| STAGE NAME | Sana |
|---|---|
| REAL NAME | Minatozaki Sana |
| KOREAN | 사나 |
| BIRTHDAY | December 29, 1996 |
| HEIGHT | 168 cm (5’6″) |
| BLOOD TYPE | B |
| MBTI TYPE | ENFP-T |
| ZODIAC SIGN | Capricorn ♑ |
| CHINESE ZODIAC SIGN | Rat |
| DEBUT | October 20, 2015 (Twice), July 26, 2023 (MISAMO) |
|---|---|
| AGENCY | JYP Entertainment |
| POSITION | Singer, Dancer |
| NATIONALITY | 🇯🇵 Japanese |
|---|---|
| BIRTHPLACE | 🇯🇵 Tennōji-ku, Osaka, Japan |
| HOMETOWN | 🇯🇵 Tennōji-ku, Osaka, Japan |
| LANGUAGES | Japanese, Korean |
- BIOGRAPHY
- TWICE
- DISCOGRAPHY
- FILMOGRAPHY/ VIDEOGRAPHY
- ILLUSTRATION
- FUN FACTS
- OUR FAVOURITE INTERVIEW
- MORE TWICE PROFILES
BIOGRAPHY
Sana Minatozaki, better known as Sana, was born on December 29, 1996, in Tennōji-ku, Osaka, Japan. She is the only child of her parents. From an early age, Sana showed great interest in the performing arts and attended the Osaka branch of EXPG (Exile Professional Gym) from 2009 until early 2012. This renowned dance and vocal academy is known for training Japanese idols, including members of E-girls, Generations, and The Rampage.
During this time, Sana developed her passion for K-pop, inspired by the rising success of Girls' Generation and KARA in Japan. In her final year of middle school, Sana was scouted by a JYP Entertainment (JYPE) staff member while out with friends on the Osaka Namba Walk shopping street. She was invited to take part in the JYP Japan Audition 2011, where she performed the choreography to Girls' Generation's “Mr. Taxi.” Sana passed the audition and, after graduating from middle school in March 2012, moved to South Korea to begin her training at JYPE on April 13, 2012.
During her trainee years, Sana appeared in several music videos, including Got7's “A” and 2PM Junho's “Feel,” which brought her public attention. Originally, plans were made for Sana to debut in a four-member group aimed at the Japanese market, but this plan was scrapped due to political tensions. She was then set to debut with the six-member group 6MIX, but this debut was also cancelled due to the tragic Sewol ferry disaster in 2014, which occurred while the group was preparing for its official debut. As a result, 6MIX was unable to debut at that time. The delay led member Cecilia to leave the agency, making the group's debut even more difficult.
To fill the gap, Sana was added to 6MIX, and plans were made to launch the group in the second half of 2014. This revised lineup of 6MIX had nearly finished its preparations and was on the verge of debuting. However, leader Lena unexpectedly decided to leave the agency, once again halting the group's debut. In the end, 6MIX never made it to the stage.
In 2015, Sana took part in the reality TV show Sixteen, a survival program created to form JYP's new girl group. Sana prevailed over the competition in the categories of singing, dancing, and modeling, and was selected as one of the nine members of TWICE. The group officially debuted on October 20, 2015, with the title track “Like Ooh-Ahh” from their first album “The Story Begins.”
TWICE
TWICE is a popular South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment. They officially debuted on October 20, 2015, with their first mini-album “The Story Begins.” The group consists of nine members: Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu.
The long-standing group has celebrated many achievements in recent years. We've summarized the most important ones for you:
- Within five months of its release, the music video for the title track "Like OOH-AHH" was viewed 50 million times. It was the most-viewed debut music video by a K-pop group. The video later even surpassed the 100 million mark.
- In 2016, the song "Cheer Up" became a massive hit and won "Song of the Year" at the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA).
- In 2017, TWICE successfully debuted in Japan with the single "One More Time," which broke the record for the best-selling single by a K-pop girl group in Japan.
