[7] Sana stated that she wanted to become a singer and dancer early on and was inspired by the K-pop group Girls' Generation.

[7] Sana began training with EXPG in Osaka in 2009, originally planning to be a singer in Japan, rather than South Korea.

[13] In 2015, Sana participated in the music survival show Sixteen, a reality television series to determine the members of Twice.

[19] On February 9, 2023, JYPE announced that Sana, alongside bandmates Momo and Mina, will officially debut in Japan on July 26 as a sub-unit named MiSaMo with the extended play titled Masterpiece.

[20] Prior to the trio's debut, on January 25, they released the track "Bouquet" as part of the soundtrack of TV Asahi's drama series Liaison: Children's Heart Clinic [ja].

[26][27] In 2019, Sana also ranked as the most popular female K-pop idol in a survey of soldiers completing mandatory military service in South Korea.