Ryu was born in Busan, Yeongnam. As an autobiographical detail, she said that her friends had suggested for her to compete in a pageant since being in middle school.
Pageantry
Ryu debuted as a runner-up in Miss Korea 2020. She won a Miss Korea Sun after the event wherein the judges selected five winners: one Miss Korea Jin, two Miss Korea Suns and two titleholders of Miss Korea Mi. Returning in 2024, she finished as Miss Korea. She reportedly had a break from NYU Shanghai in the winter of 2023 to allocate time in the pageant.