- In 2018, they held their first arena concert in Japan and released the Japanese album "BDZ," which topped the Oricon Charts.
- In 2019, TWICE launched their world tour "TWICELIGHTS," which was a huge success and took them to cities all over the world.
- With the release of the singles "More & More" and "I CAN'T STOP ME," they achieved high chart rankings and cemented TWICE's status as a leading K-Pop group.
- In 2021, they released their first English-language single "The Feels," which was successful on various international charts.
- In 2022, TWICE reached number 3 on the Billboard 200 with the album "Formula of Love: O+T=<3," their highest chart entry in the US.
- In 2023, TWICE released their twelfth mini-album "Ready to Be" and announced their fifth world tour.
Sana is known as TWICE's Aegyo Queen.
Sana has earned recognition both in South Korea and internationally for her lively and cheerful personality. Her charm and charisma are also valued for fostering positive relations between Japan and South Korea.
In Gallup Korea's annual music survey in 2018, Sana was voted the 17th most popular idol in South Korea, making her the highest-ranked Japanese personality on the list. In 2019, she climbed to 15th place in the survey, cementing her position as one of the most popular K-pop idols.
In addition, Sana was named the most popular female K-pop idol in a 2019 survey of South Korean soldiers completing their mandatory military service. This underscores her broad popularity across different audiences.
MISAMO
JYP Entertainment announced on February 9, 2023, that Momo, together with her members Sana and Mina, would debut in “MiSaMo,” Twice's Japanese subunit. The subunit, whose name is made up of the first syllables of its three members Mina, Sana, and Momo, released its debut mini-album “Masterpiece” on July 26, 2023. Ahead of the release, the single “Marshmallow” came out first, followed by “Do Not Touch” as the lead single. MiSaMo celebrated its debut with a sold-out showcase tour in Osaka and Yokohama that thrilled over 40,000 fans. They marked their first comeback with the EP “Haute Couture,” released on November 6, 2024.
DISCOGRAPHY
FILMOGRAPHY/ VIDEOGRAPHY
| YEAR | TITLE | ROLE |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | GOT7 - "A" (Music Video) | - |
| 2014 | Junho - "Feel" (Music Video) | - |
| 2015 | “Sixteen” (Survival Show) | Participant |
| 2016 | J.Y. Park - "Fire" (Music Video) | - |
| 2017 | Junho - “Instant Love” (Music Video) | - |
| 2020 | NIZI Project (Survival Show) | Judge |
ILLUSTRATION
In 2021, Sana worked alongside her bandmate Dahyun as a model for the skincare brand A'pieu. The following year, in March 2022, she became a model for the cosmetics brand Wakemake.
Sana's influence continued to grow in 2023, as she became an ambassador for several high-profile brands. In March, she represented the South Korean skincare brand Missha and the makeup brand Espoir. In July, Sana became the first Japanese ambassador for Graff, a renowned British jewelry brand. In September, the Italian luxury fashion house Prada named her a brand ambassador, and in December, she became the official Japanese ambassador for the French luxury brand Yves Saint Laurent.
FUN FACTS
- Sana is the only member of the group who doesn't have any siblings.
- Jinyoung from GOT7 taught Sana how to say “goodbye” in Korean.
- She's afraid of thunder and lightning.
- Sana has a horse allergy. Even so, she wants to go horseback riding. On February 21, 2023, Sana was finally able to cross this wish off her bucket list.
- Fan-made videos bring Sana to tears.
- She's known for being quite clumsy
- When Sana can't fall asleep, she often stretches.
- Sana's favorite Pokémon are Pikachu and Pachirisu.
OUR FAVOURITE INTERVIEW
As a Japan-born member, Sana has made a crucial contribution to TWICE's international popularity by strengthening the group's cultural diversity. Her hard work, determination, and zest for life make her a source of inspiration for many. Sana is not only a talented artist, but also a shining example of someone who has achieved worldwide success through charisma and dedication.
