Lee Chae Yeon

Lee Chae Yeon built her public profile through one of K-pop's most competitive talent pipelines, emerging from the Produce 48 survival format in 2018 as a member of the project group IZ\*ONE. Before that, she had already drawn attention as a trainee through *Sixteen*, the 2015 JYP competition that launched TWICE — a near-miss that shaped her trajectory and underlined her persistence as a performer.

Debut and early path

Chae Yeon's road to a debut was notably long and visible. Her appearance on *Sixteen* at fifteen placed her in front of a national audience without a guaranteed outcome, and the years that followed involved continued training before she entered *Produce 48*, the Mnet competition that placed Korean trainees alongside Japanese idol candidates. Finishing within the top twelve secured her a spot in IZ\*ONE, the twelve-member multinational group that went on to become one of the dominant acts of the 2019–2021 K-pop cycle under Off The Record Entertainment.

Solo career

Following IZ\*ONE's scheduled conclusion in April 2021, Chae Yeon continued as a solo artist under WM Entertainment and subsequently with DayOneDream, the label where she is currently signed alongside acts including BTOB. Her solo work has kept her active on the performance and variety circuit. She has appeared on *Amazing Saturday*, where a 2026 episode featured a playful segment with her younger sister, fellow idol Chaeryeong of ITZY — the two engaging in on-screen sibling rivalry after Chae Yeon revealed their mother had urged her not to be outdone by her younger sibling, a moment that landed warmly with viewers.

Activities

Beyond music releases, Chae Yeon has maintained a steady presence across Korean entertainment programming. Her signing with DayOneDream, announced in early 2026, was framed by the label as the foundation for expanded global activities, with the agency citing her performance capabilities as central to their plans.