Shuhua

Shuhua was born on January 6, 2000, in Taoyuan, Taiwan. She is the youngest member of i-dle, making her the group's maknae despite the relatively small age difference between her and Yuqi.

• Her full Chinese name is Yeh Shuhua (葉舒華). In Mandarin, her name is pronounced differently from the Korean pronunciation "Yeop Shuhwa" that fans sometimes encounter in Korean content.

• Shuhua originally wanted to become an actress. Unlike members who entered the industry specifically because they wanted to sing or rap, her early interest was centered more broadly on performing and appearing on screen.

• She attended Hwa Kang Arts School in Taiwan. The school is well known for educating students interested in entertainment and has been attended by numerous Taiwanese actors, singers and television personalities.

• Seeing performers on television made Shuhua want to enter entertainment herself. Her initial dream gradually expanded from acting into the possibility of becoming an idol.

• Shuhua auditioned for Cube Entertainment in Taiwan in 2016. After passing, she made the major decision to leave Taiwan and move to South Korea for training.

• She spoke very little Korean when she first arrived in South Korea. Learning the language became one of the biggest challenges of her trainee and rookie years.

• Shuhua trained for roughly two years before debuting. Compared with Miyeon's many years of training or Soyeon's extensive pre-debut television career, Shuhua entered the professional idol world relatively quickly.

• She appeared in 10cm's "PET" music video before debuting with i-dle. Yuqi also appeared in the video, giving both future members an on-screen credit before the group's official launch.

• Shuhua debuted with (G)I-DLE on May 2, 2018. At only 18, she suddenly had to perform, give interviews and appear on Korean television while still developing fluency in the language.

• Her early line distribution became a frequent topic among fans. Shuhua often had fewer lines than the other members, particularly during the group's first several releases.

• Language was one reason she initially felt less confident singing in Korean. Pronunciation is especially noticeable when recording vocals, and Shuhua has discussed the difficulty of learning to express herself naturally in a second language.

• She received considerable criticism during i-dle's early years. Comments targeted everything from her Korean pronunciation and singing to her dancing and stage presence, adding pressure while she was still adapting to life in another country.

• Shuhua's confidence changed noticeably after i-dle's 2021 hiatus. When the group returned with "TOMBOY" in March 2022, fans immediately noticed that she appeared much more comfortable and assertive onstage.

• The "Nxde" era became another major showcase for her growth. The theatrical concept suited Shuhua's expressions and elegant visual style, and she received considerable attention for her performances.

• Her increased confidence also resulted in more memorable vocal moments. Rather than being known primarily as the member with very few lines, Shuhua gradually became more integrated into the group's vocal and performance arrangements.

• She is famously outspoken during livestreams. Shuhua has developed a reputation for responding directly to comments instead of maintaining an excessively polished idol persona.

• That bluntness has become one of her most recognizable personality traits. Fans often enjoy watching her react to teasing, strange questions or comments because there is a reasonable chance she will simply say exactly what she thinks.

• Shuhua has spoken against rigid beauty standards. She has discussed accepting natural features and has pushed back against the idea that women need to alter themselves simply to satisfy other people's expectations.

• She became particularly well known for preferring minimal makeup during her earlier career. Her willingness to appear more naturally helped reinforce the straightforward image that fans associate with her.

• Shuhua has also publicly criticized inappropriate behavior toward women. Her direct comments on harassment and personal boundaries have attracted attention because idols often avoid discussing socially sensitive subjects openly.

• She is extremely comfortable teasing the older members despite being the maknae. The traditional expectation that the youngest member should behave deferentially does not prevent Shuhua from arguing with, mocking or playfully challenging her unnies.

• Soyeon and Shuhua have a particularly funny leader-maknae dynamic. Soyeon may be responsible for directing recordings and performances, but outside work Shuhua has absolutely no problem teasing her leader.

• Shuhua and Soojin were particularly close during i-dle's original six-member era. Their friendship became popular among fans because the quieter Soojin often appeared especially affectionate and comfortable around Shuhua.

• The group's 2021 lineup change occurred during an important period in Shuhua's personal development. When i-dle eventually returned as five members, she had to assume a larger role in performances while the group reorganized its sound and stage formations.

• Shuhua spent significant time in Taiwan during i-dle's extended 2021 hiatus. The break gave her an opportunity to be with her family after years of living and working primarily in South Korea.

• She has a strong affection for animals. Dogs have appeared frequently in discussions about her life and interests, and her affection toward animals is one of the softer contrasts to her famously savage variety-show personality.

• Shuhua is known for sometimes ignoring the expected hierarchy of Korean speech for comedic effect. Her Korean has improved enormously since debut, but she occasionally plays with informal language and exaggerated expressions because the resulting reactions from the members are hilarious.

• Her ability to speak Korean has become part of her comedy rather than a limitation. Early in her career, language made her hesitant; years later, she uses Korean confidently enough to joke, argue and deliberately twist expressions for entertainment.

• She has increasingly pursued individual activities in Taiwan. Those appearances allow Shuhua to communicate in Mandarin and show a different side of herself than audiences usually see during Korean promotions.

• Shuhua's career development is unusually visible because fans watched the process happen publicly. She went from an 18-year-old foreign rookie struggling with Korean and receiving few lines to a much more confident performer capable of commanding attention during i-dle's biggest eras.

• Her transformation after "TOMBOY" is particularly important to understanding her popularity. Shuhua didn't suddenly become a different person; instead, years of language learning, training and stage experience allowed more of her existing personality to come through publicly.

• She remains i-dle's only Taiwanese member. Alongside Chinese member Yuqi and Thai member Minnie, Shuhua contributes to the multinational identity that has characterized the group since debut.

• When (G)I-DLE became i-dle in 2025, Shuhua had been with the group for seven years. The member who once struggled to speak comfortably during Korean broadcasts had by then spent most of her adult life working in South Korea.

• Shuhua's story is ultimately less about instant talent and more about visible growth. Her progression in Korean fluency, confidence, singing and stage presence makes her one of the clearest examples of how dramatically an idol can develop after debut.