Introduction
Karina (카리나), born Yu Ji-min (유지민) on April 11, 2000, in Suwon, South Korea, is a singer, rapper and dancer best known as the leader of aespa, a K-pop girl group formed by SM Entertainment in 2020.
As the group's main dancer and one of its rappers, she also contributes vocals. Her stage presence, precise choreography and ability to move between dancing, rapping and singing have helped shape her artistic identity.
Career
Discovered by SM Entertainment in 2016, Karina underwent approximately four years of training before her debut. In 2019, she appeared in Taemin's Want music video, followed by a promotional presentation involving Hyundai and SM Entertainment alongside EXO member Kai in 2020.
She officially debuted with aespa on November 17, 2020, with the single Black Mamba. In 2022, she also joined GOT the beat, a group bringing together female artists from SM Entertainment. She later developed her individual performances, notably with UP, a solo track released in 2024 for which she wrote the lyrics.
Did You Know?
- Stage name: Karina, written 카리나 in Korean.
- Hometown: born in Suwon, she grew up in Bundang, Seongnam.
- Martial arts: she holds a black belt in taekwondo.
- Nickname: she is also known as Karomi.
- Instagram: @katarinabluu.