Biography
Who is Chou Tzuyu?
Early life and background
Chou Tzuyu was born on June 14, 1999, in the East District of Tainan, Taiwan. She developed an interest in dancing at a young age and pursued training at a dance academy. In 2012, talent scouts discovered her at the Muse Performing Arts Workshop in Tainan. She moved to South Korea in November of that same year to begin her professional training path.
Joining Twice and rise to fame
In 2015, Chou participated in the reality television competition Sixteen, which was created by JYP Entertainment and co-produced by Mnet. She emerged as one of the nine successful participants. Following this, she officially debuted as a member of the girl group Twice in October 2015 with the extended play The Story Begins. Their debut single, Like Ooh-Ahh, became the first K-pop debut song to reach 100 million views on YouTube.
Chou has maintained a high public profile throughout her time with the group. In 2016, a survey by Gallup Korea ranked her as the third most popular idol among South Koreans. Her popularity continued to grow, and in 2023, she surpassed Jay Chou to become the most followed Taiwanese celebrity on Instagram with over 10 million followers.
Solo career and other work
In 2024, JYP Entertainment announced that Chou would make her solo debut. She released her first extended play, Aboutzu, on September 6, 2024. The EP features six tracks, including the lead single Run Away, which reached number one on the Billboard Taiwan Songs chart. She also released a collaboration single titled Blink with Corbyn Besson in September 2025.
Beyond music, she has worked as a presenter on multiple South Korean television shows. She has appeared in various advertisements for brands such as LG U+ and Crocs Korea. In 2022, she was named the muse of the clothing brand Zooc and the cosmetics brand Visée. By 2023, she became the global ambassador for the Pond's Skin Institute's Brand Evolution Campaign.
Education and philanthropy
Chou attended high school at Hanlim Multi Art School in South Korea and graduated in February 2019. In 2016, she also passed an exam at Tainan Municipal Fusing Junior High School to certify her middle school education. Later, she announced that she had completed a master's degree in applied psychology from Miguel de Cervantes European University in Spain. She pursued this degree online over the course of more than a year while Twice's group activities slowed during the pandemic.
In terms of philanthropy, Chou made a significant donation on February 29, 2020. She contributed ₩50 million to the South Korean Community Chest to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. This amount was equivalent to approximately US$43,500 at the time.
Birthday and age
Chou Tzuyu was born on June 14, 1999, which makes Chou 27 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. Chou shares the date with 46 other famous people.
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