She first gained prominence after participating in Mnet's reality competition series Produce 48 in 2018, where she finished in third place and debuted with Iz*One on October 29, 2018.

Following Iz*One's disbandment in April 2021, Jo embarked on a successful solo career, releasing her debut single album Glassy in October 2021, which garnered her several nominations for Rookie of the Year at major music awards.

In addition to her music career, Jo has ventured into acting, making her debut in the web series Mimicus (2022) and later having a main role in Squid Game 2 (2024/2025).

[20] In December 2022, Jo made a special appearance in episode 7 of the second season of Work Later, Drink Now portraying Sieun, a juvenile delinquent.

[22] On May 24, 2023, Jo and actress Chae Soo-bin released the promotional single "Yellow Circle" in collaboration with Lipton and Starship Entertainment.

[26] On July 25, it was announced that Jo would be releasing her second extended play titled Love All, alongside the lead single "Taxi", on August 9.

[28] On October 25, Jo released the track "Spring Days pass" for tvN television series Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born.

[29] In August 2022, Jo was selected as a promotional model for Logitech G Aurora Collection, a gaming gear line with a pastel color scheme.