Artist Profile
- Real Name: Kim Ye Won
- Native Name: 김예원
- Nicknames: Mary
- Birthday: Aug 19, 1998 (27 years old)
- Blood type: O
- Height/Weight: 164.5 cm (5’5″) / 48 kg (106 lbs)
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Leo
- MBTI: INFJ (The Advocate)
- Birthplace: Incheon, South Korea
- Nationality: South Korean
- Profession: Singer, Dancer
- Language Skills: Korean, English
- Debut: January 15, 2015 (with GFRIEND)
- Group: VIVIZ
- Current Agency: BPM Entertainment
- Years Active: 2015–present (11 years)
Umji (born Kim Ye-won; August 19, 1998) is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and dancer. Umji is a member of the girl group VIVIZ under the agency Big Planet Made, where she serves as a lead dancer, vocalist, and the youngest member (maknae). She was previously a member of the girl group GFriend from 2015 to 2021.
Early Life
Umji was born in Yeonsu-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, South Korea, as the youngest of three children, with one older brother and one older sister. Her father is a dentist and the chairperson of a prominent dental group in South Korea. Umji attended an English-language kindergarten and graduated from Shinsong Middle School in Incheon. In February 2017, she graduated from the School of Performing Arts Seoul (SOPA) with a major in theater.
Career
In 2014, on February 5, Umji was scouted by the CEO of Source Music while dining with classmates following a preliminary meeting for the Acting Department at SOPA. She joined Source Music as a trainee despite having no prior experience in the entertainment industry.
In 2015, on January 15, Umji officially debuted as a member of GFriend with the mini-album Season of Glass after an eleven-month training period.
In 2016, in September, she released her first solo soundtrack (OST) titled “The Way” for the drama Shopping King Louie. In October, she temporarily suspended activities due to a sartorius muscle injury but returned for the Melon Music Awards.
In 2017, Umji participated in the program King of Mask Singer and advanced to the second round. From June to August, she hosted her own nine-episode V LIVE program titled Ohmu now.
In 2018, Umji co-hosted the youth talk show Yogobara alongside Sanha (ASTRO) and appeared as a guest on the SBS program Running Man.
In 2019, in October, Umji appeared on the program Brain-finity with SinB.
In 2020, in March, she released her second solo OST, “Welcome.” During this period, she served as a temporary DJ for the program Avenger Girls on Naver Now, filling in for Eunha.
In 2021, on October 6, Umji signed with Big Planet Made Entertainment alongside former GFriend members Eunha and SinB. The group name VIVIZ was announced on October 8.
In 2022, on February 9, Umji debuted for a second time with VIVIZ upon the release of the mini-album Beam of Prism and the title track “BOP BOP!”. The group received their first music show trophy on Show Champion one week later. From March to June, VIVIZ competed in the Mnet reality series Queendom 2. In the Unit Round, Umji and SinB formed a dance unit called KeV1Z, performing the song “Purr” choreographed by Holy Bang, placing third with 77 votes.
In 2023, in November, VIVIZ released their fourth mini-album, Versus, featuring the single “Maniac.” The track rose from outside the top 500 to the top 10 on major music charts, generating an estimated 8 billion won in music royalty revenue.
In 2024, on April 23, Umji released the solo OST “May I Love You?” for the television series Lovely Runner.
In 2025, on January 25, Umji appeared on the tvN variety show Amazing Saturday with former GFriend members Yerin and SinB. In November, she performed at the Daedong Festival 2025 at Kyungdong University Medical Campus. Within the same year, she appeared in the music video “Astro: Memory of The Moon.”
Fun facts
- She is often called the “Consultant” because other members frequently seek her advice.
- She initially disliked the stage name “Umji” and considered using a different name for her debut.
- In Korean, “Umji” translates to “thumb.”
- Fans sometimes confuse her and SinB for the youngest member because they were born only two months apart.
- Her natural tan skin has become a distinctive feature compared to her earlier career with GFriend.
- The “Ooh ooh ooh” vocal part in the song “Maniac” became viral through the “Pop your ongdong” meme.
- She was the shortest trainee in GFriend and required assistance from members for certain choreography in Queendom 2.
- She takes the most selfies among the members of VIVIZ.
- She is a fan of Disney films, particularly Rapunzel and The Little Mermaid.
- She performed a cover of Sunmi’s “Gashina” in her own style.
- Fans nicknamed her the “goddess of awkward moments” due to her perceived clumsiness.
Photo gallery
