TWICE (group) Biography: Members, Age, Debut, Albums, Net Worth, Nationality, Songs, Success

Twice is a South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment, comprising nine members: Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu.

The group was created through the 2015 reality television program Sixteen and made their official debut on October 20, 2015, with the extended play The Story Begins.

Since their debut, Twice has achieved significant success and earned the distinguished title of “The Nation’s Girl Group” in South Korea.

Profile

• Members Real Name: Im Na-yeon, Yoo Jeong-yeon, Im Na-yeon, Hirai Momo, Minatozaki Sana, Park Ji-hyo, Myoui Mina, Kim Da-hyun, Son Chae-young, and Chou Tzu-yu
• Stage Name: TWICE (girl group)
• Active From: 2015—Present
• Origin: Seoul, South Korea
• Nationality: South Korean
• Occupation: Singer-songwriter, Dancer
• Genres: K-pop, J-pop, bubblegum pop, dance-pop, EDM
• Labels: JYP, Warner Japan, Republic
• Net Worth: $35 million

Early Life And Education

Formation

TWICE was formed by JYP Entertainment through the 2015 reality survival show Sixteen, which aired on Mnet and featured sixteen trainees competing for a spot in the group based on singing, dancing, charisma, and personality.

While the initial plan was to debut a seven-member lineup—Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, and Chaeyoung—JYP founder Park Jin-young expanded the group to nine members by adding Tzuyu, the audience’s favorite, and Momo, selected for her outstanding performance skills.

Im Na-yeon

Im Nayeon, professionally known as Nayeon, was born on September 22, 1995, in Gangdong District, Seoul, South Korea. She is the eldest daughter of Cheon Se-ah; however, her father’s identity remains undisclosed.

Nayeon has a younger sister, Im Seo-yeon, who is three years her junior. She completed her early education at Seoul Myeongwon Elementary School, Seongdeok Girls’ Middle School, and Apgujeong High School. She later enrolled in Konkuk University’s Department of Theater and Film Arts but took a leave of absence to focus on her career as an idol.

Nayeon is of Korean ethnicity and is a practicing Christian.

Yoo Jeong-yeon

Yoo Jeong-yeon, professionally known as Jeongyeon, was born Yoo Kyung-wan on November 1, 1996, in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Her father, Yoo Chang-joon, is a renowned chef who served former President Kim Dae-jung and was the head chef at the Seoul Plaza Hotel, while details about her mother remain undisclosed.

Jeongyeon has two older sisters, including actress Gong Seung-yeon. Although specific information about her formal education is limited, she trained extensively in singing and dancing from a young age. She is of Korean ethnicity, though her religious affiliation has not been publicly confirmed.

Hirai Momo

Hirai Momo, professionally known as Momo, was born on November 9, 1996, in Kyōtanabe, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Her father, Hidemitsu Hirai, born in 1966, is an acupuncturist and former American football player who runs a clinic in Kyoto, while details about her mother remain undisclosed.

She has an older sister, Hana Hirai, and both began dancing together at the age of three. While her formal educational background is not publicly known, Momo is of Japanese ethnicity and is known to practice Christianity.

Minatozaki Sana

Minatozaki Sana, a Japanese singer, was born on December 29, 1996, in Tennōji-ku, Osaka, Japan, to Kosaku and Mitsuko Minatozaki. Her father is a businessman, and her mother is a homemaker.

An only child, Sana completed her middle school education in Osaka before moving to South Korea in 2012 to begin training under JYP Entertainment. Prior to that, she trained at EXPG (Exile Professional Gym) in Osaka. She is of Japanese ethnicity and was raised in a Christian family.

Park Ji-hyo

Park Ji-hyo, born Park Ji-soo on February 1, 1997, in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, is the daughter of Cho Mi-ja; details regarding her father have not been publicly disclosed. She has two younger sisters: Park Ji-young, who is known professionally as Lee Ha-eum and works as an actress and model, and Park Seo-yeon.

Park Ji-hyo completed her education at Chungdam High School. She is of Korean ethnicity, while her religious affiliation remains private.

Myoui Mina

Myoui Mina was born on March 24, 1997, in San Antonio, Texas, USA, to Japanese expatriate parents Sachiko (née Terao) and Akira Myoi. She has one older brother, Kai. Her father is an orthopedic surgeon and clinical professor at Osaka University Hospital in Japan.

