Kang Ji-young (Korean: 강지영; born January 18, 1994), also known mononymously as Jiyoung or under the stage name JY, is a South Korean singer, songwriter and actress. At age 14, she rose to fame as a member of the South Korean girl group Kara, joining the group in 2008. Dubbed as "Hallyu Queens", Kara achieved mainstream success across Asia, particularly in Japan where they earned ten top-five singles on the Oricon Singles Chart, and became the first female South Korean act to perform at the Tokyo Dome. Kang left Kara in April 2014, but rejoined for the group's 15th anniversary commemorative album Move Again (2022), and subsequent concert tours (2024–2025).
After leaving Kara, Kang moved to Japan and shifted focus onto her acting career. She achieved recognition for her portrayal of characters in many live-action adaptations of popular manga series, including Yukime in the Nippon TV series Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube (2014), Irina Jelavić in the Assassination Classroom films (2015–2016), and Itori in the film Tokyo Ghoul S (2019). She is also known for her lead role in the science-fiction thriller series Orphan Black – 7 Genes (2017–2018). Aside from her Japanese-speaking roles, Kang has appeared in Korean dramas with a lead role in the JTBC series Sweet Munchies (2020), and has since appeared in a number of independent films.
Kang signed with Sony Music Japan as a solo artist in 2015. She released her debut studio album, Many Faces (2017), which spawned two top-ten singles in Japan, "Saigo no Sayonara" and "Suki na Hito ga Iru Koto". The latter was double certified by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). Aside from music and acting, Kang's modeling work has included being an exclusive model for the women's fashion magazine Non-no between 2014 and 2016, and being a global brand ambassador for the confectionery brand Kit Kat.
Kang Ji-young was born on January 18, 1994, in Paju, South Korea. She grew up in a Buddhist household, with two older sisters. At the age of 14, Kang auditioned for DSP Media and was accepted as a trainee in June 2008. She was encouraged to audition by her cousin, actress Kim Yoon-ji, who was also a trainee at the same company at the time. In addition to her native Korean, Kang speaks fluent Japanese, and she has some knowledge of English and Mandarin Chinese.
Kang attended Bongilcheon Middle School in Paju. After moving into a dormitory in Seoul with her fellow Kara members, she transferred to Kwanghee Middle School, and then attended Muhak Girls' High School, graduating in 2012. Following high school, in February 2013 she enrolled at Sungkyunkwan University, majoring in performing arts.
After a month of training, Kang joined the girl group Kara in 2008, following the departure of former member Kim Sung-hee. She made her broadcast debut alongside fellow newcomer to the group Goo Hara on July 24, 2008, performing on the music program M Countdown on Mnet. Their mini-album Rock U was released the next day, marking the group's first release as a quintet. Kara gained significant popularity following the release of their hit single "Mister" in 2009. The song was a critical and commercial success domestically, and successfully launched the group's career in Japan. Earning the moniker "Hallyu Queens", the group was included in the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 list as one of the most influential celebrities in South Korea, ranking 4th in 2012, and 13th in 2013. The group became the first female South Korean act to perform at the Tokyo Dome.
In April 2009, Kang was featured on the hip-hop duo Jumper's single "Dazzling" (눈이부셔). In September, she became a fixed guest DJ on the KBS Cool FM radio show Kiss the Radio alongside member Park Gyu-ri. She also joined the MBC Standard FM radio show Stop the Boring Time that same year, hosting the "Tasting Corner" segment. In July 2010, Kang began presenting the MBC Every1 variety show I Love Pets alongside member Han Seung-yeon. That same month, Kang made a guest appearance on the SBS variety program Haha Mong Show, and was later promoted to a series regular in September. However, following allegations that fellow host MC Mong had attempted to evade his mandatory military service, the show was canceled after episode 11, with the rest of the recorded episodes remaining unaired.
In December 2010, Kang was featured on the soundtrack for the drama Big Thing alongside Park Gyu-ri, with the track "My Love". That same month, she released a digital single titled "Merry Love", in collaboration with Supernova's Kim Sung-je. The song was later re-recorded in Japanese and released in Japan on March 23, 2011. In January 2011, Kang announced that she would be terminating her contract with DSP Media alongside members Han Seung-yeon and Nicole Jung, citing that the company forced them to perform against their will, insulted their character and signed various contracts on their behalf without explaining the details; a lawsuit was filed on their behalf. The dispute was amicably resolved between the two parties on April 28, 2011, with the members returning to DSP Media.
Kang joined the cast of the second season of the KBS reality show Invincible Youth in October 2011. The series premiered on November 11, 2011, and the last episode aired on November 17, 2012. Also in October 2011, Kang was cast as the lead role in the romantic drama series Rainbow Rose. The show was developed as a South Korean and Japanese co-production, and was partially funded by the Korean Film Council. Consisting of 12 episodes, the series premiered in Japan on TV Tokyo on April 13, 2012, and subsequently aired in South Korea on Tooniverse from September 7, 2012. Kang recorded the track "Rainbow Rose", which was used as the show's main theme. The song was later released digitally in South Korea on October 11 of that year.
In September 2012, Kang was cast in the espionage thriller series Iris II: New Generation, but dropped out in January 2013 due to creative differences between the network and Kang's agency. Kang released her solo single "Wanna Do" on November 30, 2012, in support of the compilation album Kara Solo Collection. The music video, co-starring Park Geon-il, was released on the same day. She performed the song on the SBS music program Inkigayo on December 16. As part of the 2012 SBS Gayo Daejeon, an end-of-year music festival, Kang joined fellow idols Sistar's Yoon Bo-ra, 4Minute's Heo Ga-yoon, Secret's Han Sun-hwa and After School's Lizzy, to form the supergroup Mystic White. They performed the charity single "Mermaid Princess" (인어공주) at the festival, and it peaked at number 10 on the Gaon Digital Chart.
On January 15, 2014, Kang announced her departure from Kara, citing a desire to study abroad and focus on her acting career. Following the end of her contract with DSP Media in April 2014, she moved to London to study English. Kang starred opposite Bae Soo-bin in the anthology series Secret Love, which began airing on the cable channel Dramacube on June 13, 2014. The series was directed by Kim Kyu-tae and filmed in May 2013, prior to Kang's departure from the group.
2014–2016: Film and television breakthrough in Japan, and solo Japanese debut
While living in London, Kang was approached by the president of the Japanese talent agency, Sweet Power. She signed with the agency as an actress in August 2014, and subsequently moved to Japan. In September, Kang was cast in her first Japanese-language role as Yukime, a yuki-onna who has fallen in love with the main protagonist, in the live-action television adaptation of Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube. The show consisted of ten episodes, and premiered on Nippon TV on October 11. For her role as Yukime, Kang was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Television Drama Academy Awards, hosted by Kadokawa. That same month, Kang starred in the police procedural television movie Higanbana: Women's Crime File, portraying Kaoruko Nagami, a researcher at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. The movie aired on Nippon TV on October 24.