Before she became the face of fourth-generation K-pop, Yoo Ji-min was an ulzzang—an "internet beauty" whose social media presence caught the attention of SM Entertainment's casting team in 2016. The approach came via Instagram direct message. "Before I joined the company, I was actively involved in social media, and a casting manager sent me a direct message through my account," Karina recalled on SBS PowerFM's Choi Hwa Jung's Power Time. Her reaction was hardly enthusiastic: "When my parents and I first saw the DM, we naturally thought it was a scam."1

Unlike her future groupmates who shared similar skepticism—NingNing was approached after appearing on Chinese singing programs, Winter was scouted at a dance festival where the casting manager refused to name the company—Karina's path began entirely online. Only Giselle took the traditional route through SM's infamous Saturday auditions. Once the business card arrived confirming legitimacy, Karina committed. She would train for four years—the longest period among aespa's members—eventually dropping out of Hansol High School in Bundang to focus entirely on her debut.2

ㅇ Karina's first public appearance came in February 2019—nearly two years before aespa's debut—when she appeared in labelmate Taemin's music video for "Want." She wasn't credited; she was simply one of the backup dancers. But K-pop fans have sharp eyes. She performed alongside Taemin on several music programs in the following weeks, her face gradually becoming familiar to those paying attention to SM Entertainment's trainee roster.3

Just weeks before aespa's official debut, SM gave audiences another preview. On November 1, 2020, Karina performed alongside EXO's Kai at a Hyundai Motors virtual showcase titled "Beyond DRIVE - The All-New Tucson"—a collaboration between Hyundai and SM Entertainment that demonstrated her stage presence before she had even debuted. When SM revealed her as aespa's second member on October 27, 2020, introducing her as "multi-talented" with skills in dance, vocals, and rap, fans who remembered the "Want" backup dancer finally had a name for the face.4

On November 17, 2020, aespa debuted with "Black Mamba"—a single that achieved the highest number of views for a K-pop group's debut video in 24 hours, with 21.4 million views. As leader, Karina became the face of SM Entertainment's first girl group since Red Velvet in 2014, and the group's innovative metaverse concept—featuring virtual avatar counterparts called "æ"—positioned them as pioneers of a new era. Her charisma anchored the group's cyberpunk aesthetic, and by 2021, aespa's "Next Level" had become a cultural phenomenon, earning the daesang for Song of the Year at the Korean Music Awards.5

Karina's status as a fourth-generation leader was formally recognized at the 2021 MAMA, where she joined Stray Kids' Hyunjin, TXT's Yeonjun, ITZY's Yeji, ATEEZ's Wooyoung, and ENHYPEN's Heeseung for the opening performance "BlooM The Sound"—a collaboration explicitly celebrating the new generation's arrival. By January 2022, SM had elevated her further: Karina and Winter were announced as members of GOT the beat, a supergroup uniting BoA, Girls' Generation's Taeyeon and Hyoyeon, and Red Velvet's Seulgi and Wendy.6

On February 27, 2024, Dispatch reported that Karina was dating actor Lee Jae-wook, whom she had met at Prada's Fall/Winter 2024 menswear show in Milan on January 14. Both SM Entertainment and Lee's agency C-JeS Studios confirmed the relationship within hours, noting the pair were "getting to know each other." The response from certain segments of the fanbase was swift and severe. According to The Korea Herald, protest trucks with electronic billboards appeared outside SM Entertainment headquarters bearing messages like "Why did you choose to betray your fans?" and warnings of "declining album sales and empty concert seats."7

On March 5, Karina posted a handwritten apology letter to Instagram. "I know very well how disappointed the MYs who have supported me up until now must be," she wrote, "and I also know that they are feeling upset while thinking back on the things we've said to one another." The letter sparked international outcry—not at Karina, but at the culture that demanded it. "No idols should apologize for dating in 2024," read a top comment. CNN framed the incident as a window into K-pop's "strict rules" around public relationships. By April 2, both agencies confirmed the couple had separated after just five weeks of public dating. Lee's agency stated he "decided to break up with Karina to concentrate on work."8

During aespa's second world tour "SYNK: PARALLEL LINE," which launched in Seoul on June 29, 2024, each member debuted an original solo song. Karina performed "UP"—a hip-hop dance track she had written entirely herself—and the response was immediate. Fan-shot videos went viral. Dance challenges proliferated across TikTok and Instagram. SM Entertainment, recognizing the momentum, officially released "UP" on streaming platforms on October 9, 2024, as part of the special digital single SYNK: PARALLEL LINE.9

Ten days later, on October 19, "UP" won first place on MBC's Show! Music Core with a score of 6,698 points—beating QWER and AB6IX. It was Karina's first music show win as a soloist, achieved without a music video, without promotional appearances, and before any official solo debut. Karina wasn't even present at the broadcast; ITZY's Ryujin broke the news to her. She responded on the fan communication app Bubble with crying selfies: "I'm in the middle of hair and makeup right now, so I can't cry. I'll cry alone when I get home later."10

Fashion and entertainment have expanded Karina's reach beyond music. In December 2023, Vogue Korea announced her as the new face of YSL Beauty's "Rouge Pur Couture" lipstick line. By August 2024, Prada had named her a global brand ambassador—joining fellow K-pop artists ENHYPEN, NCT's Jaehyun, and TWICE's Sana. "I've always loved and frequently shopped at Prada, so I'm excited to be an ambassador," Karina said upon the announcement. With all four aespa members now representing major global fashion houses (Giselle with Loewe, Winter with Polo Ralph Lauren, NingNing with Versace), the group has cemented its status as fashion icons.11

Television offered another dimension. In June 2024, Netflix premiered Agents of Mystery, a Korean variety show where six celebrities solve paranormal mysteries. Karina joined a cast including Girls' Day's Hyeri, comedian Lee Yong-jin, and actor Kim Do-hoon. Produced by Jeong Jong-yeon (known for The Devil's Plan and The Great Escape), the show highlighted Karina's off-stage personality—resourceful, prepared, and disarmingly earnest. A second season has been confirmed for 2026.12

In interviews, Karina has been candid about her artistic north stars. "I became a singer because of Girls' Generation," she has stated, naming Taeyeon among her vocal influences alongside IU, Lee Hi, Camila Cabello, and Kehlani. Speaking to Billboard ahead of aespa's Coachella debut in 2022, she recalled watching Beyoncé's legendary 2018 Coachella performance: "I still can't forget her charisma and energy onstage."13

Her genre preferences are specific. In a Harper's Bazaar Korea interview, Karina described hip-hop as her "main genre" but expressed a desire to explore R&B and jazz "at least once." Fashion-wise, she considers Kendall Jenner an inspiration, describing the model's "power and aura" as "incredible" and naming her as her "biggest celebrity crush." These influences—the SM legacy of Girls' Generation, Beyoncé's stadium-commanding presence, Western pop vocalists, American fashion icons—synthesize into Karina's singular image: technically rigorous, visually striking, genre-blurring.13