Liz's Profile
- Real Name: Kim Ji Won
- Native Name: 김지원
- Nicknames: Barbie, Chestnut, Clumsy Hands, Great Singing Cat
- Birthday: Nov 21, 2004 (20 years old)
- Blood type: B
- Height/Weight: 170 cm (5’7″) / 47 kg (103.62 lbs)
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
- Debut: Dec 1, 2021
- Position: Main Vocalist
- MBTI: INFP (The Mediator)
- Birthplace: Jeju-do, South Korea
-
Nationality:
South Korean
- Profession: Singer
- Language: Korean
- Group: IVE
- Years Active: 2021–present (4 years)
Kim Ji-won, born on November 21, 2004, in Nohyeong-dong, Jeju City, South Korea, is a South Korean singer better known by her stage name Liz. She is the main vocalist and a member of the K-pop girl group IVE.
Early Life
During elementary school, Liz was part of the KBS Jeju choir. In middle school, she joined the dance club and became skilled at playing the piano. She attended Halla Elementary School and Cheongdam Middle School before dropping out to pursue her dream of becoming a singer.
Career
Liz began her entertainment career in 2021 under Starship Entertainment. She was revealed as the fourth member of IVE on November 6, 2021. The group officially debuted on December 1 of the same year with their first single album Eleven, marking Liz’s start as the group’s main vocalist.
While active with IVE, Liz participated in hit tracks such as Love Dive, After Like, Kitsch, and I AM. These songs achieved high rankings on Korean music charts, helping solidify IVE’s position in the K-pop industry. As the main vocalist, Liz often takes the climactic parts and choruses in the group’s songs.
In November 2023, Liz took part in a special collaboration project Nobody with Soyeon ((G)I-DLE) and Winter (aespa). The song was released as part of the promotional campaign for Busan’s bid to host World Expo 2030. This marked Liz’s first appearance in a music project outside of IVE as the group’s representative.
In December 2024, Liz released her first solo OST titled Summer for the tvN drama Love Your Enemy. This was her first step into solo activities in the drama OST field. In 2025, she contributed to the OST Heavy Love for the drama Heavenly Ever After.
Outside of music, Liz was the face of cosmetics brand Olive Young in 2022 and fashion platform ZIGZAG in 2023, expanding her image into the commercial and fashion industries.
Strengths
Liz’s primary strength as IVE’s main vocalist lies in her clean, smooth vocal tone, stable control, and precise diction. Her vocal range spans F3–E5, with supported notes from Eb5–D5, allowing her to perform comfortably within this range.
Her live performance skills have been praised in IVE’s concerts and music show stages, as well as in song covers. A recent live rendition of IU’s Love Wins All received positive feedback from K-pop fans for her steady technique and clear, pure tone.
Liz’s musical talents include skilled piano playing and dance, having been in her school’s dance club before debut. She also appeared in Taeyeon’s This Christmas MV before joining IVE.
She has shown athletic ability through winning multiple school sports awards, indicating strong physical stamina.
Her MBTI type is INFP, reflecting introverted, intuitive, feeling, and perceiving traits. Though naturally shy and quiet, Liz exudes confidence on stage. She has shared, “I always focus on believing in myself and trusting my own decisions.”
Special skills include making an ocarina sound with her hands and having a high spice tolerance.
Her adaptability is shown through her desire to try various musical styles and concepts. Over three years of activity, her vocal skills have been noted to have improved, with fans on Korean forum theqoo and the K-pop Reddit community often naming her as IVE’s strongest vocalist.
Controversies
Weight and appearance criticism has been the main controversy surrounding Liz since her debut. At the Seoul Music Awards in January 2023, she faced negative comments about her fuller figure compared to her debut days. Some Korean netizens remarked, “Liz would be a goddess if she lost weight” and “I hope she manages her weight better.”
Many online comments suggested that maintaining her debut physique could have brought her more endorsement deals and higher recognition in IVE’s visual lineup. A Pann forum post comparing Liz’s appearance from debut to now garnered over 173,000 views.
The “German Liz” phenomenon sparked mild debate when international fans jokingly nicknamed her “Elisabeth Helga Muller” and called her a “German idol” despite her being fully Korean. This originated from her look and makeup style in the Eleven MV, which some thought resembled German women.
Fun Facts
- International fans call her the “Soft-Serve Voice” for her sweet, smooth, and addictive tone.
- Appeared in CHEN’s Beautiful Goodbye MV at age 16.
- Once ate three servings of fried chicken backstage and still delivered stable live vocals.
- Nicknamed “President Liz” within IVE for taking charge of snack-related decisions.
- Can imitate a cat’s meow with near-perfect accuracy.
- Afraid of heights but once took rooftop selfies at Starship’s building after fans called her a “sky fairy.”
- A big IU fan; her cover of Through The Night went viral on TikTok for its heartfelt delivery.
- Bad at jump rope and calls herself an “anti-aerobics idol.”
- Has a habit of talking to herself while practicing vocals, as revealed by Yujin.
- Her voice is often described as “podcast therapy,” calming and soothing like a gentle breeze.
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