Every summer, one name floods K-pop timelines across Asia: Kwon Eun Bi, the soloist crowned the “Waterbomb Goddess.” But the woman behind the viral clips is far more than a single festival stage. She’s a trained dancer, a former girl-group leader, a singer-songwriter and an actress who has spent more than a decade carving out a place in an industry that rarely gives anyone a second chance — let alone a third. Here’s the full story behind the headlines.
From a Backup Dancer to “Kazoo”
Long before she was a household name, Kwon was a teenager chasing a dream her parents weren’t sure about. Kwon Eun-bi was born on September 27, 1995, in Geumcheon District, Seoul; her family consists of her parents and an older brother, and she graduated from the School of Performing Arts Seoul. In middle school she told her parents she wanted to attend a dance academy, but they were initially against her becoming a singer and told her to treat dance only as a hobby.
She pursued it anyway. When she was 17, she worked as a backup dancer for girl groups such as Secret and Girl’s Day — encouraged by Girl’s Day’s Hyeri, her high-school senior, to pursue idol life — all while working part-time at a Paris Baguette store. She also joined a dance crew called PLAY and began playing the guitar during these years.
Her first real debut came in 2014. Kwon debuted in the eight-member girl group Ye-A under the stage name “Kazoo” on July 18, 2014, with the single “National Treasure.” The group fizzled quickly. She presumably left Ye-A in early 2015, then auditioned for several entertainment companies before signing with Woollim Entertainment. For a lesser artist, that might have been the end — but it was only the beginning.
Produce 48, IZ*ONE and Becoming a Leader
In 2018, Kwon walked back onto a stage as a seasoned underdog. She was one of four Woollim Entertainment trainees who competed on the Mnet survival show Produce 48, a collaboration between the Produce 101 series and Japanese idol group AKB48. She consistently ranked among the Top 12 and finished in 7th place, debuting in IZ*ONE alongside fellow Woollim trainee Kim Chae-won and being named the group’s leader.
That leadership role wasn’t handed down by the company. She was unanimously voted leader by the members themselves — not a decision made by the agency. She became a member and leader of the South Korean–Japanese group IZ*ONE on August 31, 2018, and the 12-piece group went on to become one of K-pop’s most beloved project acts before disbanding in April 2021. Kwon also quietly built creative credentials along the way: in February 2020 she made her debut as a songwriter, writing and composing “Spaceship” for IZ*ONE’s first studio album Bloom*Iz.
Going Solo: “Open,” “Door” and a New Identity
When IZ*ONE disbanded, Kwon moved fast. Following the group’s disbandment in April 2021, she made her solo debut on August 24, 2021, with her first mini album Open — making her the first member of IZ*ONE to embark on a solo music career following the disbandment.
That came with pressure. In an interview around her debut, Kwon admitted she felt “a lot of weight on my shoulders about needing to show my own colours” as she prepared to release the EP Open, fronted by the single “Door.” The track itself was a statement of intent. Composed by Hwang Hyun and Jung Ho Hyun, “Door” is an electro-swing song with funky, jazzy elements, with lyrics co-written by Kwon about expressing a new side of oneself in a secret space.
The concept leaned theatrical and whimsical. For the music video, Kwon drew inspiration from children’s books, particularly Alice in Wonderland, navigating colorful hallways and doors into a fantasy world while wearing a crown with bunny ears. The gamble paid off creatively and commercially — the lead single “Door” debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s World Digital Songs chart.
Kwon Eun Bi’s official solo debut MV for “Door” (Video: KWON EUN BI Official / Woollim Entertainment on YouTube).
Recognition followed. After her solo debut, Kwon was nominated for Rookie of the Year at the 36th Golden Disc Awards, Best New Female Artist at the 2021 MAMA, and Rookie of the Year at the 31st Seoul Music Awards, and won Best Emotive Singer at the 2021 Asia Artist Awards. She kept building, releasing the EP Color with title track “Glitch” in 2022 and the single album The Flash in 2023, with which she achieved her first solo music show win on SBS M’s The Show.
The “Waterbomb Goddess” Moment
Then came the summer that changed everything. On June 23, 2023, Kwon received attention for her viral performance at Waterbomb Seoul 2023, which led outlets such as The Korea Economic Daily and Hankook Ilbo to dub her the “Waterbomb Goddess” and the new “Summer Queen.” Since that breakout appearance, she has captivated audiences with her sultry performance style and figure-accentuating outfits, quickly becoming a festival icon.
Waterbomb itself is a phenomenon. Founded by Volume Unit Entertainment and organized by Madeone, the annual festival launched in 2015 in Seoul and has expanded to other cities and countries, mixing music, dance and art with a focus on K-pop, hip-hop and EDM. Its viral nature can be career-defining: solo artist Kwon Eun-bi and girl group Cignature, previously little-known to the general public, became breakout stars after their Waterbomb performances went viral.
In 2025 she cemented the title for a third straight year. Kwon performed on July 6 at “Waterbomb Seoul 2025,” held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. She returned to the stage for her third consecutive year, solidifying her place as one of the event’s headline acts. Part of her appeal is accessibility: her cropped shirt reportedly retailed around 100,000 won, with the bikini around 70,000 won and the suede boots in the 80,000 won range — proof she can deliver a standout festival look with relatively affordable pieces.
Beyond the Stage — and What’s Next
Kwon’s range stretches well past music. In 2022 she joined the cast of the musical Midnight Sun as Seo Haena, alongside Ha Sung-woon, SHINee’s Onew, Pentagon’s Jinho and APINK’s Kim Nam-joo. She debuted as a DJ for SBS’s Young Street in 2023 and won first place on Kakao’s GIRL’S “RE:VERSE,” earning a spot in the virtual group FE:VERSE. In 2024 she made her acting debut in the Japanese film series Stolen Identity 3.
Importantly, fans and critics stress that the “goddess” label is only one facet. The Waterbomb Festival has often been criticized for oversexualizing performers, but Eunbi balanced this by highlighting her talent and presence, gaining respect as an artist dedicated to her craft. She has continued releasing music too, including the digital single “Snowfall” featuring Coogie in January 2025 and “Hello Stranger” in April 2025.
Now a new chapter begins. On March 31, 2026, Kwon departed Woollim Entertainment and signed with RBW on April 22. RBW is led by CEO Kim Jin-u and composer Kim Do-hoon, and is home to girl group Mamamoo and band One We. The agency called her a solo artist who has proven her unique presence on stage with outstanding vocal and performance skills, saying it was delighted to accompany her on her musical journey.
From a part-time bakery job and a failed debut to leading IZ*ONE and reigning over Korea’s biggest summer festival, Kwon Eun Bi has built something rare in K-pop: a career defined by reinvention on her own terms. The “Waterbomb Goddess” nickname grabs the headlines — but as her story makes clear, it barely scratches the surface.
Sources:
Kwon Eun-bi — Wikipedia;
The Korea Times — Kwon Eun-bi stuns again with ‘Waterbomb’ look;
The Korea Times — Korea’s water-soaked festivals;
South China Morning Post;
Soompi;
Star News Korea;
Waterbomb festival — Wikipedia.
