Kang Ji-young facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kang Ji-young
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Kang in February 2024
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| Born | January 18, 1994 Paju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
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| Other names | JY |
| Education | Sungkyunkwan University |
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| Years active | 2008–present |
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| Relatives | Kim Yoon-ji (cousin) |
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| Korean name | |
| Hangul |
강지영
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| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Gang Ji-yeong |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kang Chiyŏng |
Kang Ji-young (Hangul: 강지영; born January 18, 1994) is a talented South Korean singer and actress. She is also known as Jiyoung or by her stage name JY in Japan. When she was just 14 years old, she became famous as a member of the popular South Korean girl group Kara. She joined the group in 2008.
Kara became very successful across Asia, especially in Japan. They were even called "Hallyu Queens." They had ten songs that reached the top five on Japan's Oricon Singles Chart. Kara was also the first South Korean girl group to perform at the famous Tokyo Dome. Kang Ji-young left Kara in April 2014. However, she rejoined the group in 2022 for their 15th anniversary album, Move Again. She also joined them for their concert tour in 2024.
After leaving Kara, Kang Ji-young moved to Japan to start an acting career. She became well-known for her roles in movies and TV shows based on popular Japanese comics called manga. Some of her famous roles include Yukime in Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube (2014), Irina Jelavić in the Assassination Classroom movies (2015–2016), and Itori in the film Tokyo Ghoul S (2019). She also played the main character in the science-fiction series Orphan Black – 7 Genes (2017–2018). Besides her Japanese roles, Kang Ji-young has continued to act in Korean dramas. She had a main role in Sweet Munchies (2020) and made special appearances in Let Me Be Your Knight (2022) and Doctor Cha (2023).
Kang Ji-young also returned to music as a solo artist. She signed with Sony Music Japan in 2015. Her first album, Many Faces (2017), had two songs that reached the top ten in Japan: "Saigo no Sayonara" and "Suki na Hito ga Iru Koto." The song "Suki na Hito ga Iru Koto" was even certified platinum, meaning it sold a lot of copies! Besides music and acting, Kang Ji-young also worked as a model for the fashion magazine Non-no from 2014 to 2016. She also became a global ambassador for the candy brand Kit Kat.
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Early Life and Education
Kang Ji-young was born on January 18, 1994, in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. She grew up with two older sisters in a family that followed Buddhism. When she was 14, Kang Ji-young auditioned for DSP Media and became a trainee in June 2008. Her cousin, actress Kim Yoon-ji, who was also a trainee there, encouraged her to audition. Kang Ji-young speaks fluent Japanese, in addition to her native Korean. She also knows some English and Mandarin Chinese.
Kang Ji-young went to Bongilcheon Middle School in Paju. After moving to a dormitory in Seoul with her Kara group members, she transferred to Kwanghee Middle School. She then attended Muhak Girls' High School and graduated in 2012. After high school, in February 2013, she started studying performing arts at Sungkyunkwan University.
Music Career with Kara
After training for only one month, Kang Ji-young joined the girl group Kara in 2008. This happened after a former member left the group. She made her first TV performance with another new member, Goo Hara, on July 24, 2008. They performed on the music show M Countdown. Their mini-album Rock U was released the next day. This was the group's first album with five members.
Kara became very popular after their hit song "Mister" came out in 2009. This song was a big success in South Korea and helped the group start their career in Japan. Kara was known as "Hallyu Queens." They were even listed among the most influential celebrities in South Korea by Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40. They ranked 4th in 2012 and 13th in 2013.
In April 2009, Kang Ji-young was featured on the hip-hop duo Jumper's song "Dazzling." In September, she became a regular guest DJ on the KBS Cool FM radio show Kiss the Radio with fellow Kara member Park Gyu-ri. She also hosted a segment on the MBC Standard FM radio show Stop the Boring Time that same year. In July 2010, Kang Ji-young started hosting the variety show I Love Pets with member Han Seung-yeon.
In December 2010, Kang Ji-young sang the song "My Love" for the drama Big Thing with Park Gyu-ri. That same month, she released a digital song called "Merry Love" with Kim Sung-je from the group Supernova. This song was later re-recorded in Japanese and released in Japan in March 2011.
In January 2011, Kang Ji-young and two other members decided to end their contracts with DSP Media. They later resolved their differences with the company. On April 28, 2011, the members returned to DSP Media.
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Kang Ji-young joined the TV show Invincible Youth in October 2011. The show started on November 11, 2011, and ended on November 17, 2012. Also in October 2011, Kang Ji-young was chosen for the main role in the romantic drama series Rainbow Rose. This show was made by both South Korea and Japan. It premiered in Japan in April 2012 and later in South Korea in September 2012. Kang Ji-young recorded the song "Rainbow Rose," which was the main theme for the show.
In November 2012, Kang Ji-young released her solo song "Wanna Do." This song was part of the album Kara Solo Collection. She performed the song on the SBS music show Inkigayo in December. At the 2012 SBS Gayo Daejeon, a big music festival, Kang Ji-young joined other idols to form a special group called Mystic White. They performed the song "Mermaid Princess," which became very popular.
