Yu Ji-min, known professionally as Karina of aespa, born 11 April 2000 in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, is the leader and dance leader of aespa — one of the most globally followed K-pop girl groups of the 2020s. Her solo work, including "Up" (2024), has marked her as one of the most-watched second-generation-Hallyu performers.

Her Family

Both of Karina's parents have been kept deliberately private. She has a younger sister.

Her Path

Karina was scouted by SM Entertainment at age 16 in 2016 while on the streets of Seoul. She trained for five years before debuting with aespa on 17 November 2020.

The Yu Family Tree at a Glance

Parents: Private.

Sibling: A younger sister.

aespa Karina (Yu Ji-min):

  • Born 11 April 2000, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province
  • Suri Middle School; Hanlim Multi Art School (Seoul)
  • Joined SM Entertainment, 2016
  • aespa debut: 17 November 2020, with single "Black Mamba"
  • Major singles: Next Level (2021), Savage (2021), Spicy (2023), Supernova (2024), Whiplash (2024)
  • Solo: "Up" (April 2024)
  • aespa's leader and lead dancer

Personal: Unmarried; no children.

What the Yu Family Story Teaches Us

A small Korean family from Seongnam — a city about 40km south of Seoul that has also produced the Lee Jae-myung political family in this same generation. A scouted teenage girl who became the leader of one of the most globally watched K-pop groups.

For every family — large or small, famous or otherwise — the Karina story carries the same lesson. Cities matter. Seongnam, with its mix of fast-growing population and proximity to Seoul, has produced a remarkable number of public figures in this generation. Write down the city where your family lived during important years. The city is part of who you became.

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