Momo

Momo Hirai, known mononymously as Momo, is a Japanese singer, dancer, and rapper based in South Korea. Born on November 9, 1996, in Kyōtanabe, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, she is best known as a member of the South Korean girl group Twice under JYP Entertainment, as well as its subunit MiSaMo. Recognized for her physical fitness and dance skills, she was nicknamed "Dance Machine" by her fans and is considered the best dancer in Twice.

Momo began dancing at the age of three alongside her elder sister, Hana, who influenced her early development. She cited J-pop singer Namie Amuro as her role model and gained inspiration from artists such as 2NE1 and Rain. She received early exposure to South Korean entertainment by appearing in a 2008 music video for Lexy and competing on the talent show Superstar K in 2011.

In 2012, JYP Entertainment scouted Momo and her sister through an online video. After auditioning, Momo successfully joined the agency and relocated to South Korea in April 2012. A planned debut in a four-member Japanese girl group that year was suspended due to diplomatic tensions surrounding the Liancourt Rocks dispute. While training, Momo appeared as a dancer in various music videos as a K-pop trainee.

In 2015, Momo participated in the JYP Entertainment and Mnet reality television show Sixteen. Although she was initially eliminated, Park Jin-young brought her back at the end of the competition to join Twice due to her performance abilities. She officially debuted with Twice in October 2015 with their first extended play (EP), The Story Begins, and its lead single "Like Ooh-Ahh". In February 2023, JYP Entertainment announced that Momo, Sana, and Mina would form the Japanese sub-unit MiSaMo. The trio released "Bouquet" for the TV drama Liaison: Kodomo no Kokoro Shinryōjo before debuting with the EP Masterpiece in July 2023.

Momo has represented several prominent commercial brands. In 2022, she became the brand muse for the cosmetics brand Wonjungyo and a brand ambassador for Onitsuka Tiger. In 2023, she modeled for the news app SmartNews and became a Japanese ambassador for Miu Miu. In May 2025, she was selected as a brand ambassador for the perfume brand AMAFFI.

Momo has maintained high popularity as a non-Korean K-pop star, with The Chosun Ilbo crediting her public standing with helping to improve South Korea–Japan relations. In 2018, Gallup Korea's music poll ranked her as the 20th most popular idol in South Korea. In 2019, she placed tenth in a survey of South Korean military service personnel and gained notable Twitter attention following a video trailer for "Feel Special". In 2023, she became the first Japanese individual to reach 10 million Instagram followers, reaching the milestone eight months after launching her page.