Yuqi

Yuqi was born on September 23, 1999, in Beijing, China. Her full Chinese name is Song Yuqi (宋雨琦), while her Korean stage name, 우기, represents the Korean pronunciation of the characters in her given name.

• She attended Beijing 101 Middle School, a well-known school in the Chinese capital. Before pursuing entertainment professionally, Yuqi was a student with strong academic interests who also devoted considerable time to music and dance.

• Yuqi became interested in K-pop while growing up in China. She watched Korean performances and dance videos, eventually becoming determined to pursue the same career despite the challenges involved in moving abroad.

• She auditioned for Cube Entertainment in Beijing in 2015. Her audition included a performance of CLC's "High Heels" and G.E.M.'s "Bubble," demonstrating both her dancing and singing abilities.

• Yuqi has spoken about auditioning for SM Entertainment before choosing Cube. She revealed that she had tried out for SM multiple times and eventually received interest from both companies, making her decision to join Cube an important turning point.

• Her parents initially opposed her dream of becoming a K-pop idol. They were concerned about their teenage daughter moving to another country to enter an extremely competitive industry, but Yuqi continued trying to convince them to support her ambitions.

• She moved to South Korea in 2016 to begin her trainee career. The relocation meant learning Korean, adapting to a different culture and living away from her family while preparing for a debut that was not guaranteed.

• Yuqi became highly proficient in Korean despite growing up speaking Mandarin. In 2020, she reportedly achieved Level 5 on the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK), demonstrating how much her language skills had developed since moving to Seoul.

• She debuted with (G)I-DLE on May 2, 2018, with "LATATA." Yuqi was one of the group's three foreign members alongside Minnie from Thailand and Shuhua from Taiwan.

• Her naturally deep voice is one of her most recognizable characteristics. Unlike the lighter vocal tones often associated with female K-pop singers, Yuqi's husky lower register gives her singing an immediately distinctive quality.

• Yuqi initially felt insecure about her voice after moving to Korea. In a 2024 interview with the Recording Academy, she explained that encouragement from others helped her recognize that her unusual vocal tone was an advantage rather than something she needed to change.

• She joined the Chinese variety show Keep Running in 2019. The program is the Chinese adaptation of the Korean Running Man format and helped introduce Yuqi to a broader audience outside K-pop.

• Her appearances on Keep Running established her as an entertainer in her own right. Rather than appearing only as a visiting K-pop idol, she became known for her competitive personality, quick reactions and willingness to participate enthusiastically in physical challenges.

• Yuqi hosted the Korean variety series Learn Way beginning in 2020. The show followed her as she met experts and attempted to learn unfamiliar skills, ranging from traditional Korean singing to broadcasting and other professions.

• Her Learn Way episodes became popular because of her confidence and humor. Yuqi frequently approached unfamiliar situations with exaggerated enthusiasm, making her personality as important to the show's appeal as the challenges themselves.

• Yuqi began developing her songwriting career while promoting with i-dle. She co-created "I'm the Trend" with Minnie in 2020, helping establish that the group's music was not produced exclusively by leader Soyeon.

• She contributed Chinese lyrics to i-dle songs including "DUMDi DUMDi." Her multilingual background has allowed her to participate in adapting the group's music for different audiences.

• Yuqi has written or co-written numerous i-dle songs, including "Lost," "Polaroid," "Liar" and "Reset." Her compositions frequently explore emotional vulnerability, personal relationships and self-confidence.

• She composed "Rain" for Miyeon's 2022 solo mini album MY. Yuqi later explained that having her composition selected for another member's album made her feel recognized as a songwriter.

• Yuqi released her first solo project, A Page, on May 13, 2021. The digital single album included "Giant" and "Bonnie & Clyde," two songs that showcased a different musical direction from her work with i-dle.

• "Bonnie & Clyde" became one of her most recognizable early solo songs. Its dramatic, electronic sound and rebellious themes established a confident musical identity that she continued exploring in later releases.

• Yuqi collaborated with Alan Walker and JVKE on "Fire!" in 2023. The international collaboration introduced her voice to listeners who might not otherwise have encountered i-dle's music.

• She was featured on Choi Yena's 2023 song "Hate Rodrigo." The collaboration highlighted her connections with other female K-pop soloists and allowed her to participate in a playful pop-rock concept.

• Yuqi made her Korean solo mini-album debut with YUQ1 on April 23, 2024. The project included seven tracks and represented a more substantial exploration of her musical identity than her earlier two-song release.

• The title track "FREAK" celebrates individuality and self-confidence. Yuqi explained that the song was inspired partly by people questioning her outspoken personality and that she wanted listeners to feel comfortable being different.

• Her YUQ1 album featured a distinctive red rabbit character. The mascot appeared throughout the project's visuals and reflected her interest in combining playful imagery with darker, slightly mysterious concepts.

• Minnie appeared on Yuqi's solo song "Everytime." The collaboration demonstrated the close musical relationship between i-dle's two foreign-born songwriters and gave fans an opportunity to hear their voices together outside the group's usual arrangements.

• Yuqi has described herself as both confident and emotionally sensitive. Although variety programs frequently emphasize her energetic and outspoken personality, she has explained that she also cries easily and experiences moments of insecurity.

• She released "Radio (Dum-Dum)" in March 2025. The song continued her solo activities between major album releases and expanded her discography beyond the material included on YUQ1.

• Yuqi released her solo single album Motivation in September 2025. The project represented another step in her development as a songwriter and performer while she continued promoting with i-dle.

• Her second solo mini album, 二十七 (27), was released on October 8, 2026. The title refers to her age in 2026 and reflects a more personal approach to documenting her experiences and emotions through music.

• Yuqi participated in writing and composing every song on 二十七 (27). The six-track album includes "Stay," "I Like You," "Chamomile Tea," "Feels Right," "快乐" and "银河之舞," emphasizing her growing independence as a songwriter.

• The title track "Stay" explores youth, uncertainty and the importance of meaningful relationships. Rather than presenting adulthood as a period of complete confidence, the song reflects on continuing forward despite an unpredictable future.

• "I Like You" was released with a music video ahead of the full album. Yuqi participated in writing and composing the track, which encourages listeners to recognize their own worth rather than allowing outside opinions to define them.

• One of Yuqi's greatest strengths is her ability to maintain careers in two entertainment industries. She promotes with i-dle in South Korea while also participating in Chinese television, music and commercial projects, giving her a substantial audience in both countries.