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니쥬

Girl group · JYP Entertainment / Sony Music Japan · since 2020

NiziU

니쥬

Nine Japanese members picked by Park Jin-young on a Hulu audition show, trained in Seoul and launched in Japan. Their pre-debut song "Make you happy" set off a nationwide jump rope dance craze.

6years on 2 December 2026 · in 38 days

Their story

Picked on Hulu, trained in Seoul

NiziU began as a bet by JYP Entertainment and Sony Music Japan: take the K-pop training system and build a group made entirely of Japanese members for the Japanese market. After open auditions, the top fourteen moved to South Korea to train, and Hulu Japan aired Nizi Project in early 2020. Park Jin-young was the strict, warm mentor on screen. At the finale in June the nine winners were named, with Mako in first place.

Famous before the debut

The pre-debut EP Make you happy did something few debut songs manage. Its chorus dance, which looks like jumping rope, turned up in cover videos all over Japanese social media. By the time "Step and a step" officially came out in December 2020, NHK had already booked them for Kohaku Uta Gassen. The single went straight to the top of the Oricon chart, and by late 2022 they were playing Tokyo Dome.

Japanese pop, Korean polish

Their sound is bright J-pop finished with K-pop choreography and production. Most releases are Japanese, but the group has a second track in Korea. They debuted there in 2023 with Press Play, whose title track "HEARTRIS" joins "heart" and Tetris, and won Show Champion within weeks. "LOVE LINE" in 2025 built its concept around palm reading, with a destiny line standing in for love and strings running through the dance.

Where they are now

All nine members are still together. In July 2026 they released Portfolio, their first best-of album in Japan, with a new 2026 video for "Make you happy", the song that started it all. Two months later came their first Korean mini album, Sour Grapes. Its title track won Show Champion on 7 October.

Timeline

  1. The Nizi Project finale names the nine members of NiziU; the pre-debut EP Make you happy follows on 30 June.

  2. Official debut with the single "Step and a step", straight to No. 1 on Oricon.

  3. They sing at NHK's Kohaku Uta Gassen, a month after debut.

  4. First Japanese album, U.

  5. First dome shows: two nights at Tokyo Dome on the Burn it Up tour.

  6. Korean debut with the single album Press Play and "HEARTRIS".

  7. First Korean music show win, on Show Champion.

  8. Second Korean single album, LOVE LINE.

  9. First best-of album, Portfolio, in Japan.

  10. First Korean mini album, Sour Grapes; the title track wins Show Champion on 7 October.

  11. 25 October 2026

Start with these 5 songs

  1. Make you happyThe pre-debut song whose jump rope chorus dance was copied all over Japan.2020
  2. Step and a stepThe official debut single and their first Oricon No. 1.2020
  3. Take a pictureThe follow-up single that beat the debut's first-week sales.2021
  4. HEARTRISThe Korean debut, named after "heart" plus Tetris.2023
  5. LOVE LINEPalm reading as a love metaphor, with string motifs in the choreography.2025

Videos play from YouTube, from the official channels, and load only when you press Video. YouTube may then set its own cookies (privacy).

In the Fan Chart

The Fan Chart on The Crowd adds up every fan's top 10. Here is where NiziU stands.

    Add NiziU to your setlist

    For WithU

    MakoLeader

    마코
    Name
    Mako Yamaguchi

    Finished first in the Nizi Project finale after auditioning in Tokyo.

    Rio

    리오
    Name
    Rio Hanabashi

    Ranked fourth in the finale; she auditioned in Nagoya.

    Maya

    마야
    Name
    Maya Katsumura

    Ranked fifth in the finale and topped the show's teamwork round.

    Riku

    리쿠
    Name
    Riku Oe

    Ranked second in the finale; she auditioned in Osaka.

    Ayaka

    아야카

    Competed on Mako's team in the Nizi Project finals.

    Mayuka

    마유카
    Name
    Mayuka Ogou

    Auditioned in Osaka and came third in the show's image round.

    Rima

    리마
    Name
    Rima Yokoi

    Ranked third in the finale; she auditioned in Tokyo.

    Miihi

    미이히
    Name
    Miihi Suzuno

    Ranked sixth in the finale and won the show's growth round.

    Nina

    니나

    Was on the Mint Team in Nizi Project and joined the final nine.

    Quick answers

    When did NiziU debut?

    On 2 December 2020 in Japan, with the single "Step and a step". The pre-debut EP Make you happy came out in June 2020, and the Korean debut followed on 30 October 2023 with Press Play.

    How many members does NiziU have?

    Nine: Mako (leader), Rio, Maya, Riku, Ayaka, Mayuka, Rima, Miihi and Nina. All nine are Japanese and were picked on Nizi Project.

    What is the NiziU fandom called?

    WithU (위쥬 in Korean).

    What does NiziU mean?

    "Nizi" comes from Nizi Project, the show that formed them, and "U" stands for the fans. Park Jin-young, who named the group, linked it to "need you".

    Is NiziU still active?

    Yes. They released their first Korean mini album, Sour Grapes, on 28 September 2026 and won Show Champion with the title track on 7 October.

    Know your NiziU?Six K-pop questions a day in the Daily, and a collectible card for every finished set.

    Play the Daily

    Last checked 24 October 2026. Sources include Oricon News, THE FIRST TIMES, Soompi, Sports Kyunghyang and Asia News Network. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.