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On Thursday, February 9, 2023, IVE’s Jang Wonyoung officially graduated from the prestigious SOPA (School of Performing Arts Seoul). Her pictures from the school yearbook went viral on Twitter as fans gushed over her visuals in the yellow and navy uniform.
The fact that the IVE member has been trending does not come as a surprise, since she is known for taking over the internet with her charms every now and then. Naturally, her school yearbook photos also went viral.
SOPA is one of the top art schools in South Korea, especially for idol trainees. Many notable celebrities have graduated from the school, including BTS’ Jung Kook, Bae Suzy, EXO’s Kai, several NCT members, Lee Hye-ri, and Hwang Min-hyun.
“Congratulations Wonyoung” trends as fans celebrate IVE member’s high school graduation
IVE’s Jang Wonyoung did not attend her high school graduation ceremony on February 9, 2023, but her fans made sure to celebrate it online. They showered the idol with compliments, praise, and even made her name trend on Twitter.
On the same day, local outlets reported that the After LIKE singer decided not to attend the ceremony due to concerns about a massive fan crowd gathering. SOPA graduations are a big deal in the K-pop industry, since it is many idols’ preferred school.
Fans not only commented on the singer’s graduation pictures but also praised her for keeping other students’ comfort in mind. However, there were some contrasting reports that mentioned she opted out of the ceremony due to schedule conflicts.
The yearbook pictures made fans emotional and they began posting edits under #CongratulationsWonyoung to showcase their love for her.
Fans first met the singer on the 2018 show Produce 48 and saw her debut through the now-disbanded group, IZ*ONE. She was 14 years old when she debuted. She built a loyal fandom from the get-go, which has seen her go from a middle-schooler to now becoming a high school graduate.
Take a look at how fans’ celebrated the IVE singer’s graduation below:
Wonyoung messaged fans on a fan-artist texting app to thank them personally. She expressed her gratitude towards fans who have supported her and even mentioned how important graduation day was for her.
Meanwhile, in an official statement via her agency Starship Entertainment, the IVE singer said:
“Thank you to everyone who congratulated me on my graduation. Sadly, I couldn’t meet and say hello to my classmates and teachers, but I want to say thank you. I still can’t believe I’m already 20 years old (in Korean age), and it feels awkward. But now that I’m an adult, I will take more responsibility for my actions and show a more mature image.”
Other idols who also graduated on February 9 from SOPA are TREASURE's Park Jeong-woo BLITZERS‘ Jo Woo-joo, LIGHTSUM‘s Lee Yoo-jung, Weeekly‘s Lee Jae-hee, Hi Cutie‘s Yoon Eun-ki, and ATBO‘s Kim Yeon-kyu.
In other news, IVE will be holding its first concert, titled The Prom Queens, on February 11 and 12 at the Olympic Park in Seoul.
