Im Nayeon

Biography

Im Na-yeon (Korean: 임나연; born September 22, 1995), known mononymously as Nayeon, is a South Korean singer. She rose to prominence as a member of the South Korean girl group Twice, created by JYP Entertainment through the reality television show Sixteen (2015).
Nayeon released her eponymous debut extended play (EP), Im Nayeon, in June 2022. It peaked at number one on South Korea's Circle Album Chart and number seven on the US Billboard 200, making her the first South Korean soloist in history to enter the latter chart's top 10. The lead single, "Pop!", reached number two on the Circle Digital Chart in South Korea and the top ten in six countries. In 2024, Nayeon earned her second number-one entry on the Circle Album Chart and top-ten entry on the US Billboard 200 with her second extended play Na.

Early life

Im Na-yeon was born on September 22, 1995 in Gangdong District, Seoul, South Korea. As a child, Nayeon participated in a modeling contest and was cast by JYP Entertainment. Although her mother initially prevented her from entering show business given her young age, Nayeon secretly attended the agency's open audition on September 15, 2010, after which she became a trainee. In 2014, she was set to debut in a girl group called 6mix, but the group's debut was cancelled when two members left JYP Entertainment. She also made an appearance in the second episode of the 2012 television series Dream High 2.

Education

Nayeon graduated from Seoul Myeongwon Elementary School, Seongdeok Girls' Middle School, and Apgujeong High School. Before her debut with Twice, she was a student at Konkuk University under the department of Theater and Film Arts. In 2018, during the What Is Love? showcase, she revealed that she took a "leave of absence" due to her busy schedule.

2015–present: Sixteen, Twice and solo debut

In 2015, Nayeon participated in the reality television show Sixteen, a competition to determine the members of a new JYP Entertainment girl group called Twice. As one of the nine successful participants, she made the final lineup. In October, Nayeon officially debuted as a member of Twice with the release of their first extended play (EP), The Story Begins.
On May 19, 2022, it was announced that Nayeon would debut as a solo artist on June 24 with her debut EP Im Nayeon. The EP has seven tracks, including the lead single, "Pop!", and collaborations with Wonstein and Felix of Stray Kids. "Pop!" was a commercial success, peaking at number two on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart. On July 10, Nayeon earned her first ever music show win on SBS Inkigayo. She won Best Female Artist at the 2022 MAMA Awards.
Nayeon's second EP Na was released on June 14, 2024. It contains seven tracks including the lead single, "ABCD", and collaborations with Sam Kim and Julie of Kiss of Life. On November 21, Nayeon released a Korean version of "Beyond" for the end credits of the animated film Moana 2.
In February 2025, Nayeon performed solo in Japan for the first time at Beat AX Vol.5, a music festival hosted by Nippon Television at Ariake Arena. After her performance, her cover of Ikimonogakari's "Kimagure Romantic" became popular on social media, and the original song re-charted on various music streaming services. At the request of Ikimonogakari, Nayeon released her cover version as a digital single on May 30.

On June 13, 2025, Tayla Parx and Nayeon released a remix of Parx's single "Era". On July 4, Nayeon performed at the Kaohsiung Beer Rock Festival, becoming the first Twice member to perform in Taiwan. On May 7, 2026, she released the song "Love Is Enough" for the soundtrack of the Korean drama series Sold Out on You.

Public image

In Gallup Korea's annual music poll for 2017, she was voted the sixth most popular idol in South Korea. In the 2018 poll, she again ranked sixth, receiving 6.7% of the votes. In 2019, she placed fifth, receiving 8.2% of the votes, and ranked as the eighth most popular female K-pop idol in a survey of soldiers completing mandatory military service in South Korea. Nayeon has been noted for being at the "center" of Twice's performances and constantly opening the group's songs.

Fashion and endorsements

Aside from endorsements with Twice, Nayeon has promoted various products and featured in numerous advertisements. During her trainee years, Nayeon was a model for brands such as Smart School Uniform and TN. In May 2021, she became a model and appeared in a promotional video for Chaumet's Joséphine collection. In August, she became a model for Biotherm Korea, a South Korean beauty brand. In September 2022, she became a model for South Korean clothing brand Olive Des Olive. On January 30, 2023, Nayeon was announced as the official muse of Givenchy Beauty. In May 2023, she became the Asia ambassador for Tommy Jeans.
Nayeon has also appeared in magazines including Nylon Korea, Cosmopolitan Korea, W Korea, and Elle Korea, as well as for fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren, Jill Stuart, Fendi, and Louis Vuitton. She was featured in the April 2022 issue of Harper's Bazaar Korea for Chaumet's Joséphine collection. The same month, she was officially named by the brand as the Friend of the Maison. In August 2023, she was announced as the muse of Austrian jewellery brand Swarovski.

Philanthropy

In March 2020, Nayeon donated ₩50 million (equivalent to ₩58.3 million or US$43,500.37 in 2025) to the Community Chest of Korea to help the fight against COVID-19 outbreak. In 2023, she donated ₩200 million (equivalent to ₩208.99 million or US$155,929.27 in 2025) to Save the Children to support relief for the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquakes, and in January 2024, she became a member of the Honor Society of the Community Chest of Korea for donating over ₩100 million (equivalent to ₩104.49 million or US$77,964.64 in 2025) to the organization.
In March 2025, Nayeon donated ₩50 million (US$37,305.75) through the Community Chest of Korea to help the wildfire victims.

Songwriting credits

All song credits are adapted from the Korea Music Copyright Association's database unless stated otherwise.