Tzuyu
Chou Tzu-yu (Chinese: 周子瑜; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chiu Chú-jû, born 14 June 1999), known mononymously as Tzuyu (Korean: 쯔위, Korean pronunciation: [t͈sɯ.ɥi]), is a Taiwanese singer based in South Korea. She is the only Taiwanese member of the girl group Twice, formed by JYP Entertainment in 2015.[1][2][3]
Tzuyu | |
|---|---|
Tzuyu in January 2022 | |
| Born | Chou Tzu-yu 14 June 1999 East District, Tainan, Taiwan |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | South Korea |
| Genres | |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Labels | |
| Member of | |
| Chinese name | |
| Traditional Chinese | 周子瑜 |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Zhōu Zǐyú |
| Bopomofo | ㄓㄡ ㄗˇ ㄩˊ |
| Wade–Giles | Chou1 Tzŭ3-yü2 |
| Hokkien POJ | Chiu Chú-jû |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 저우쯔위 |
| Revised Romanization | Jeou Jjeuwi |
| McCune–Reischauer | Chŏu Tchŭwi |
| Signature | |
Life and career
Early life and pre-debut activities
Tzuyu was born in the East District of Tainan, Taiwan on 14 June 1999 to self-made entrepreneurs.[4][5][6] She started dancing from a young age and trained at a dance academy.[7]
In 2012, Tzuyu was discovered by talent scouts at the MUSE Performing Arts Workshop in Tainan, and moved to South Korea in November of that year to begin training.[8][9] In 2016, she passed an exam at Tainan Municipal Fusing Junior High School to certify her middle school education. She attended high school at Hanlim Multi Art School in South Korea, and graduated in February 2019 along with bandmate Chaeyoung.[10][11][12][13][14] In 2015, Tzuyu participated in the South Korean reality television show Sixteen, created by JYP Entertainment and co-produced by Mnet.[1][15] As one of nine successful participants, she went on to join the newly formed girl group Twice.[1] Unlike the other winners of Sixteen, however, Tzuyu was selected based on audience voting.[1][2][16]
Endorsements
Aside from endorsements with Twice, Tzuyu has featured alone in various advertisements, including those for LG U+[17] and Crocs Korea.[18] She covered the October 2021 issue of L'Officiel Malaysia[19] as a model for the Coach Fall/Winter 2021 collection.[20] In January 2022, Tzuyu was chosen as the new muse of South Korean clothing brand ZOOC.[21][22] In October 2022, she was announced as the muse of one of Japan's most popular cosmetic brand, Visée. [23][24]
Public image and influence
In October 2015, Tzuyu officially debuted as a member of Twice with the release of their first extended play, The Story Begins.[25] Its lead single "Like Ooh-Ahh" was the first K-pop debut song to reach 100 million views on YouTube.[26] Since her debut, she has also worked as a presenter on multiple music television shows[16] and received attention for her beauty.[1][16][27][28]
According to Gallup Korea's annual music survey, Tzuyu was the third most popular idol among South Koreans in 2016.[29] She ranked ninth in the 2017 survey[30] and twelfth in 2018.[31] In 2019, Tzuyu was ranked as the second most popular female K-pop idol in a survey of soldiers completing mandatory military service in South Korea.[32]
Flag controversy
In November 2015, Tzuyu appeared with bandmates Sana, Momo, and Mina on the Korean variety show My Little Television. She introduced herself as Taiwanese and held the flag of the Republic of China (Taiwan) alongside that of South Korea.[33] Mainland Chinese internet users reacted angrily towards Tzuyu's actions due to the political rift between the two countries.[34] Soon after, Twice was barred from Chinese television[35] and Tzuyu was pulled out of her endorsement with Chinese communications company Huawei.[36] Meanwhile, her agency, JYP Entertainment, released a video showing Tzuyu reading an apology, which said in part:
There is only one China, the two sides of the strait are one, and I have always felt proud to be Chinese. I feel extremely apologetic to my company and to Internet friends on both sides of the strait for the hurt that I have caused, and I also feel very guilty.[37]
Tzuyu's apology sparked a furor among the Taiwanese public on election day.[38][39] The incident gained international attention, as it was believed to have affected the 2016 Taiwanese general election.[37][40] A survey found that Tzuyu's video apology affected the decision of about 1.34 million young voters.[41]
