Early Life and Path to YG Entertainment
Jung Ahyeon was born on April 11, 2007, in Toegye-dong (also referred to as Hupyeong-dong in some sources), Chuncheon, Gangwon-do Province, South Korea. Growing up in the scenic mountainous region of Gangwon, she developed an early passion for performing arts. Her father actively supported her ambitions, capturing videos of her dance performances from the age of five.
Ahyeon attended Seongrim Elementary School and later Daeryong Middle School in Chuncheon. At age 11, she enrolled at Ara Dance Academy in Chuncheon, where her dedication to refining her craft intensified. The academy became a crucial stepping stone, as she began preparing for entertainment company auditions held at the facility. Her multilingual abilities—having started English lessons at five and Chinese at seven—would later become significant assets in her idol career.
In 2017, at just 11 years old, Ahyeon successfully passed the first round of auditions for Banana Culture Entertainment. However, her trajectory changed dramatically in 2018 when she passed auditions for both JYP Entertainment and YG Entertainment. She ultimately chose YG Entertainment, joining as a trainee and embarking on a rigorous five-year training period that would shape her into the all-rounder performer she is today. During her trainee years, she attended Hanlim Multi Art School, one of South Korea's most prestigious arts high schools, in the Applied Music Department.