Mina was raised in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, after her family returned to Japan during her early childhood. She attended Obayashi Sacred Heart School in Takarazuka, Hyōgo, but left in her second year of high school to pursue training in South Korea. Mina studied classical ballet for eleven years from the age of three before transitioning to K-pop dance.

She is of Japanese ethnicity, while her religious affiliation remains undisclosed.

Kim Da-hyun

Kim Dahyun, known mononymously as Dahyun, was born on May 28, 1998, in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. She is the daughter of Kim Bong-gon, a traditional Korean martial arts practitioner; details about her mother have not been publicly disclosed.

Dahyun has an older brother named Kim Myung Soo. She graduated from Hanlim Multi Art School in 2017 and was raised in a Christian household. She is ethnically Korean.

Son Chae-young

Son Chae-young, professionally known as Chaeyoung, was born on April 23, 1999, in Dunchon-dong, Seoul, South Korea. While the names of her parents have not been publicly disclosed, she has a younger brother named Son Jeong-hoon.

Chaeyoung graduated from Hanlim Multi Art School, a prominent arts high school in South Korea, on February 11, 2019. She is of Korean ethnicity and practices Catholicism.

Chou Tzu-yu

Chou Tzu-yu, known professionally as Tzuyu, is a Taiwanese singer born on June 14, 1999, in the East District of Tainan, Taiwan. She is the daughter of Chou Yi-cheng and Huang Yen-ling, both successful entrepreneurs involved in the night market business and plastic surgery clinics, with her mother also operating popular cafés in Taiwan.

Tzuyu has an older brother named Chou Yi-hsiu. She attended Hanlim Multi Art School in South Korea and later obtained a degree in Drama and Theatre from the National Taiwan University of Arts. She is of Taiwanese ethnicity and practices Buddhism.

Career

Twice is a South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment through the 2015 reality survival show Sixteen. The group consists of nine members: Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu. They officially debuted on October 20, 2015, with their extended play (EP) The Story Begins and the lead single “Like OOH-AHH,” which quickly gained widespread attention as one of the most-viewed K-pop debut music videos on YouTube.

In 2016, Twice rose to prominence with their second EP Page Two, featuring the hit single “Cheer Up.” The song topped the Gaon Digital Chart and became South Korea’s best-performing single of the year. “Cheer Up” won “Song of the Year” at both the Melon Music Awards and Mnet Asian Music Awards, cementing Twice’s position as a leading girl group.

Their follow-up single “TT,” from their third EP TWICEcoaster: LANE 1, also achieved commercial success by topping charts and breaking YouTube viewership records for a K-pop girl group.

Twice expanded their success internationally with their Japanese debut in 2017, releasing the compilation album #TWICE, which earned Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). In 2019, they became the first female K-pop group to hold a Japanese dome tour, attracting over 220,000 fans. Their popularity in Japan established them as a significant international act beyond South Korea.

The group has released numerous albums and special projects, with members actively contributing to songwriting and composition. Several members, including Nayeon, Jihyo, and Tzuyu, have also launched successful solo careers, with Nayeon debuting solo in 2022. That same year, Twice made their English-language debut with the single “The Feels,” which marked their first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned gold certification from the RIAA.

This success helped them break further into Western markets, including historic performances at major North American stadiums.

Continuing their momentum, Twice released new music in 2023 and 2024, including their thirteenth Korean EP With You-th and fifth Japanese studio album Dive. Their “Ready to Be” World Tour spanned 51 shows across four continents, attracting 1.5 million attendees, and they became the first foreign female artist to headline Nissan Stadium in Japan.

Recognized with numerous awards such as the Billboard Women in Music “Breakthrough Award” in 2023, Twice remains one of the best-selling and most influential K-pop girl groups, with over 10 million albums sold and nearly 6 billion streams on Spotify. Their loyal global fanbase, known as “Once,” continues to support their ongoing success as they prepare for upcoming projects like their fifth Japanese compilation album #Twice5 and performances at major festivals like Lollapalooza.

