Mako's Profile
- Full Name: Mako Yamaguchi
- Native Name: 山口 真子
- Nicknames: Woof Woof
- Birthday: Apr 04, 2001 (24 years old)
- Blood type: A
- Height/Weight: 159 cm (5'3") / 42 kg (92 lbs)
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Aries
- MBTI: ESFJ (The Consul)
- Birthplace: Yame, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
-
Nationality:
Japanese
- Profession: Singer, Dancer
- Language Skills: Japanese, Korean
- Group: NiziU
- Debut: Dec 2, 2020
- Position: Leader, Lead Vocalist, Lead Dancer
- Current Agency: JYP Entertainment / Sony Music Japan
Mako (full name: Yamaguchi Mako, 山口真子), born on April 4, 2001, is a Japanese singer. She is the leader, main dancer, sub-vocalist, and rapper of the J-pop girl group NiziU, which is managed by JYP Entertainment in collaboration with Sony Music Entertainment Japan. The group officially debuted in 2020 following the survival program Nizi Project.
Early Life
Mako was born and raised in Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. She attended Minami Junior High School, where she served as class president during her third year. Later, she enrolled in high school and took part in the student council. Her family consists of her parents and an older sister named Atsuko Yamaguchi. From an early age, she showed interest in music and dance, which later shaped her career path in the entertainment industry.
Career
In 2017, Mako passed the global audition “13th Open Audition” held by JYP Entertainment and officially became a trainee in South Korea. She was the first Japanese contestant to receive a trainee position through JYP’s internal audition program, which is known for training the core members of future idol groups.
In 2019, Mako participated in the survival reality show Nizi Project, a collaboration between JYP Entertainment and Sony Music Japan aimed at discovering and training the next-generation girl group. From the early rounds, Mako consistently ranked at the top due to her perfect scores in both dance and vocal evaluations. Her performance of “Swing Baby” (by J.Y. Park) during the Showcase round received direct praise from Park Jin-young, the founder of JYP Entertainment, for her stage presence and leadership skills.
Mako officially debuted with NiziU on June 26, 2020, with the digital single Make you happy, released as part of their pre-debut promotions. She took on the roles of leader, main dancer, and lead vocalist. The single topped the Oricon Digital Weekly chart and the Billboard Japan Hot 100, making NiziU the first Japanese rookie girl group to achieve this feat upon debut.
In 2021, NiziU released their debut album U, where Mako contributed to the choreography production for the track “Chopstick.” This marked her first official role as a choreographer for a commercially released project. The album quickly reached No.1 on the Oricon Albums Chart in its first week.
By 2024, Mako and NiziU completed their first Dome Tour in Japan — NiziU Live with U 2024 “Light it Up” Dome Tour, with four sold-out shows at Tokyo Dome and Kyocera Dome Osaka. This achievement marked a historic milestone, making them the fastest Japanese girl group to hold a Dome Tour after debut.
Strengths
Mako possesses outstanding dance skills, characterized by highly technical movements focusing on sharp and precise micro-movements. Performances like “Take a Picture” (M COUNTDOWN, 2021) and “CLAP CLAP” (NHK Music Special, 2022) showcased her ability to control movements with extreme accuracy, creating a cohesive rhythm for NiziU’s group formations.
Mako’s vocal tone is classified as bright mid-range, stable, and well-suited for supporting lead parts, especially in pre-chorus and bridge sections. A prime example is the opening segment of the song “ASOBO” (2022), where she handled mid-range phrasing with a crisp and decisive delivery.
Fashion
Mako’s personal fashion style favors basic items in monochrome tones, often paired with statement accessories like high boots or mini bags. On stage, she is frequently styled in dynamic outfits blending sporty and edgy elements, such as her stage attire for “Step and a step” during Kōhaku Uta Gassen 2020.
In 2023, Mako appeared on the cover of the Japanese fashion magazine anan, and also served as the face of Puma Japan’s Spring promotion campaign.
From 2024 to 2025, Mako focused on major tours with NiziU, including the “Light it Up” Dome Tour and the “Awake” Arena Tour. She maintained her role as leader, coordinating stage formations at key venues like Tokyo Dome and Yoyogi National Gymnasium. During this period, Mako did not participate in solo activities such as magazine photoshoots or brand endorsements, instead emphasizing her leader image through group projects and official merchandise.
Challenges
In 2021, Mako faced controversy regarding comments about “managing her personal schedule” during a fan interaction livestream. She mentioned arranging her own practice hours without going through management, which sparked mixed opinions about discipline within the K-pop idol environment. JYP Entertainment later issued a statement clarifying that this was an internal activity of NiziU under the direct supervision of their training team.
Additionally, due to a tight schedule and intense practice sessions, Mako had to take a one-week break in September 2022 because of a minor ankle injury, as officially announced by the management company.
Fun Facts
- Mako always carries chocolate with her — it seems to be her comfort item to stay relaxed.
- “Legendary” Kyochon honey chicken: she can finish an entire honey fried chicken set without help.
- Yogurt lover: even with a busy schedule, she makes time to eat yogurt daily.
- Loves collecting Korean proverbs: “Even monkeys fall from trees” is her go-to phrase to encourage friends; she also likes “Kind words will bring good things.”
- Absolutely hates spoilers: if someone reveals a movie plot, she’ll “get mad” right away!
- Passionate about traveling: long drives and exploring new places are her favorite stress relievers.
- Older sister Atsuko is a hardcore fan: always supporting and accompanying Mako to events.
- Blood type A: meticulous, detail-oriented, always planning ahead.
- Can eat lemons without flinching, wore braces during the first season of Nizi Project, and has a habit of writing emoji-filled diaries to express emotions.
- Owns a Dachshund named Pana, and is an animal lover.
- Funny: once mistook body wash for lotion and applied it, often makes up random lyrics during practice, or dances spontaneously off-stage.
- Daily routine: stretches before sleeping, but if stretched too hard, tends to have nightmares. Loves watching dramas, learning languages, and journaling.
- When they first met, Ayaka couldn’t understand Mako because of her Fukuoka dialect.
- According to Rio, Mako is quite clumsy in real life, which contrasts with her confident and composed on-stage image.
Photo Gallery
