Minju

Who Is Minju of ILLIT?

Minju is a vocalist in the K-pop girl group ILLIT, the BELIFT LAB act that shot to global attention with its March 25, 2024, debut single “Magnetic.” Born Park Min-ju on May 11, 2004, in Namyangju, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, Minju brings a bright, easygoing energy to ILLIT that fans quickly picked up on during the group’s survival-show run.

A Long Road That Started at 15

Minju has been training since she was just 15 years old. She spent her early years as a trainee at YG Entertainment, where she built friendships with several future members of BABYMONSTER, before joining BELIFT LAB in the second half of 2021. From there, she competed on R U Next?, the 2023 JTBC survival show that formed ILLIT, and finished among the top trainees selected for the group’s debut lineup. That YG background gives her a slightly different perspective from her groupmates, and she has stayed close with several My Teenage Girl and Idol School contestants she trained alongside over the years.

Her Role in ILLIT

Since debut, Minju has promoted all four of ILLIT’s EPs — Super Real Me, I’ll Like You, Bomb, and Mamihlapinatapai — along with the single album Not Cute Anymore. In 2025, she joined member Yunah as a featured artist on Kylie Cantrall’s single “See U Tonight,” giving her a taste of collaboration outside the group. She has also taken part in ILLIT’s push into the Japanese market, promoting the group’s first Japanese single, “Toki Yo Tomare.”

Getting to Know Minju

Off stage, Minju is known for being easy to approach — fans and members alike describe her as someone who becomes friends quickly if you make the first move. She loves gaming, practicing her typing speed, and taking photos and videos, and she is skilled enough in the kitchen to make a solid batch of stir-fried udon. Her go-to comfort food is kimchi fried rice, and her nicknames, “Mindaengi” and “Mandu” (Dumpling), both nod to her round, cheerful cheeks.

Whether you found Minju through “Magnetic,” “Cherish (My Love),” or her feature on “See U Tonight,” her story is a solid example of how years of quiet, steady training with a genuine love of music can lead to a spot in one of K-pop’s most talked-about rookie groups.