Wonyoung

Jang Won-young, known by her stage name Wonyoung, was born on August 31, 2004, in Ichon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Growing up in Seoul in a family with strong artistic ties — her father is a music teacher and her older sister Jang Da-ah is an actress — Wonyoung was immersed in performance culture from childhood. She was a multi-instrumentalist from an early age, learning piano, violin, and flute, and developed strong English skills through dedicated study. In April 2017, when she was just twelve years old, she was street-cast by a Starship Entertainment scout while attending her older sister's graduation ceremony.

She joined Starship's trainee program and, after approximately one year and two months of training, was selected to appear on Mnet's survival program Produce 48 in 2018. She ranked first in the finale — making her the top-ranked contestant of the entire program — and debuted as the center of the South Korean-Japanese project group IZ*ONE in October 2018. Following IZ*ONE's disbandment in April 2021, she continued training at Starship in preparation for IVE.

Wonyoung was the first member revealed ahead of IVE's debut (October 28, 2021) and has served as the group's center and visual since their December 1, 2021 launch. Her combination of striking proportions, polished stage presence, and widely recognized visuals made her one of the most prominent fourth-generation idols almost immediately. She became a major brand ambassador for multiple luxury and consumer brands. In 2024 she successfully won a defamation lawsuit against a content creator who had spread false information about her, demonstrating her resolve to protect her reputation legally.

Wonyoung carries the hallmarks of an ENTJ — highly goal-oriented, confident, and deliberate. She has described herself using keywords including "confidence," "freedom," "sense," and "cuteness." Her motto — "Don't regret what happened in the past" — reflects a forward-looking mindset characteristic of her personality type. Despite the enormous public scrutiny she has faced since debuting at age 14 on Produce 48, she has maintained a remarkably composed and self-assured public persona. Her 2025 self-written solo "EIGHT" demonstrated that she aspires to contribute creatively to her musical output.