Teenager Chou Tzu-yu (周子瑜) on Tuesday was chosen for new girl group Twice, becoming the first ever Taiwan-born and raised member of a South Korean girl group.
Sixteen-year-old Chou, who goes by the stage name Tzuyu, competed since May on South Korean TV talent show Sixteen, which saw 16 girls from different countries vying to become a member of the new group.
Initially intended to form a group of seven girls, nine members were eventually chosen: five from South Korea, three from Japan and one from Taiwan.
Photo: CNA
South Korean company JYP Entertainment is to launch the group and release an album by the end of this year.
JYP also manages the popular girl groups Wonder Girls and Miss A.
Born in Tainan, Tzuyu was approached by a scout from JYP during her second year in junior-high school. She dropped out of school and moved to South Korea to be trained by the company.
She has been praised for her dance skills on the show.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
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