Wendy was born on February 21, 1994 in Seongbuk-dong, Seoul, South Korea.[1][3][4] She lived with her family in Jecheon until her fifth year of elementary school, when she moved to Canada to study abroad under her English name, Wendy Shon.[5] Wendy attended Shattuck-Saint Mary's in Faribault, Minnesota, where she was an honor student and athlete and had earned various awards for academics and music-related activities.[2][6] She later studied at Richmond Hill High School in Richmond Hill, Greater Toronto, Ontario, where she participated in the school's show choir called Vocal Fusion.[7]