Her mother entered her into the 1995 regional Miss Korea pageant in Washington, D.C., where she finished as the first runner-up and was scouted by a music producer.

[4][5][6] She studied jazz at NOVA in Virginia, but took a leave of absence in 1997 and returned to South Korea in order to become a singer.

[8] During that period, J provided vocals for Yoo Seung-jun’s 1st and 2nd albums and contributed to the soundtrack of the movie Hallelujah.

Her song "Gotta Get Love" was featured on The Official Album of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan Edition.

[10] In 2012, J hosted Arirang TV's The Sensation,[11] a music-focused series that introduced traditional Korean instruments, music, and dance through multiple venues including concerts, studio audience tapings, and award-winning documentaries geared towards a world-wide English-speaking audience.