In response to criticism, JYP Entertainment announced that it would be adopting new procedures concerning its exports and overseas activities in order to protect employees from future controversies. This included the implementation of cultural sensitivity training for its artists and staff members. In an interview with The Korea Times, a JYP representative stated that the training would include issues pertaining to political conflicts between countries.[42]
Bibliography
Photobooks
| Title | Release date | Publisher | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes, I am Tzuyu. | 28 April 2020 | JYP Entertainment | [43][44] |
Discography
Songwriting credits
All song credits are adapted from the Korea Music Copyright Association's database unless stated otherwise.[45]
| Title | Year | Artist | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "21:29" | 2019 | Twice | Feel Special | As lyricist |
| "Celebrate" | 2022 | Celebrate |
Filmography
Television shows
References
- ^ a b c d e Moon, Kat (20 September 2019). "Everything to Know About K-Pop Group Twice". Time. from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ a b "18 fun facts about birthday girl Tzuyu". SBS. 14 June 2017. from the original on 17 June 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
- ^ Robidoux, Brandy (4 December 2019). "Who Is Tzuyu? TWICE's Maknae Will Blow Your Mind With Her Talent". Elite Daily. from the original on 4 December 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
- ^ "18 fun facts about birthday girl Tzuyu". SBS. 14 June 2017. from the original on 17 June 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
- ^ "周子瑜家境優渥 父母擁3間醫美診所". Apple Daily (in Chinese (Taiwan)). from the original on 21 July 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ^ Gloria Chan (16 January 2016). "Who is the 16-year-old girl at the centre of a political storm ahead of Taiwan's presidential poll?". South China Morning Post. from the original on 23 June 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
- ^ Lau, Jack (1 April 2020). "Tzuyu of Twice: beautiful, youngest band member wants to be known for more than just her good looks". South China Morning Post. from the original on 3 April 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- ^ Gloria Chan (16 January 2016). "Who is the 16-year-old girl at the centre of a political storm ahead of Taiwan's presidential poll?". South China Morning Post. from the original on 23 June 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
- ^ "[네이버 연예] 아이엠그라운드, 트와이스 소개 하기!". Naver (in Korean). Naver Corp. from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
- ^ Ko, Dong-hwan (14 February 2019). "K-pop girlband TWICE members Tzuyu and Chaeyoung celebrate high school graduation". South China Morning Post. from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ "周子瑜返台考試 陸網友也關心". China Times (in Chinese (Taiwan)). China Times Inc. from the original on 21 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
- ^ "Girl group TWICE's Tzuyu passes exam to qualify middle school education". Yonhap News. Yonhap News Agency. from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ Yi, Sohui (13 April 2016). "JYP 측 "쯔위 한림예고 합격, 등교 시기 논의 중"". News Way (in Korean). News Way Corp. from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- ^ "트와이스 쯔위 채영, 졸업 꽃다발 안고 환한 미소 "활동 더 집중할 것"". Naver (in Korean). Seoul Newspaper. from the original on 13 February 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ^ a b Won, Ho-jung (29 April 2015). "'Sixteen' compete for spot in JYP's next girl group". The Korea Herald. from the original on 1 May 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ a b c Lau, Jack (1 April 2020). "Tzuyu of Twice: beautiful, youngest band member wants to be known for more than just her good looks". South China Morning Post. from the original on 3 April 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- ^ ""LG 쯔위폰, 광고 중단"…쯔위, 청천백일기 논란 여파". Dispatch. 15 January 2016. from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ "And our mystery K-pop Idol is... Global Superstar TZUYU of @TWICE!". Crocs Official (@Crocs). 7 October 2021. from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022 – via TikTok.
