Soyeon (i-dle): Profile, Career, Photos & Fun Facts

Soyeon's Profile

Full Name: Jeon Soyeon
Native Name: 전소연
Nicknames: Soyeon
Birthday: Aug 26, 1998 (27 years old)
Blood type: B
Height/Weight: 157 cm (5'2″) / 44 kg (97 lbs)
Gender: Female
Zodiac Sign: Virgo
MBTI: INTJ (The Architect)
Birthplace: Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Nationality: South Korean
Profession: Leader, Main Rapper, Singer, Songwriter, Producer
Language Skills: Korean, English, Chinese
Current Agency: Cube Entertainment
Debut: Nov 5, 2017
Group: i-dle
Years Active: 2016–present (9 years)

Soyeon, born Jeon So-yeon (전소연), is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer under Cube Entertainment. She was born on August 26, 1998, in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul, South Korea. She is the leader, main rapper, lead dancer, and vocalist of the K-pop girl group I-dle (formerly (G)I-DLE).

Early life

Jeon So-yeon experienced a diverse childhood shaped by different educational environments. As a child, she attended a kindergarten with Buddhist elements before moving on to Kuryong Elementary School in Seoul. During this period, she studied ballet and participated in numerous dance competitions.

From an early age, Soyeon was passionate about ballet, competing in various contests and earning several awards. She continued training until the third grade of elementary school and once dreamed of becoming a professional ballerina.

Her turning point came after watching a performance by Big Bang, which inspired her to pursue music instead. She later revealed that she auditioned more than 20 times for different entertainment companies but failed to pass the first round. Eventually, she shifted her focus to rap, where her talent gained recognition. In 2014, Soyeon auditioned for Cube Entertainment and became a trainee.

Career

In 2016, Soyeon competed in the survival show Produce 101 as a trainee representing Cube Entertainment. She maintained a steady performance throughout the program, ranking as high as 10th in the fifth episode. However, in the final episode, she finished in 20th place and did not debut with the project group I.O.I.

In July 2016, she appeared on season three of the rap competition Unpretty Rapstar, finishing in third place. Three of her songs were included in the show’s final compilation album. On December 29, 2016, she signed an exclusive contract with Cube Entertainment.

On November 5, 2017, Soyeon officially debuted as a solo artist with the digital singles Jelly and Idle Song, both of which she wrote and composed.

On May 2, 2018, she debuted as the leader and main rapper of the girl group I-dle. She took charge of composing and producing the title track Latata as well as most of the songs on the debut album I Am. In August 2018, she wrote and produced the title track Hann (Alone) for the group’s first EP I Am. In February 2019, she continued her role as composer with the title track Senorita for their second EP I Made.

In May 2019, Soyeon collaborated with rapper Ahn Byeong Woong on the track K/DA POP/STARS for League of Legends, providing the rap voice for the character Akali. In November 2019, she joined Queendom season one with I-dle, where she composed and produced the group’s performances.

In 2020, Soyeon composed and produced the title track Oh My God for I-dle’s third EP I Trust, released on April 6. She also composed Dumdi Dumdi for the group’s summer single album released in August 2020. In November 2020, she collaborated with K/DA for a second time, contributing rap parts for the songs More and The Baddest.

In January 2021, Soyeon composed four out of six tracks for I-dle’s fourth EP I Burn, including the title track Hwaa. That same month, she appeared on KakaoTV’s program Face ID, where she revealed her songwriting process and over 1,600 demo tracks. On July 5, 2021, she released her first EP Windy with the title track Beam Beam, later earning her first music show win on SBS MTV’s The Show on July 13.

In March 2022, Soyeon composed and produced the title track Tomboy for I-dle’s first studio album I Never Die. In October 2022, she followed with the title track Nxde for the EP I Love. In May 2023, she composed the title track Queencard for the group’s sixth EP I Feel.

In October 2023, she participated in the collaboration track Nobody alongside Liz of IVE and Winter of Aespa, released on November 16.

On January 29, 2024, Soyeon composed and produced the title track Super Lady and the pre-release single Wife for I-dle’s second studio album 2. On the same day, she was promoted to a full member of the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA). In July 2024, she composed the title track Klaxon for the group’s seventh EP I Sway.

In September 2024, Soyeon composed and co-produced the title track My Name Is Malguem for QWER’s second EP Algorithm’s Blossom, released on September 23. The song earned the band its first-ever music show win. As of 2024, Soyeon holds over 85 songwriting credits registered with KOMCA, making her the fourth-generation female idol with the highest number of copyright credits.

In 2025, Soyeon was announced as a global brand ambassador for Coach in September and as the Asia-Pacific brand ambassador for UGG. In May 2025, she composed and produced tracks for the special EP We Are I-dle to celebrate the group’s seventh debut anniversary.

Fun Facts

She can fit her entire fist into her mouth, a unique ability that surprises the other members.
Soyeon is a huge fan of One Piece and once dreamed of becoming the Pirate King as a child.
After watching Naruto, she changed her dream to becoming a ninja and even practiced martial arts moves.
She dislikes vegetables so much that it has become a frequent joke within the group.
Despite not eating vegetables, she maintains gut health by eating yogurt and probiotics daily.
She loves mint chocolate, a flavor that sparks debate in the K-pop community.
Soyeon is good at imitating her group members, often making others laugh with her impressions.
Her father once dreamed of becoming a singer, which inspired her passion for performing.
Her mother named her Soyeon hoping she would grow up to be successful and wealthy.
She owns over 1,600 demo tracks, a fact revealed during Face ID in 2021.
Her favorite Doritos flavor is nacho cheese with chili and cheese sauce.
Avril Lavigne was the Western artist who influenced her music style the most while growing up.
Her solo track Idle Song was the inspiration behind the group name i-dle.
Her ideal type is Zoro from One Piece.

Celebrity Friends

Soyeon maintains a small but meaningful circle of friends in the K-pop industry. She became close with Eunbin (CLC) during Produce 101 in 2016 and has kept in touch with her since. She also befriended Chungha after meeting on Unpretty Rapstar, and developed a warm friendship with Somi, whom she met on Produce 101—the two have often shown mutual admiration, even appearing together in playful clips.

Although she has these connections, fans often describe Soyeon as someone who prefers focusing on her craft over socializing widely with other idols. Within her own group, she shares a particularly strong bond with Miyeon, and the duo is affectionately called “2yeon” by fans, highlighting their long-standing friendship.