Social Media

• Instagram handle: @twicetagram
• YouTube Channel: TWICE
• Facebook handle: TWICE

Personal Life

Nayeon

Im Nayeon has not publicly confirmed any romantic relationship. While there have been rumors linking her to BTS member J-Hope, neither the artists nor their agencies have addressed or verified the speculation.

Yoo Jeong-yeon

Yoo Jeong-yeon, professionally known as Jeongyeon, was born Yoo Kyung-wan on November 1, 1996, in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Her father, Yoo Chang-joon, is a renowned chef who served former President Kim Dae-jung and was the head chef at the Seoul Plaza Hotel, while details about her mother remain undisclosed.

Jeongyeon has two older sisters, including actress Gong Seung-yeon. Although specific information about her formal education is limited, she trained extensively in singing and dancing from a young age. She is of Korean ethnicity, though her religious affiliation has not been publicly confirmed.

Hirai Momo

Hirai Momo was confirmed to be in a relationship with Super Junior’s Kim Heechul in January 2020, following dating rumors in 2019. The couple reportedly ended their relationship in July 2021 due to busy schedules. Since then, there have been no public reports of Momo being in a relationship.

Minatozaki Sana

Minatozaki Sana has no confirmed public relationship or boyfriend at this time. A recent online error mistakenly listed French rapper Niska as her partner, likely as a joke or April Fool’s prank, but there are no credible reports or official confirmations regarding her dating anyone.

Park Ji-hyo

Park Ji-hyo was previously in a public relationship with K-pop singer Kang Daniel, which ended in November 2020 due to their busy schedules. As of early 2024, she has been reportedly linked to Yun Sungbin, an Olympic gold medalist in skeleton; however, Ji-hyo has not publicly confirmed or denied these rumors.

Myoui Mina

Myoui Mina has not publicly confirmed any details regarding her current relationship status, boyfriend, or spouse. Despite occasional rumors and speculation about her dating life, she has consistently maintained privacy and has not officially acknowledged any romantic relationships.

Kim Da-hyun

Kim Dahyun has not publicly confirmed any boyfriend or spouse and maintains a private approach to her personal and romantic life, focusing primarily on her career with TWICE and her acting projects. There are no verified reports of her being in a romantic relationship or married.

Son Chae-young

Son Chae-young is in a confirmed relationship with South Korean R&B singer and rapper Zion.T. Their agencies, JYP Entertainment and The Black Label, officially acknowledged the relationship on April 5, 2024, stating that the couple had been dating for approximately six months at the time.

Chou Tzu-yu

Chou Tzu-yu, known as Tzuyu, is currently unmarried, and there is no publicly confirmed information regarding a boyfriend or spouse.

Discography

Korean Mini Albums (EPs):

• The Story Begins (2015) — debut EP with title track “Like OOH-AHH”
• Page Two (2016) — includes hit “Cheer Up”
• TWICEcoaster: Lane 1 (2016) — features “TT”
• Signal (2017)
• What Is Love? (2018)
• Yes or Yes (2018)
• Fancy You (2019)
• Feel Special (2019)
• More & More (2020)
• Taste of Love (2021)
• Between 1&2 (2022)
• Ready to Be (2023)
• With YOU-th (2024)

Korean Studio Albums:

• Twicetagram (2017) — includes “Likey”
• Formula of Love: O+T=<3 (2021) — includes “Scientist”

Japanese Releases:

• #TWICE (2017) — Japanese compilation album
• BDZ (2018) — first Japanese studio album
• &TWICE (2019) — Japanese studio album
• Perfect World (2021) — Japanese studio album
• Celebrate (2022) — Japanese studio album
• Multiple Japanese singles such as “One More Time,” “Candy Pop,” and “Fanfare”

English Singles:

• “The Feels” (2021) — their first English single

Net Worth

TWICE’s combined net worth is estimated at approximately US$35 million as of 2022, positioning them among the top five wealthiest K-pop groups alongside BTS, BLACKPINK, TVXQ, and EXO. Their revenue streams primarily include album sales, concert tours, merchandise, and a wide range of brand endorsements.

The group has secured high-profile partnerships with luxury brands as well as collaborations with gaming companies such as Nexon Korea’s Elsword and Efun’s Dragon Xeneration, further expanding their commercial influence.