- ^ L'Officiel Malaysia (28 September 2021). "Order Now: L'Officiel Malaysia Oct 2021 feat. TWICE's Tzuyu". L'Officiel Malaysia. from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ L'Officiel Malaysia (1 October 2021). "A sneak peek inside our October 2021 issue featuring TWICE's Tzuyu". L'Officiel Malaysia. from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ "주크, 쯔위 2022년 뮤즈 발탁 'New쯔위nation'". 한국면세뉴스 (in Korean). 27 January 2022. from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ 어패럴뉴스. "주크, 트와이스 쯔위 뮤즈로 발탁". www.apparelnews.co.kr (in Korean). from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ "コーセー「ヴィセ」のブランドミューズにTwiceのツウィ＆The Rampage吉野北人が就任". 6 October 2022.
- ^ "Twiceツウィ＆ランペ吉野北人、『ヴィセ』ミューズに就任 "囲み目メイク"で美の競演".
- ^ Kim, Yu-jin (20 October 2015). "TWICE unveils debut album 'The Story Begins'". The Korea Herald. from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ Moon, Kat (9 October 2019). "K-Pop Powerhouse TWICE Opens Up About How Their New Album Is More Personal Than Ever". Time. from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ Jang, Minki (14 June 2019). "4 things you didn't know about K-pop star Tzuyu of TWICE". South China Morning Post. from the original on 14 June 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ Chen, Christie (28 December 2015). "Taiwanese teenage star on 100 most beautiful faces list". Focus Taiwan. from the original on 31 December 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
- ^ "한국갤럽 Gallup Report 2016/12/20n" (PDF). Gallup Korea (in Korean). Gallup Korea Co. Ltd. (PDF) from the original on 3 January 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
- ^ Peterson, Jacques (20 December 2017). "IU dominated Gallup Korea's yearly music poll". SBS. from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ "2018년 올해를 빛낸 가수와 가요 – 최근 12년간 추이 포함". gallup.co.kr (in Korean). 30 November 2018. from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
- ^ "Sana de Twice es elegida la cantante más popular por los soldados de Corea del Sur". La República (in Spanish). 10 November 2019. from the original on 9 November 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ Politi, Daniel (16 January 2016). "Did a 16-Year-Old Pop Star Help Pro-Independence Party Win Taiwan's Election?". Slate. from the original on 7 February 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- ^ "Taiwan's presidential candidates unite after apology by K-pop singer Chou Tzu-yu over flag scandal – Shanghaiist". Shanghaiist. 16 January 2016. from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
- ^ Jung, Chul-hwan (23 February 2018). "3 Japanese Girls at the Top of K-Pop: The 1st of Their Kind". The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition). from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
- ^ "Taiwanese K-pop singer Chou Tzu-yu mired in flag row". The Straits Times. 15 January 2016. from the original on 7 February 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
- ^ a b Buckley, Chris; Ramy, Austin (17 January 2016). "Singer's Apology for Waving Taiwan Flag Stirs Backlash of Its Own". The New York Times. from the original on 17 October 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
- ^ Li Xueying (16 January 2016). "Video of K-pop singer Chou Tzu-yu apologising for waving flag angers Taiwanese on polling day". The Straits Times. from the original on 25 December 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
- ^ Buckley, Chris; Ramy, Austin (17 January 2016). "Singer's Apology for Waving Taiwan Flag Stirs Backlash of Its Own". The New York Times. from the original on 17 October 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
- ^ "Taiwan election: How a penitent pop star may have helped Tsai win". BBC. 18 January 2016. from the original on 25 December 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
- ^ Minnie Chan (17 January 2016). "Teen pop star Chou Tzu-yu's apology for waving Taiwan flag swayed young voters for DPP". South China Morning Post. from the original on 20 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- ^ Kim, Jae-heun (18 January 2016). "JYP Entertainment to overhaul hallyu strategy". The Korea Times. The Korea Times. from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
- ^ "完全是仙女級美貌！TWICE周子瑜推出個人寫真書《Yes, I am Tzuyu.》，滿滿男友視角照片讓人戀愛". 7 May 2020. from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
- ^ "Yes, I am Tzuyu: 1ST PHOTOBOOK (Blue ver.)". Tower Records Online. from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ "Songs Registered Under CHOU TZU-YU (10029082)". Korea Music Copyright Association (in Korean). from the original on 26 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ "Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu's healing tour to Ganghwado Island Part.1[Battle Trip/2019.05.26]". KBS WORLD TV. 26 May 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
External links
- Media related to Chou Tzu-yu at Wikimedia Commons