Solji (솔지)

Among EXID's five members, Solji has long occupied a distinct position: the group's leader and most prominent vocal presence, whose range and stage authority anchored the group's sound through one of K-pop's more unlikely comeback stories. Born Heo Sol-ji on January 10, 1989, she came to EXID with professional experience already behind her, and has since extended her career well beyond the group frame — into broadcasting, competition television, and academia.

Before EXID

Solji's musical career predates her best-known work. She was a member of 2NB (투앤비), a duo-format act that gave her early professional footing in the industry before she transitioned into the role she is now identified with. That background as a working vocalist, rather than a trainee debuting fresh, shaped the technical confidence that would later define EXID's live reputation.

Leader and Main Vocalist of EXID

Within EXID, Solji has served as both leader and main vocalist — a dual responsibility that placed her at the center of the group's identity. EXID's trajectory is one of the more documented turnaround narratives in the idol sector: the group's profile rose sharply after a fancam of their performance of "Up & Down" went viral in 2014, years after a muted debut, and Solji's vocal performance was central to the material that sustained the group's subsequent releases and television appearances.

Her schedule during EXID's active peak was, by her own account, punishing. Appearing on the variety program *Jeon Hyun-moo's Plan 3*, she described performing at eight separate events in a single day while simultaneously fitting in music show appearances — a workload she recalled as pushing the limits of what was manageable. The disclosure drew public attention to the conditions idols can face during high-demand promotional cycles.

Solo Activities and Competition Television

Away from the group, Solji has become a recurring presence on Korean broadcasting's vocal competition format. Her appearances on *Current Singer King 3* in early 2026 traced a visible arc: she advanced through fierce competition among established active singers, survived multiple elimination rounds including one that prompted a candid on-camera breakdown — she described feeling "anxious and struggling" — and ultimately secured a place in the show's TOP7 alongside artists including Hong Ji-yoon. The run also marked her first steps into trot, a genre she had not previously worked in professionally, attending the finale press conference as one of the format's newly confirmed performers.

A separate international competition, *Korea-Japan King of Singers*, placed her against Japanese vocalist Bon Inoue, who had previously awarded her a low score — a result she publicly treated as unfinished business going into the rematch.

In May 2026, a less scripted moment drew its own attention: Solji arrived late to a live radio broadcast at MBC and was photographed running through the lobby to reach the studio in time. She appeared as a guest on *Son Tae-jin's* radio program, where, tardiness aside, her vocal performance on air drew favorable notice.

Beyond Performance

Solji holds a faculty position at Yongin Arts and Science University, where she teaches in the practical music vocal department. The appointment places her among a relatively small number of active idol-era performers who have moved into formal music education while continuing to perform — a combination that reflects both her technical background and her longevity in the industry.

Standing

More than a decade into a career that has included a duo act, group leadership, solo broadcasting work, trot, international competition, and university teaching, Solji represents a particular kind of sustained professional presence in Korean pop. Her visibility in 2025 and 2026 — across multiple competitive programs and broadcast appearances — suggests an artist continuing to find new contexts for a vocal ability that has remained the throughline of her public identity.