Since debuting in 2015, TWICE have been going strong as a nine-member group with a bond like no other, which is a feat in itself. We first met in Korea during the pandemic, right before the release of their EP Taste of Love. Since then, TWICE have skyrocketed: They have released bop after bop, and while they’ve always been a force in Asia, these past few years have shown their ability to break through overseas. Along the way, their sound expanded from bubblegum pop into other genres like R&B and house, and they’ve constantly transformed their image. They’ve been on tour for what feels like forever, and each tour stop is bigger and better. In June of last year, TWICE became the first female K-pop group to play SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, and of course, sold it out.
Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu have been through so much together — from their cutthroat survival program Sixteen, which finalized the group’s lineup almost 10 years ago, to brief hiatuses to prioritize members’ health, it’s amazing to see their resilience in a group setting like theirs. Their new album With YOU-th (out today) is all about that tenacity, and describes the support system the members have become for one another. The members continue to have a hand in production and songwriting, and they each bring unique talents to the group, from different languages (Japanese, Chinese, and Korean) to different senses of humor.
We connected over Zoom in late January, about a week before the release of English-language track “I GOT YOU,” and just days before TWICE headed out to Mexico City to resume the group’s fifth world tour, titled Ready to Be. The single release also concludes a monthlong break for the members to rest up, while preparing for the final leg of the tour, which currently is slated for 49 shows. TWICE will be back stateside on March 16 for one of the final shows of the tour, a one-night-only event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
It’s been two years since we last spoke in Anseong to chat “Alcohol-Free,” and so much has happened since then, but I want to start with the world tour! I was at the L.A. show back in February 2022 and also at your first U.S. stadium show in May — since then, you’ve been busy continuing to tour, with bigger venues each time. What has that been like?
Nayeon: Just going on tour to so many places brings us happiness and was such a good opportunity for us. To go back to cities we’ve been to but to perform at larger venues with more fans is so meaningful.
Are there any fun memories from the Ready to Be tour last year that really stuck out to you?
Dahyun: The Ready to Be tour was special in that we were able to go to countries we haven’t been to, and it was great to see all of the ONCEs there as well. Personally, I really wanted to see the Eiffel Tower during our Europe leg, so I loved that I was able to go and take a lot of photos. And we’re going to South America soon — I think the reaction and atmosphere there is going to be full of passion, so I’m looking forward to that.
Momo: With this concert, for the first time, we’re doing solo stages too, and each time we do our solo performances, the reaction is so great. It’s definitely a highlight from this tour.
Jihyo: And we also had a live band! Working with a live band was also a new challenge.
I’ve been following along on updates from the tour and noticed that you’re in a month of rest between stops. Of course, there’s fashion shows and you’re busy preparing for the new album, With YOU‐th, but I would love to hear about how you’ve spent this time.
Momo: I went on a short trip to Phuket, Thailand, with my family. I had such a great time, and I felt so well-rested.
Jeongyeon: Jihyo and I went on a trip with both of our parents, and I was the tour guide. We went on a luxurious trip [laughs].
TWICE have been so active with short-form video these days — how do you decide which trends to hop on?
Jihyo: I’ve become quite the short-form fairy these days [laughs]. I tend to look through on my own a lot, but I don’t know the trends that well, so I ask our team for ideas, or if I see something I want to try, I might just try it out. It depends. If I see something fun, I send it to our members and ask them to do it with me.
Is there a recent one that you particularly liked?
Jihyo: I recently went on a Korean variety show called I Live Alone — I did one with my friends while wearing hanbok. I think Sana liked that one.
Sana: I liked seeing Jihyo’s excited facial expressions that showed how well she was spending her time off [laughs].
So by the time you’re in Vegas for your show at Allegiant Stadium, the new music’s going to be out! Can we look forward to seeing some performances of the new songs?
Momo: Yes.… [laughs]
Nayeon: Since the music will be out by then, I think the fans can look forward to the first performances of the songs.
At the time of this interview, we’re just a week from the release of “I GOT YOU.” The teasers, concept photos, etc., are all out — how do you anticipate fans’ reactions to the song?
Jihyo: We actually had a chance to see the full music video for “I GOT YOU,” and it shows our relationships with one another. I think the fans will really like that aspect of the video. I’m looking forward to their reactions, too.
And you’ve recorded a few songs in English now. I imagine it gets a little easier each time, but what are some of the things you try to pay extra attention to when it comes to recording in English? I saw the Opening Trailer, which was in English, too.
Jihyo: What do you guys think?
Tzuyu: There were some difficult parts when it comes to pronunciation — I recall having to rerecord some parts a few times [laughs]. I hope our efforts come through.
Jihyo: We’re not really strong at English.
Momo: And since each song has different lyrics, it remains challenging each time.
Nayeon: Especially if it’s to a fast beat.
Tzuyu: But interestingly the members have told me that the English version sometimes comes out better than the Korean one!
How would you describe the new album, With YOU-th? Some of the images that have come out so far were reminiscent of your “Feel Special” era, looking at them as a third party.
Nayeon: It’s our 13th mini album, and focuses on how we’re spending our youth with you.
