Kang Ji-young (Korean: 강지영; born January 18, 1994), also known mononymously as Jiyoung or under the stage name JY, is a South Korean singer, songwriter and actress. At age 14, she rose to fame as a member of the South… Kang Ji-young (Korean: 강지영; born January 18, 1994), also known mononymously as Jiyoung or under the stage name JY, is a South Korean singer, songwriter and actress. At age 14, she rose to fame as a member of the South Korean girl group Kara, joining the group in 2008. Dubbed as "Hallyu Queens", Kara achieved mainstream success across Asia, particularly in Japan where they earned ten top-five singles on the Oricon Singles Chart, and became the first female South Korean act to perform at the Tokyo Dome. Kang left Kara in April 2014, but rejoined for the group's 15th anniversary commemorative album Move Again (2022), and subsequent concert tours (2024–2025).
After leaving Kara, Kang moved to Japan and shifted focus onto her acting career. She achieved recognition for her portrayal of characters in many live-action adaptations of popular manga series, including Yukime in the Nippon TV series Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube (2014), Irina Jelavić in the Assassination Classroom films (2015–2016), and Itori in the film Tokyo Ghoul S (2019). She is also known for her lead role in the science-fiction thriller series Orphan Black – 7 Genes (2017–2018). Aside from her Japanese-speaking roles, Kang has appeared in Korean dramas with a lead role in the JTBC series Sweet Munchies (2020), and has since appeared in a number of independent films.
Kang signed with Sony Music Japan as a solo artist in 2015. She released her debut studio album, Many Faces (2017), which spawned two top-ten singles in Japan, "Saigo no Sayonara" and "Suki na Hito ga Iru Koto". The latter was double certified by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). Aside from music and acting, Kang's modeling work has included being an exclusive model for the women's fashion magazine Non-no between 2014 and 2016, and being a global brand ambassador for the confectionery brand Kit Kat.
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