Hitomi Honda
A Japanese performer who led the multinational girl group Iz*One, navigating the intense spotlight of K-pop with steady grace and leadership.
Born 2001 (age 25)·Japanese singer and actress·Birthday: October 6·Generation Z
Biography
Hitomi Honda's career is a map of modern East Asian pop culture. She began in the sprawling, hometown-centric system of AKB48 in Japan, learning the ropes of idol performance. Her big break came in 2018 on the survival show "Produce 48," which pitted Japanese and Korean trainees against each other. Her sharp dance skills and earnest demeanor won her a spot in the resulting project group, Iz*One. For two and a half years, she balanced the demanding schedules and stylistic expectations of K-pop while representing her Japanese roots. Known within the group for her precision and quiet determination, she often served as a stabilizing force. After Iz*One's disbandment, she didn't return to the AKB48 system but boldly pivoted, redebuting as the leader of the new Korean group Say My Name, proving her resilience and commitment to a cross-border career.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Hitomi was born in 2001, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Hitomi Was Born
The biggest hits of 2001
#1 Movie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Best Picture
A Beautiful Mind
#1 TV Show
Survivor
Hitomi's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2001Born
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2006Started school
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2014Became a teenager
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Could drive
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2019Could vote
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2022Turned 21
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 25 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Finished in 9th place on Mnet's "Produce 48" in 2018, earning her spot in the project girl group Iz*One.
- Promoted actively with Iz*One for two and a half years, releasing multiple successful Korean and Japanese albums.
- Was appointed the leader of the new South Korean girl group Say My Name upon its debut in 2024.
Did You Know?
Her nickname is "Hii-chan" and she is known for having very large, expressive eyes, which fans often compliment.
She was a member of AKB48's Team 8 before joining "Produce 48."
She is recognized as one of the main dancers in both Iz*One and Say My Name.
“I want to show that I can be an idol who is always evolving.”