Jihyo: The vibe might be there, but I think the message is a little bit different. Around “Feel Special,” we were going through some hard times and that track in particular was more about how we were able to persevere through all of that. I think this album focuses on our current state of how happy we are in the moment, after everything we’ve been through. I think it also shows our growth and improvement over time.
What are some of the members’ favorite tracks from the album?
Nayeon: Mine is “I GOT YOU.”
Momo: Me too.
Nayeon: I think with “I GOT YOU,” even after we were done with production, it’s a song that I’m still listening to on my own.
Mina: I like “BLOOM.” It has a pretty melody and makes me feel like spring is fast approaching.
Jeongyeon: I like “NEW NEW.”
Sana: You too, right, Tzuyu?
Tzuyu: Yes. I like “NEW NEW.”
Jeongyeon: It has a bright energy that almost makes it sound like a song that we would have put out in our earlier days, with a vibrant TWICE-like energy. But since we’ve grown and our voices have changed, it has a slightly different tone, so I like that.
What about lyrics-wise?
Jihyo: Three of our members participated in writing this time around. Those three members should share their favorite lines!
Chaeyoung: Someone actually was talking about how my lyric was cute! I wrote “RUSH,” and in the hook of that song, the lyric says, “I need you obliviously,” and the members all really liked that. They told me it was cute, so I feel proud.
Sana: You’re cute! Like Chaeyoung said, her lyrics overall are so cute! I hope everyone pays close attention to the words when listening.
Dahyun: In “YOU GET ME,” the song has a connection with “I GOT YOU,” and the lyric says “Come run to me and hold me tight immediately,” and it fits well with the drum, beat, and bass, so I personally like how that came out. And there’s a part that we all sing “You already know!” and because it has the meaning of understanding one another without having to explicitly say something, I really like it.
Can you share anything from the production process of the new album that stood out to you?
Sana: With “ONE SPARK,” we actually had recorded this song a while ago with assigned parts. And this time around, the lyrics changed a little and the division of parts also shifted along with that, with a rerecording, to finalize the song. I think we all wanted it to be even better, so we had separate meetings about the new version, so the rerecordings and meetings stood out to me.
Jihyo: There’s a song called “BLOOM” that Jeongyeon wrote, actually. That song came up in meetings when I was preparing for my solo album a while back. It was going to be a side track on my solo album, but I was having a hard time bringing it to life with my voice, so we ended up moving forward with another track, but funnily enough, the part that I was having a hard time with became my part this time around [laughs]. So I worked really hard to record it!
It’s been so long since we’ve connected, and even aside from all of the shows you’ve put on, Nayeon, Jihyo, you had your solo promotions, and of course the MiSaMo (Mina, Sana, Momo) sub-unit was a success, too. How was that?
Jihyo: Nayeon, you’re my senior when it comes to being solo! When I was preparing for my solo release, I wanted to participate in production as much as possible. Trying to fit that in with TWICE’s group schedules was challenging, but I’m proud of how it all went.
Mina: Preparing for MiSaMo also had to happen during the thick of touring, so finding time to work on it was hard. It was a long time coming, but toward the end we really didn’t have much time. I remember it being tough, but the three of us were comforting one another and were able to push through.
From an outside perspective, it really does feel like you’ve been touring forever! What are you most looking forward to once this tour wraps?
Sana: I want to put my carry-on luggage away. I keep having to take something out once and just putting it back in — we’re always packing and unpacking. I’m really looking forward to that, right everyone?
And I wanted to check in on some of the things we discussed back in 2021. Jihyo, you mentioned wanting to surf, and, Sana, you mentioned picking up horseback riding despite your allergies. How has that been going?
Sana: Yes, I actually did once!
Jihyo: Really?
Sana: Last year during our break, I did it once in Japan and wanted to continue. But then didn’t do it for a whole year again after that [laughs].
Jihyo: Last fall or winter, I went with Jeongyeon to surf at sunrise. But it was freezing, and I thought to myself, “Never again!” and I quit [laughs].
Since it’s still early in the year, what do you want to try for in 2024?
Nayeon: I have one. I totally have one. I want to become the best driver [laughs].
Momo: I’ll look forward to it!
Nayeon: I want to master driving this year.
Jihyo: I’m really looking forward to that.
Jeongyeon: I have one, too. I want to get a license for operating larger vehicles. [Editor’s note: Korea has separate licenses for trucks, trailers, etc.] For camping. And I want to try operating a forklift [laughs].
Sana: For a future career opportunity.
Jeongyeon: I want to learn a trade. For my future.
I’m sure you won’t need to!
[Laughs.]
Anyone else?
Chaeyoung: I want to become better at guitar.
Nayeon: Don’t lie! [laughs]
Chaeyoung: I’m taking lessons. I had two lessons during this break [laughs].
Sana: That’s a lot!
Chaeyoung: I want to work hard at it.
Jihyo: Tzuyu, what about you?
Tzuyu: I want to get my driver’s license, too.
Chaeyoung: Should we go together?
Tzuyu: I want to get better at English, too.
What about Mina?
Jihyo: I’m curious, too. I wish she would come out of her room more!
Mina: [Laughs.] I want to do more activities, leaving the house.