Unapologetically YOUNGJI

A rising star who topped headlines with her musical prowess and vivacious onscreen personality, South Korean rapper Lee Youngji shifts into high gear as she begins her first Asia tour

- CALVIN CHONG

If you're part of the K-wave right now, the name "Lee Youngji" will ring a couple of bells, especially since she's had multiple accolades that shot her to international stardom in the past year. She was crowned the first female winner of the wildly popular South Korean rap competition, Show Me The Money. She's also the host of her own YouTube series My Alcohol Diary, where she gathers some of the biggest K-pop acts including Ive, BTS and Blackpink for candid interviews, amassing millions of views and a huge global following. Capping those achievements is her latest appointment as Coach's Global Ambassador. Lee has definitely risen to be an unstoppable force in fashion, arts and entertainment.

Our first encounter with Lee at the recent Coach Spring 2024 show proved to be everything we imagined her to be: a warm, humorous and charismatic personality that lights up rooms with her electric energy. Post fashion week, Lee is diving straight back to work as she readies herself for her first Asia tour "The Main Character", which will be held in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and more. Ahead of her Singapore show, we caught up with Lee during our cover shoot to talk fashion, music and the "Courage To Be Real".

The past year has been a meaningful one for you, with multiple new projects and being named Coach's Global Ambassador. How are you feeling right now?

I feel great! You said this is a meaningful year, but I think the past two years have been more of a resting period for me. I was working on a lot of things, but I still feel like there's more to the journey and room to grow. For the coming year, I'm looking to ramp up and show much more.

How do you think rap music has evolved over the years?