-soo, known for his appearances on the variety show "Running Man." When researching agencies, she discovered that Lee Kwang-soo was affiliated with King Kong by Starship, a subsidiary—and thought she might have the opportunity to see him there.3

During her trainee period at Starship Entertainment, Liz formed a particularly close bond with Japanese trainee Naoi Rei, who had joined in 2018 after passing the Loen Friends Global Audition in Japan. The two trainees depended on each other and shared a room—Rei later remarked that when they first met, she thought Liz "looked like a doll."7

Liz was reportedly considered for Mnet's reality survival show "Produce 48" in 2018, but ultimately did not participate.8 The decision—whether made by Liz, her family, or the agency—proved consequential. Had she competed alongside Jang Wonyoung and An Yujin, her career might have taken a different shape entirely. Instead, she continued training at Starship, honing her vocal abilities under instructors who praised her "clear and elegant vocal tone" and "emotive delivery."5

To focus fully on her training and debut preparations, Liz dropped out of Cheongdam High School. She later passed the High School Equivalency Exam, demonstrating her commitment to both her education and her career.6 From joining Starship in 2019 to her eventual debut, Liz trained for approximately two years.

On November 2, 2021, Starship Entertainment announced they would debut a new girl group—their first since WJSN in 2016. Members were revealed sequentially from November 3 to 8: Yujin, Gaeul, Wonyoung, Liz, Rei, and Leeseo. Liz was revealed as the fourth member on November 5, 2021, receiving 50,000 likes on her profile release within just 2.5 hours on Twitter—a testament to the anticipation surrounding the group.8

The Korea Herald covered IVE's debut showcase on December 1, 2021, where the six-member group introduced themselves to the world with their debut single "Eleven."9 Speaking about the music video during the showcase, Liz offered a glimpse of her thoughtful personality: "Just like the famous saying that one can capture the greatest beauty in nature, we wanted to express the beauty and charms that are tailored to us in our music video."9

What the public didn't see was the depth of Liz's pre-debut anxiety. She later revealed that on the day of IVE's debut showcase, she had to take a relaxing pill to calm her nerves.8 Her shy personality—so pronounced that she gets nervous ordering food—made the high-pressure debut environment particularly challenging. Yet when "Eleven" topped all South Korean charts upon release and IVE earned their first music show win just one week after debut on MBC M's Show Champion, the payoff was undeniable.10

As IVE ascended to the top of the fourth-generation girl group hierarchy—winning Song of the Year at the 2022 Melon Music Awards and MAMA Awards with "Love Dive," just 360 days after debut—Liz's contributions as main vocalist became increasingly central to their sound.11 Her clear, smooth vocal tone earned her the nickname "Tone Fairy" among Korean fans, who praised her ability to deliver both powerful high notes and delicate falsettos.12 Her vocal segments in songs like "Love Dive" and "I AM" became known as "paradise parts" for their emotional impact.13

However, the spotlight brought harsh scrutiny. Beginning in mid-2022, Liz faced persistent criticism on Korean online communities regarding her weight fluctuations. Standing alongside members like the statuesque Jang Wonyoung, any changes in her frame were magnified and dissected. Some posts on Pann—a Korean forum—were later found to have been deliberately edited to make her appear larger than she was, a malicious form of cyberbullying.14

In February 2023, Liz addressed the criticism directly during a live stream. When a fan asked how she was doing amidst the controversy, she responded that she was "doing fine now" and that she is "always happy, thanks to DIVE" (IVE's fandom). She assured fans that the criticism "doesn't bother her anymore."15 By the time of IVE's first studio album "I've IVE" in April 2023, fans noted her visibly slimmer appearance—though many expressed concern that the online harassment may have contributed to what appeared to be intense weight loss.16 The conversation around Liz's body became a focal point for broader discussions about the K-pop industry's treatment of female idols and unrealistic beauty standards.

Among the lighter phenomena surrounding Liz's career is the "German Liz" meme, which gained traction among international fans around 2022-2023. The joke originated from Liz's Western-style facial features—her deep-set eyes, defined nose, and overall appearance led fans to jokingly speculate that she was German rather than Korean. The meme spawned an elaborate fictional backstory: fans created the character "Elizabeth Helga Müller," a German singer from Bavaria who supposedly left her homeland in 2021 to pursue K-pop stardom.17

Rather than ignore the joke, Liz has embraced it with good humor. When IVE performed at Lollapalooza Berlin in 2024, fans greeted her with German flags, treating it as a "homecoming" for "German Liz." She has acknowledged the running joke and occasionally participates in it, demonstrating the playful personality that has emerged as she's grown more comfortable in the spotlight.17 The meme also spawned discussions on Korean forums, with domestic fans trying to understand the international joke's origins—a rare instance of a K-pop meme traveling from international to Korean fan communities.

Liz's selection as IVE's representative for the special collaboration single "NOBODY" in November 2023 marked a significant milestone in her career. Joining forces with Jeon Soyeon of I-dle and Winter of aespa, Liz was chosen over her more publicly prominent groupmates—a testament to her vocal abilities.18 The Korea Herald noted that "NOBODY" was created to support Busan's bid to host the 2030 World Expo, with the disco-influenced production highlighting "the strengths of K-pop."19

In May 2024, Liz showcased her vocal prowess on MBC's singing competition "The King of Mask Singer," appearing as "Hourglass." She covered IU's challenging "The Red Shoes," impressing the audience and celebrity panelists. Judge Yoon Sang specifically praised her for successfully pulling off such a difficult song.20 Though she lost in Round 2, the program later released footage of her rehearsal for Round 3—a planned cover of Taeyeon's ballad "If"—giving fans a glimpse of what might have been.

December 2024 brought Liz's first solo OST: "Summer" for the tvN drama "Love Your Enemy." The track, portraying a love that remains unchanging over time, allowed Liz to demonstrate her emotional depth as a vocalist outside of IVE's group context.21 She followed this in May 2025 with another OST contribution, "Heavy Love" for the drama "Heavenly Ever After," cementing her growing presence in the Korean drama soundtrack sphere.

Seven years after appearing as young Taeyeon in a Christmas music video, Liz finally met her idol properly. In February 2025, when IVE appeared on tvN's "Amazing Saturday" alongside Taeyeon as a panelist, Liz's face turned bright red with emotion. Taeyeon, for her part, marveled at Liz's dimples, calling them "so pretty."22 In March 2025, Liz attended Taeyeon's "The Tense" concert—a full-circle moment for the girl from Jeju who once could only manage to say "I'm a fan."

Today, Liz continues to evolve as an artist and public figure. Her February 2025 appointment as special MC on "Show! Music Core" alongside Gaeul demonstrates her growing confidence in public-facing roles—a marked change from the girl who needed medication to calm her nerves at debut.23 Her variety show appearances on programs like "Running Man," "Knowing Bros," and "Amazing Saturday" have revealed a wit and humor that contradicts her introverted INTP personality type, earning her recognition as one of IVE's representative members for entertainment programs.

Within the group, Liz remains the "quiet and calm friend" that Gaeul described early in their career—but one who has learned to shine when the moment demands it. Her journey from the shores of Jeju Island to the center of K-pop's fourth generation illustrates both the industry's relentless pressures and its capacity to transform shy dreamers into confident performers. The girl who once appeared as young Taeyeon has carved out her own identity—not as anyone's shadow, but as the "Tone Fairy" whose clear voice anchors one of K-pop's most successful groups.