Park Cho-rong (Korean: 박초롱; born March 3, 1991), better known mononymously as Chorong, is a South Korean singer, songwriter and actress. She is best known as the leader of the South Korean girl group Apink.
Park Cho-rong was born in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea on March 3, 1991. She is a middle child, having an older and a younger sister. As a daughter of a Hapkido master and academy owner, Park was trained in the said martial art for eight years.[1] She trained from her first year in elementary school until her third year of junior high; she holds a third degree black belt.[2][3] During her school days, Park attended Byungsul Kindergarten, Bukang Elementary School, Bukang Middle High School, and Choongbook High School.
Park auditioned for JYP Entertainment's fifth official audition in 2009 where she successfully made it to the final round.[4] However, she was eventually eliminated, and afterwards, joined Cube Entertainment as a trainee before transferring to A Cube Entertainment, formely an independent label under Cube Entertainment now known as IST Entertainment.
In February 2011, Park was announced as the second member and leader of Apink. Prior to the announcement, she appeared at the end of Beast's "Shock" Japanese version music video.[5] Before her debut with Apink, Park, together with the rest of the Apink members, took part in the filming of Apink News which was the group's pre-debut reality show.[6] On April 19, 2011, Apink released its first single "Mollayo" and on April 21, Park debuted as a member of Apink on Mnet's M! Countdown performing their songs "Mollayo", and "Wishlist" which were included on their debut EP Seven Springs of Apink.[7]
On April 28, 2023, IST Entertainment announced that Park did not renew her contract with the company but will still be part of the group.[8] On the same day, Park signed an exclusive contract with Choi Creative Lab.[9]
On July 2, 2024, Park released her first digital single "모르시나요".[10]
Park started her acting career by appearing on the 2010 sitcom All My Love playing a character named Chorong, following the departure of Brown Eyed Girls' Gain.[11][12] She then made a cameo appearance on Reply 1997 as the teenage version of Lee Il-Hwa, the mother of the lead role Sung Shi-won (played by Jung Eun-ji) along with her fellow Apink member Yoon Bo-mi.[13] Park had her first leading role in the romantic comedy Plus Nine Boys as Han Soo-ah, a popular but mysterious high-school girl; a character opposite to BtoB's Yook Sungjae's character.[14] In 2017, she starred on Naver TV Cast's web drama Special Law of Romance alongside Kim Min-kyu and VIXX's Hyuk.[15]
^Lee, Nam-kyung (April 28, 2023). 박초롱·윤보미·김남주·오하영 전속계약, 초이크리에이티브랩과 체결 “앞으로도 에이핑크”(전문)[공식] [Cho-rong Park, Bo-mi Yoon, Nam-joo Kim, and Ha-young Oh signed exclusive contracts with Choi Creative Lab.]. MBN Star (in Korean). Retrieved April 28, 2023.
^"뉴스 : 네이버 TV연예". m.entertain.naver.com. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
^Kim Soo-jin (May 19, 2022). "박초롱, 오디오 드라마 '아파도 하고 싶은' 출연" [Park Chorong to appear in the audio drama 'Even if it hurts] (in Korean). MT Star News. Retrieved May 19, 2022 – via Naver.
^Park Eun-hye (August 31, 2021). "이지훈♥'아야네, 뷰티예능 '스타일미' MC 발탁…김소은X고은아X초롱과 호흡(공식)" [‘Lee Ji-hoon ♥’ Ayane, beauty entertainment ‘Style Me’ MC selected… Kim So-eun X Go Eun-ah X Chorong and Breathing (Official)]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved August 31, 2021 – via Naver.
^Park Eun-hae (March 30, 2022). "박초롱, '스타일미 시즌3' MC…내달 17일 첫 방송" [Park Chorong, 'Style Me Season 3' MC... First broadcast on the 17th of next month] (in Korean). Newsis. Retrieved March 30, 2022 – via Naver.
