Winter's Profile
- Real Name: Kim Min Jeong
- Native Name: 김민정
- Nicknames: baby rabbit, gyeoulie, mindungie
- Birthday: Jan 01, 2001 (24 years old)
- Blood type: A
- Height/Weight: 163 cm (5’4") / 42 kg (92.6 lbs)
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
- MBTI: INFP
- Birthplace: Busan, South Korea
-
Nationality:
South Korean
- Profession: Singer, Dancer, Rapper
- Language Skills: Korean
- Current Agency: SM Entertainment
- Debut: November 17, 2020
- Group: aespa
- Years Active: 2020–present (5 years)
Winter, whose real name is Kim Min-jeong (김민정), is a South Korean singer and dancer born on January 1, 2001, in Busan, South Korea. She is a core member of the K-pop girl group aespa under SM Entertainment, as well as a member of the supergroup Girls On Top and its sub-unit Got the Beat. She is considered one of the standout Gen Z idols, known for her professional stage presence and versatile talents.
Early life
Winter was born into a military family in Nampo-dong, Busan, with her father, older brother, and several relatives serving in the army. At first, she even considered pursuing a military career like her family.
From an early age, she demonstrated various talents, including playing the piano and guitar, while also excelling in sports such as bowling, kendo, fencing, basketball, and badminton. At school, she was a top student, especially in mathematics, and was well-liked by her peers, which led to her being elected as vice class president. She was also an active member of her school’s dance club.
In 2016, while attending Yangsan Girls’ High School, Winter was scouted by an SM Entertainment talent agent after performing at her school’s dance festival. Before being accepted, she had gone through three auditions at SM, and initially, the company had shown more interest in her older brother. After being recruited, Winter left school and later passed the qualification exam equivalent to a high school diploma.
Career
Winter began her trainee period at SM Entertainment in 2017, undergoing more than three years of vocal and dance training before debuting.
Her career officially launched in 2020 when she was revealed as a member of aespa. On November 17, 2020, aespa debuted with the digital single Black Mamba, with Winter taking on the roles of main vocalist and dancer. This marked the beginning of her journey in the K-pop industry.
In 2021, her career expanded as she joined SM Entertainment’s Girls On Top project, becoming a member of Got the Beat alongside Taeyeon, BoA, Seulgi, Wendy, and Karina. The group released the single Step Back on January 3, 2022, marking a new phase in Winter’s musical career alongside veteran artists.
In 2022, Winter collaborated with Ningning for the OST of the drama Our Blues with the song Once Again. She also took part in the SM Town Winter 2022 album SMCU Palace, contributing to the tracks Jet and Priority. These projects showcased her expanding activities beyond group promotions.
From 2023, Winter pursued more individual projects. She recorded several OSTs for Korean dramas, including Voyage for Castaway Diva (released November 19, 2023) and With You for My Demon (December 2023).
In 2024, Winter temporarily paused some activities due to surgery for pneumothorax but later returned with the digital single Officially Cool alongside Bang Ye Dam, the OSTs The First Moment and HUNJUNG YEONSUH, as well as her solo track Spark from the album Synk: Parallel Line. This marked an important milestone in her career, balancing both group and solo endeavors.
Beyond music, Winter has also made her mark in fashion and advertising. In October 2023, she was appointed as the brand ambassador for the fashion and beauty label Mamonde in South Korea, and by 2025, her role expanded to include representing the brand in the Chinese market. These endorsements established Winter’s presence in the international beauty industry, reinforcing her commercial influence alongside her musical career.
Fun facts
- Winter’s “Step Back” fancam went viral as the fastest female idol fancam to surpass 10 million views.
- Fans often call her a “maltese” because of her small frame and puppy-like expressions.
- The thumbnail of her “Step Back” fancam was praised for being so eye-catching it drove instant clicks.
- She is known as the aespa member with the most popular fancams, often chosen for highlight cuts.
- Her double bun “dumpling hair” style once trended widely on Weibo.
- At fansigns, she is frequently teased to act like a puppy because of her maltese image.
- Her stage expressions easily turn into memes that spread on Twitter and Reddit.
- As one of the few 4th-gen idols with a fancam over 10 million views, she created a notable record.
- Fans joke that her face and gaze alone are enough to capture attention.
- Her shy, awkward laughs have become meme clips widely shared across fan communities.
- During her trainee days, Winter became friends with Kim Chaehyun from Kep1er.
- She is close to Yunjin from Le Sserafim, as they trained together at SM Entertainment and even shared a room.
- She is also friends with Ryujin from ITZY.
Photo Gallery
