Jeon Won-woo‎

Biography

Jeon Won-woo (Korean: 전원우; born July 17, 1996), known mononymously as Wonwoo (원우), is a South Korean rapper and singer. Managed by Pledis Entertainment, he is a member of the South Korean boy band Seventeen, its hip hop team, and its second subunit, JxW.

Early life and education

Jeon Wonwoo was born in Changwon, South Korea, on July 17, 1996. He attended the School of Performing Arts Seoul and graduated in 2015.

2011–2014: Pre-debut

Wonwoo joined Pledis Entertainment in 2011, while in his third year of middle school., where he would undergo singing and dancing training for four years. As a trainee, he participated from the first season onwards of Seventeen TV, an online reality show that introduced Pledis' trainees and showed potential members of the boy group Seventeen before their official debut. The show was broadcast periodically on Ustream, where the trainees showed themselves training, singing, creating choreographies and playing games. The online show also included participation in concerts, titled Like Seventeen.

2015–present: Seventeen and solo and sub-unit activities

In 2015, Wonwoo debuted as a member of the South Korean boy group Seventeen with the extended play 17 Carat on May 29. Within the 13-member group, he was selected to be a member of its hip-hop unit. Since debuting in Seventeen, he has participated in the songwriting of over 35 songs, the majority of which being songs performed by the hip-hop unit.
In 2021, Wonwoo and Seventeen bandmate Mingyu released a digital single titled "Bittersweet", featuring Lee Hi. "Bittersweet" ranked first on the iTunes song chart in ten regions upon release.
In 2022, Wonwoo released a cover of IU's "Knees" as a tribute to his late mother.
In 2023, Wonwoo was featured in Dive Studio's Mindset series, releasing three episodes detailing his relationship with his mental health.
In 2024, Wonwoo and bandmate Jeonghan debuted as Seventeen's second official subunit named Jeonghan X Wonwoo, alternatively known as JxW, with the single album This Man. The album featured three tracks, including Wonwoo's first commercially released solo song "Leftover", where he is credited for songwriting. Achieving commercial success, This Man broke the first-week sales record for an album released by a K-pop sub-unit within four days of its release.

Fashion and ambassadorships

In November 2022, Wonwoo was announced as the new sole model for South Korean cosmetic brand Huxley. In June 2023, Wonwoo made his first appearance on the cover of Japanese fashion magazine Men's Non-no, alongside Seventeen member DK. The pair would go on to be featured in other issues cataloguing their fashion. He would again be featured on the cover for the magazine's July 2024 issue alongside Jeonghan, in promotion of This Man. In September 2023, Wonwoo attended British luxury fashion house Burberry's opening of their new pop-up store in Seoul. He then attended the brand's 2025 Autumn/Winter fashion show at London Fashion Week in February 2025.
In March 2024, Wonwoo attended an event for luxury suitcase brand Rimowa in Seoul. In April, he was announced as the new global model for South Korean cosmetic brand The Face Shop. In June, Wonwoo, alongside Seventeen members S.Coups and Vernon, became the new global brand ambassadors for Chitato, an Indonesian snack brand under Indofood. In December, he was selected as the newest brand ambassador for Japanese optical brand Jins Eyewear.

Philanthropy

In March 2019, Wonwoo donated his personal items for auction by Nabiya Cat Shelter, an animal shelter in Seoul. He again donated items for their 2022 auction drive.

Personal life

Wonwoo lives in Seoul with bandmate Mingyu. He enjoys video games, frequently hosting livestreams of games via Weverse. He is a fan of South Korean esports team T1.

Military service

On March 5, 2025, Pledis Entertainment announced that Wonwoo would begin his mandatory military service on April 3, after Seventeen's fan meeting in Incheon. He began serving as a social service worker on that date.

Composition credits

All credits are adapted from the Korea Music Copyright Association.