In January 2016, Kang, together with fellow trainees Kim Na-young and Kim Se-jeong, represented Jellyfish Entertainment on reality girl group survival show Produce 101 for the chance to debut in a Mnet girl group.
The program came to an end on April 1, 2016, and the final line-up of South Korean girl group I.O.I was announced, made up of the top 11 poll-winners. Kang finished ninth overall, with 173,762 votes, becoming an official member of the girl group.[6]
On June 10, 2016, YMC Entertainment revealed that Kang would not be taking part in I.O.I's unit promotions, but would instead return to her agency to debut and promote with upcoming South Korean girl group, Gugudan.[7]
In July 2017, a Gugudan subgroup named Gugudan 5959 was formed with Kang and fellow member Hye-yeon. They debuted with the single "Ice Chu" on August 10, 2017.[8]
In June 2018, a Gugudan subgroup named Gugudan SeMiNa was formed with Kang and members Sejeong and Nayoung. They debuted with the release of their self-titled single album on July 10, 2018.[9]
2018–present: Acting career
Kang made her acting debut in the MBC romantic comedy series Children of the 20th Century in 2017, playing the younger counterpart of Han Ye-seul's character.[10] The same year, she played her first lead role in the 2-episode tvN drama History of Walking Upright.[11]
In 2021, Kang was cast in the web drama Summer Guys which premiered on March 30.[17] In June 2021, Kang made a cameo appearance in tvN fantasy-romance drama My Roommate Is A Gumiho.[18] Later the same year, she starred in the KBS2 historical drama Moonshine as Han Ae-jin, the only daughter of a noble family.[19] In 2022, she was cast in Café Minamdang as Nam Hye-joon.[20]
On June 28, 2023, it was announced that Kang had departed from Jellyfish Entertainment after her contract expired.[21]
In July 2023, Kang signed with Story J Company.[22]
^ abMoon Ji-yeon (November 17, 2021). "[공식] 곽시양·강미나·권수현 '미남당' 캐스팅 확정" [[Official] Kwak Si-yang, Kang Min-a, Kwon Soo-hyun's 'Beautiful Man' Casting Confirmed] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Naver.
^Lee, Min-ji (July 3, 2023). "구구단 출신 강미나, 스토리제이컴퍼니 전속계약...김태희 한솥밥 [공식]" [Former Gugudan player Kang Mina signs with StoryJ Company...Kim Tae-hee Hanokotbap [Official]] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023 – via Naver.
^Hong, Se-young (October 7, 2022). "미드나잇 호러: 6개의 밤' 티저 포스터, 이달 전격 공개" ['Midnight Horror: Six Nights' teaser poster released this month]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kang Min-kyung (January 9, 2023). "[공식] 유선호·강미나·유인수, '참, 잘했어요!' 캐스팅...권력 쥔 청춘" [[Official] Yoo Seon-ho·Kang Mina·Yoo In-soo, 'Oh, well done!' casting... youth in power]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
^Moon, Ji-yeon (March 16, 2023). "[단독] 강미나, 신혜선 세자매 막내 된다..'웰컴투 삼달리' 합류" [[Exclusive] Kang Mi-na becomes the youngest of Shin Hye-sun's three sisters.. Join 'Welcome to Samdali'] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023 – via Naver.
^Kang Seok-bong (January 28, 2021). "드라마 '썸머가이즈', 3월 전세계 100개국 동시 공개". sportskhan (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
^"허니스트, '연애하고싶은데요'로 컴백! 구구단 미나 M/V 출연!" [Honeyst makes a comeback with 'I Want to Be in Love'! Gugudan's Mina appears in the M/V!]. iMBC (in Korean). Kim Hye-young. November 22, 2017.
^Park, Seo-yeon (December 31, 2022). "신인상만 6人...변우석X이유진X채종협X강미나X서현X정지소[2022 KBS 연기대상]" [Only 6 newcomers... Byun Woo-seok X Lee Yu-jin X Chae Jong-hyeop X Kang Mina X Seohyun X Jung Ji-so [2022 KBS Drama Awards]] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on January 1, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2023 – via Naver.