Kang Hye-won

Kang Hye-won is a South Korean actress and singer born on July 5, 1999, in Yangsan, South Korea. She first gained widespread recognition as a contestant on Mnet's survival reality show Produce 48 in 2018, where she finished in 8th place with 248,432 votes, securing her spot as a member of the project girl group Iz*One. The group officially debuted on October 29, 2018, with the extended play Color*Iz and its lead single "La Vie en Rose," marking the beginning of her professional career in the entertainment industry. As a member of Iz*One, Kang participated in the group's successful Korean and Japanese promotions until their official disbandment on April 29, 2021. Following the group's conclusion, she returned to 8D Creative (later 8D Entertainment) as a trainee and began transitioning into solo activities, exploring both music and acting opportunities that would showcase her versatility as an artist.

After Iz*One's disbandment, Kang expanded her career into acting, making her debut in the third season of the web series Best Mistake in July 2021, portraying the character Jin Se-hee. She continued to build her acting filmography with roles in Seasons of Blossom (2022) and the hit Coupang Play series Boyhood (2023), which achieved remarkable success with a 2,914% increase in viewership during its finale compared to its first week. Her performance in Boyhood earned her recognition as one of the "2024 Rising Actress to Look Forward to" by entertainment industry insiders. In addition to acting, Kang pursued her musical career by releasing the winter special album W in December 2021, featuring the lead single "Winter Poem," followed by the single "Like A Diamond" featuring Stella Jang in 2022. She has also established herself as a sought-after model and brand ambassador, representing numerous brands including New Balance, Vaseline Korea, Roem, Narciso Rodriguez, and the Japanese fashion brand SNIDEL. On April 29, 2025, she signed with Peace Entertainment, and later that year made her Japanese drama debut as the female lead in Gimbap and Onigiri alongside Eiji Akaso, further expanding her international presence.