Chou Tzuyu
Who was Chou Tzuyu?
Chou Tzuyu is a member of the hugely successful K-pop group Twice, one of the best-selling girl groups worldwide. She gained international attention in 2016 for a political controversy involving Taiwan's flag, highlighting cross-strait tensions.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Chou Tzuyu (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Chou Tzu-yu, professionally known as Tzuyu, was born on June 14, 1999, in Eastern District, Tainan, Taiwan. She is a Taiwanese singer and performer based in South Korea, best known as a member of the South Korean girl group Twice, which JYP Entertainment formed in 2015. Twice became one of the best-selling girl groups globally, with Tzuyu contributing as a dancer, vocalist, and visual highlight of the nine-member group.
Before Fame
Tzuyu was discovered by a talent agency at a performance arts event in Taiwan when she was a young teenager. She then moved to South Korea to train with JYP Entertainment, a major entertainment company in the country. While training, she attended Hanlim Multi Art School and Seoul Overseas Chinese High School, managing to balance her intensive performance training with her studies. She got her chance to debut through Sixteen, a 2015 JYP reality competition show where trainees vied for spots in a new girl group. Tzuyu was chosen as one of the nine members who would debut as Twice later that year.
Key Achievements
- Member of Twice, one of the best-selling K-pop girl groups in history, with multiple albums exceeding one million copies sold.
- Released debut solo EP Aboutzu in September 2024, achieving a number-one single on the Billboard Taiwan Songs chart with 'Run Away'.
- Gained significant international media coverage in 2016 following a cross-strait political controversy, bringing attention to tensions between Taiwan and mainland China.
- Participated in Twice's historic concert tours, including performances at major venues across Asia, North America, and Europe.
- Established a prominent modelling and brand endorsement career alongside her music work, representing major international and South Korean consumer brands.
Did You Know?
- 01.Tzuyu was only 16 years old when Twice made their official debut in October 2015, making her the youngest member of the group at the time of formation.
- 02.In January 2016, she became the center of a significant cross-strait political controversy after footage of her holding a Taiwanese flag on a South Korean television program surfaced online, prompting a public apology that drew widespread international media coverage.
- 03.Her debut solo extended play, Aboutzu, was released on September 6, 2024, with the lead single 'Run Away' reaching number one on the Billboard Taiwan Songs chart, marking her first solo chart-topping single.
- 04.Tzuyu was born and raised in Tainan's Eastern District, a city in southern Taiwan known for its deep historical roots and traditional culture, making her one of the few members of Twice to originate from outside the capital region.
- 05.She is frequently cited by industry observers and fan polls as one of the most recognizable faces in the K-pop industry, often highlighted in discussions of the genre's global visual standards.