Hirai Momo (TWICE)
twice momo TWICE Momo TWICE momo

Hirai Momo (TWICE)

平井もも / 히라이 모모
  • Korean Name:平井もも / 히라이 모모
  • Nickname:"Momoring", "Peach"
  • Birthday:November 9, 1996
  • Nationality:Japanese
  • Zodiac Sign:Scorpio
  • Height:Official – 167 cm (5′6″); Real – 163 cm (5′4″)
  • Weight:Around 48 kg (106 lbs)
  • MBTI Type:INTP‑T
  • Blood Type:A
  • Occupation:Singer, dancer, rapper, lyricist
  • Years Active:2015–present
  • Agency:JYP Entertainment
  • Education:Tanabe Junior High School (Kyōtanabe, Japan); Passed Japanese High School Graduation (GED equivalent)
  • SNS:@momo

Biography

Momo Hirai (平井もも), born on November 9, 1996, in Kyōtanabe, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, began dancing at the age of three with her older sister, Hana. She was inspired by J‑pop star Namie Amuro and later developed a keen interest in K‑pop influences, particularly 2NE1 and Rain.

hirai momo

At age 12, Momo and her sister were discovered via an online dance video by JYP Entertainment. Momo passed the audition and moved to South Korea in April 2012 to begin her trainee journey. Before debuting, she appeared in music videos, including Lexy’s in 2008 and appearances on Superstar K in 2011.

Rise to Fame with TWICE

In 2015, Momo competed on Mnet’s survival show Sixteen. Though she was briefly eliminated, Park Jin-young brought her back during the finale for her exceptional dance and rap talents, securing her spot in TWICE.

She debuted in October 2015 with TWICE’s EP The Story Begins and lead single “Like Ooh-Ahh,” which became the first K-pop debut MV to surpass 100 million views.

Momo quickly earned the title “Dance Machine”—widely regarded as TWICE’s best dancer ranked among the top idols in Gallup Korea’s popularity polls.

Artistry & Recognition

Momo cites Namie Amuro, 2NE1, and Rain as her artistic influences and credits her physical prowess and stage charisma for her reputation as TWICE’s standout dancer. Her energetic, passionate stage presence led fans to call her the “Dance Machine”.

TWICE-Momo
TWICE-Momo

She also contributes as a lyricist, credited on songs like “Shot Thru the Heart” (2018), “Hot” (2019), “Celebrate” (2022), and “Funny Valentine” (2023).

MiSaMo Sub-Unit & Recent Endeavors

In February 2023, JYP Entertainment announced the formation of the Japanese sub-unit MiSaMo, featuring Momo, Sana, and Mina. The group released their debut EP Masterpiece on July 26, 2023, which topped the Oricon charts in Japan.

misamo

She has also appeared in brand campaigns WonJungYo (2022), Onitsuka Tiger (2022), SmartNews (2023) and became Japanese ambassador for luxury brand Miu Miu .

Personal Life

In January 2020, Momo was confirmed to be in a relationship with Super Junior’s Kim Hee-chul; the two publicly ended the relationship in July 2021 due to busy schedules

Fun Facts

  1. Her hobbies are eating delicious food, shopping, watching movies and dramas, doing nail art, drawing, and cooking.
  2. Her special skill is doing a wave using only her stomach.
  3. Her favorite colors are pink, blue, and purple.
  4. Her favorite movie genres are thrillers and romance.
  5. Her motto is: “If you work hard, you can eat delicious food.”
  6. She trained at STEP OUT DANCE STUDIO in Osaka and started attending the studio at the age of three. Her older sister, Hirai Hana, currently works there as an instructor. The dance school even sent her a congratulatory message when she debuted. While attending the dance school, she was part of a dance team called “Barbie” when she was in third grade.
  7. She tends to be timid and easily scared, especially when it comes to amusement park rides or anything that moves at a height. When the other members rode the Viking (a swinging ship ride), she and Mina stayed back and just watched. Even when riding a children’s roller coaster afterward, she was so scared that she couldn’t open her eyes.
  8. In addition to jokbal (pig’s feet), some of her favorite foods include soy sauce-marinated crab, mayonnaise, live octopus, beef intestines, avocado, and mala soup.
  9. Her least favorite foods are cucumber, watermelon, melon, mango, and wasabi.
  10. She likes the Nissan Cedric, a car her family used to own. She said she has fond memories of taking drives with her family in that car when she was little.
  11. She is the oldest among all current Japanese members in active K-pop girl groups.
  12. Perhaps because she’s from the Kansai region, her Gyeongsang Province accent (when speaking Korean) is very natural and lively—some even say it’s better than that of TWICE’s Korean members.