Artist Profile
- Real Name: Park Min-ju
- Native Name: 박민주
- Nicknames: Mandu, Dumpling
- Birthday: May 11, 2004 (21 years old)
- Blood type: O
- Height/Weight: 163 cm (5’4″) / N/A
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Taurus
- MBTI: ISTP
- Birthplace: Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
- Nationality: South Korean
- Profession: Singer
- Language Skills: Korean
- Current Agency: BE:LIFT Lab
- Debut: March 25, 2024
- Years Active: 2024–present (2 years)
- Group: ILLIT
Minju (민주), born Park Min-ju (박민주) on May 11, 2004, is a South Korean singer. She is a member of the girl group ILLIT under Belift Lab, serving as the main vocalist. Minju debuted with ILLIT on March 25, 2024, with the release of the extended play Super Real Me.
Early life
Minju was born in Wabu-eup, Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province. She has an older brother born in 2001. Minju attended Namyangju Dogok Elementary School and Deokso Middle School, and graduated from Misa Riverside High School.
Minju began training at the age of 15. She was a trainee at YG Entertainment before joining Belift Lab in the second half of 2021. During her training period, Minju learned to play the violin. In June 2023, Minju participated in the reality survival show R U Next?, produced by HYBE and Belift Lab. Minju placed third in the competition and was selected as the third member of the girl group ILLIT.
Career
In June 2023, Minju competed in the idol survival reality show R U Next?, finishing in third place.
On March 25, 2024, Minju debuted as a member of ILLIT with the release of their first extended play (EP), Super Real Me, featuring the lead single “Magnetic.” In May 2024, Super Real Me entered the Billboard 200 at number 93, while “Magnetic” became the first debut single by a K-pop group to enter the Billboard Hot 100.
In October 2024, Minju released the second EP, I’ll Like You, with ILLIT. During the same month, Minju was appointed as a host for the KBS music program Music Bank.
In 2025, Minju featured alongside fellow member Yunah on the track “See U Tonight” by American singer Kylie Cantrall from the EP B.O.Y., and later released the single album Not Cute Anymore with ILLIT on November 24, featuring a reggae pop–influenced title track of the same name.
Fun Facts
- She has the nickname Mandu (만두), meaning dumpling, because of her chubby cheeks and cute expressions.
- She describes herself as a peach: sweet on the outside but with a bit of personality on the inside.
- She has a habit of drinking chocolate milk right after waking up every morning.
- She hates mint chocolate so much that fans consider it one of her defining traits.
- She loves lying on her bed because she can reach for snacks without having to get up.
- She dislikes vegetables and beans, but if she had to eat only one food for the rest of her life, she would choose kimchi fried rice.
- Her pinky finger is 6 cm long, which fans often mention as an interesting fun fact.
- She practices typing as a hobby and considers it a form of entertainment.
- She tends to cover her face with her hands when she feels shy and is trying to break this habit.
- She often says “Really?”, “Oh really?” and “No, no” in daily conversations.
- She enjoys watching zombie and ghost horror movies, with Train to Busan being her favorite.
- Her MBTI type is ISTP, but she wants fans to think of her as both ISTP and ISTJ.
- She was formerly a YG Entertainment trainee and maintains close relationships with all members of BABYMONSTER.
- She considers keychains to be the most useless item she owns, but she treasures a Kuromi doll keychain she received from her older brother.
- She chose DPR IAN (Christian Yu) as her role model and often listens to music to relieve stress.
Photo Gallery
