Ningning's Profile
- Real Name: Ning Yizhuo
- Native Name: 宁艺卓
- Nicknames: Vivian Ning, Jeo Ye-tak (저예탁)
- Birthday: Oct 23, 2002 (22 years old)
- Blood type: O
- Height/Weight: 161 cm (5’3″) / 43 kg (94 lbs)
- Gender: Female
- MBTI: INFP
- Birthplace: Harbin, China
-
Nationality:
Chinese
- Profession: Singer
- Language Skills: Mandarin, Korean, English
- Current Agency: SM Entertainment
- Debut: November 17, 2020
- Fandom: NingMeng
- Group: aespa
- Years Active: 2020–present (5 years)
Ningning (닝닝), whose birth name is Ning Yizhuo (宁艺卓), is a Chinese singer, rapper, and dancer born on October 23, 2002, in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. She is currently active in South Korea under SM Entertainment as the main vocalist and youngest member (maknae) of the girl group aespa.
Early Life
Ningning was born into an art-oriented family in Harbin, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China, with a mother who is a musician and a father who works as an architect and designer. From an early age, she displayed remarkable musical talent, appearing on season two of China’s Got Talent in 2011 at the age of nine and gaining attention for her impressive singing abilities.
In 2015, she competed on season three of Let’s Sing Kids (China’s New Sound Generation), further showcasing her vocal skills. During this period, she performed Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” at the Harbin Silver Valley Fuxing Concert, a performance that caught the eye of SM Entertainment’s recruiting staff.
In September 2016, at 14, Ningning was officially introduced as a member of SM Rookies, SM Entertainment’s pre-debut trainee team. Over the next four to five years of training, she appeared in the “Rookies Princess: Who’s the Best?” segment of the show My SMT in 2016 and recorded cover songs for the animated series Shining Star in 2017. Ningning graduated from the affiliated middle school of Harbin Normal University before moving to South Korea to focus on her music career.
Career
In 2020, Ningning officially entered the music industry when SM Entertainment introduced her as a member of aespa in October. On November 17, 2020, the group debuted with the single “Black Mamba,” which set a record of 21.4 million views in 24 hours—the highest for a K-pop debut music video at the time. She serves as the group’s main vocalist and youngest member.
In 2021, aespa achieved a breakthrough with “Next Level,” released in May, which reached No. 2 on both the Circle Digital Chart and the K-pop Hot 100. That October, their first EP, Savage, sold 787,600 copies, becoming SM Entertainment’s best-selling physical debut album at the time. On January 17, 2021, the group earned its first music-show win on SBS Inkigayo.
In 2022, their second EP, Girls, sold 1,844,376 copies and debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. In 2023, the EP My World secured 1.8 million pre-orders and sold 1,372,929 copies on its first day, setting a new first-day sales record for a K-pop girl group.
In 2024, aespa released their first full album, Armageddon, which sold 1.6 million copies worldwide and peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard 200. Its title track, “Supernova,” won multiple major awards. In October of the same year, the group followed with the EP Whiplash, surpassing 1.3 million sales.
In fashion, Ningning became a global ambassador for Versace in February 2024, fronted the brand’s Kleio bag campaign in August, and appeared in its holiday campaign that November. In early 2025, she modeled for FILA’s ABC Mart campaign and was named a regional ambassador for Maybelline New York across North Asia and Southeast Asia.
Her solo performances include the song “Bored!” during aespa’s concert tours, notably at the SYNK: HYPER LINE Live Tour in Los Angeles in 2023 and the 2024 LIVE TOUR. She also performed an English version of “Wake Up” as a solo stage during the group’s tour.
Fun facts
- Viral “Ningning is the Maknae” clip where she eats cake first while others wait, turning into a fan meme.
- Instagram story complaining about the heat and running a hairstyle poll that fans found hilariously casual.
- Neat cake-eating habit with no crumbs left, inspiring the “clean eater” meme.
- Wardrobe slip during Synk: Parallel Line show; she calmly held her dress and kept performing, clip widely shared.
- Story featuring a T-shirt with “don’t bump into me. It’s hot out.” sparked a mini fan buying craze.
- Nicknamed “queen of unseriousness” for playful jokes and goofy faces on livestreams.
- Often eats first despite being the maknae, leading to the “hungry youngest” meme.
- Frequently mixes Mandarin, English, and Korean in casual chat, creating funny mash-ups.
- Loud, contagious laugh captured in many fan reaction videos that went viral.
- Rapid facial expressions and wide-eyed reactions perfect for reaction clips.
- Shy moments covering her face on camera are loved as naturally adorable.
- Random English words or off-topic jokes during talks make fans burst out laughing.
- Photos and short clips of her trend on stan Twitter almost daily.
- Small eye movements or gestures easily become memes on international forums.
- Signature “opera laugh” with dramatic volume and tone is a favorite among fans.
Likes
- Enjoys cooking and often mentions it as a favorite hobby.
- Favorite colors include red, pink, yellow, and purple.
- Loves fruits like watermelon and strawberries.
- Enjoys hot pot, sundae soup, and pork backbone stew.
- Prefers music genres such as pop, hip-hop, and R&B.
- Lists the movie Titanic as a favorite because it makes her believe in love.
- Fond of animals, especially cats and tigers.
- Likes black hair and shopping for vintage clothing.
- Enjoys watching horror movies.
Dislikes
- Not a fan of chocolate.
- Doesn’t enjoy ASMR content.
Fandom
- Chinese meaning: “柠檬” (níng méng) means lemon. The first syllable “Ning” matches her name, making it catchy and easy to remember.
- Symbolism: Lemon represents freshness, brightness, and a playful “tangy” charm, reflecting her lively personality.
- Origin: The nickname started with Chinese fans and quickly spread to the international fanbase, becoming the recognized fandom name for Ningning.