On January 15, 2014, Kang Ji-young announced she was leaving Kara. She wanted to study abroad and focus on acting. After her contract with DSP Media ended in April 2014, she moved to London to study English. Before leaving the group, Kang Ji-young starred in the TV series Secret Love with Bae Soo-bin. This show started airing in June 2014.
Acting and Solo Music in Japan
While living in London, Kang Ji-young was contacted by a Japanese talent agency called Sweet Power. She signed with them as an actress in August 2014 and then moved to Japan. In September, Kang Ji-young got her first role in a Japanese TV show. She played Yukime, a snow spirit, in the live-action TV show Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube. The show started in October. For her role, Kang Ji-young was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Television Drama Academy Awards. That same month, she starred in the TV movie Higanbana: Women's Crime File.
In 2015, Kang Ji-young had a supporting role in the science-fiction comedy movie Assassination Classroom. She played Irina Jelavić, a professional hitwoman who works as an English teacher. She was chosen for this role because she could speak many languages. The movie was released in March in Japan and was very successful. The next month, Kang Ji-young had a small voice role in the anime movie Detective Conan: Sunflowers of Inferno. In May, she was cast in the TV series Tamiou. She played Erika Murano, a college student. Kang Ji-young was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Television Drama Academy Awards for this role too.
Kang Ji-young signed with Sony Music Japan in December 2015. She announced that she would start her music career again under the name JY. In January 2016, Kang Ji-young played Nagami again in Whispers from a Crime Scene, a sequel to Higanbana: Women's Crime File. She sang the theme song for the series, "Saigo no Sayonara" ("The Last Farewell"). This was her first Japanese solo song. It was released in February and reached number seven on the Oricon Singles Chart. Her next song, "Radio," was also featured in Whispers from a Crime Scene. This was her first song in English.
In March 2016, Kang Ji-young played Irina Jelavić again in Assassination Classroom: Graduation, the sequel to the 2015 movie. This film also did very well and was one of the highest-grossing Japanese films of 2016. Her next role was in the short film Life Is..., where she played Yuna, a photography student. The following month, she acted in the movie Unrequited Love.
Kang Ji-young released her second Japanese single, "Suki na Hito ga Iru Koto" ("There's Someone I Like"), in August 2016. The music video was filmed in Guam. The song was used as the main theme for the TV drama series A Girl & Three Sweethearts. Kang Ji-young even made a short appearance in the last episode. This song became very popular, reaching number one on many music charts in Japan. It also peaked at number three on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 and number six on the Oricon Singles Chart.
Return to South Korea and Kara Reunion
In February 2022, it was reported that Kang Ji-young decided not to renew her contract with KeyEast. On April 6, 2022, it was announced that she signed with ELRIS Entertainment. In July 2022, Kang Ji-young released her solo project Lucid Dream.
In 2025, Kang Ji-young became one of the judges on the singing competition show Korea–Japan King of Singers: Japan Round. This show is a Japanese version of a South Korean series. It premiered on Fuji TV in January.
Filmography
Movies
Kang Ji-young has acted in several movies:
- 2013: Kara the Animation as herself (voice)
- 2015: Assassination Classroom as Irina Jelavić
- 2015: Detective Conan: Sunflowers of Inferno as Museum Guide (voice)
- 2016: Assassination Classroom: Graduation as Irina Jelavić
- 2017: DC Super Heroes vs. Eagle Talon as Harley Quinn (voice)
- 2018: Reon as Reon Takanashi
- 2019: Tokyo Ghoul S as Itori
- 2023: Love Reset as Sang-ah (cameo)
- 2024: Ginseng Boy as Jenny
Television Shows
Kang Ji-young has also appeared in many TV series:
- 2008: Here He Comes as School girl (cameo)
- 2011: Urakara as Ji-young (main role)
- 2012: Rainbow Rose as Han Yu-ri (lead role)
- 2014: Secret Love as Park So-yeol (episode: "Lilac")
- 2014: Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube as Yukime (main role)
- 2015–2016: Tamiou as Erika Murano (main role)
- 2016: Whispers from a Crime Scene as Kaoruko Nagami (main role)
- 2016: A Girl & Three Sweethearts as Jun Yoshioka (episode: "That's All")
- 2017–2018: Orphan Black – 7 Genes as Sara Aoyama / Maoko Shiina / various (lead role)
- 2019: Your Home Is My Business! Second Attack as Nana Miyadera (cameo)
- 2020: Sweet Munchies as Kim Ah-jin (lead role)
- 2022: Let Me Be Your Knight as Nina (2 episodes)
- 2023: Doctor Cha as Yoo Ji-seon (6 episodes)
- 2025: Korea–Japan King of Singers: Japan Round as Herself (judge)
Awards and Recognition
Kang Ji-young has received nominations and awards for her work:
- 2015: Nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Television Drama Academy Awards for Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube
- 2015: Nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Television Drama Academy Awards for Tamiou
- 2016: Won the Next Artist Award at the Model Press Readers' Choice Awards
- 2018: Won the Big Audience Award at the Okinawa International Movie Festival for Reon
Images for kids
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Kang performing at the 2010 Asia Song Festival
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Kang performing at the 2013 DSP Festival
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Kang at the 2018 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
See also
In Spanish: Kang Ji-young para niños
