TWICE Shows Why They’re “Superstars” on the “THIS IS FOR” World Tour
During their final North America “THIS IS FOR” tour stop in Austin, TWICE shows their fans “What Is Love?” with equal parts charm and chaos on a 360 stage.
After starting their “THIS IS FOR” tour in Incheon, South Korea, last July, K-pop girl group TWICE wrapped up their North America leg with two nights in Austin, Texas.
TWICE, which debuted in 2015 under JYP Entertainment after forming under the reality competition program “Sixteen,” is described by their producer JYP as a group that would make you fall in once through the ears and once through the eyes. That sentiment is reflected in the confident, punchy “FOUR” lyrics that echo through Moody Center as overhead screens turn blue with flashing white text and images of the crowd: “Once you see us, you’ll madly love us twice.”
Made up of nine members from South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, TWICE consists of leader and vocalist Park Ji-hyo (Jihyo), center and lead vocalist Im Na-yeon (Nayeon), lead vocalist Yoo Jeong-yeon (Jeongyeon), main dancer Hirai Momo (Momo), sub-vocalist Minatozaki Sana (Sana), main dancer Myoi Mina (Mina), lead rapper Kim Da-hyun (Dahyun), main rapper Son Chae-young (Chaeyoung), and lead dancer and visual Chou Tzu-Yu (Tzuyu).
Their last world tour that included North American dates ended in 2024. But since then, the group hasn’t stopped and has continued to solidify themselves as a global act. The following year, they dropped their fourth Korean album “THIS IS FOR” in July, followed by a sixth Japanese album “Enemy,” and fifth studio album “Ten: The Story Goes On,” to commemorate the group’s 10th anniversary together. With the concert in Austin, the group set a new record for the most concert attendees by a K-pop girl group in North America, after 550,000 fans attended their shows. Now, the members head to Tokyo, Japan, before finishing their final leg in Europe.
Changing Up the “Strategy” with Seven Members
Though TWICE started the tour as a nine-person ensemble, only seven of the members take the stage tonight. Since the end of March, rappers Dahyun and Chaeyoung announced their hiatus due to sustained injuries. While the decision may be disappointing for audience members who hoped to see everyone together, the other members do their best to make sure ONCE (the name given to TWICE’s fanbase) have a night to remember, and the crowd does the same to make sure the group onstage feels appreciated.
For the first two acts, the setlist is a mix of songs off their more recent albums — powerful, high-energy tracks that show off the group’s perfectly synchronized choreography that transition into more mellow, but still bright, numbers. When they emerge to the empowering title track “THIS IS FOR,” the missing two members are not immediately noticeable, but open gaps in the group dances indicate otherwise. During Dahyun’s and Chaeyoung’s lines, backing tracks and a live band help keep the illusion of an in-person performance, while the camera pans out to the rest of the members instead of focusing on individuals.
Throughout ments, when the members interact with the fans in between songs, the members play along with the crowd. But as the talking winds down, their professionalism kicks in and they snap into place like it’s second nature.
In particular, Jihyo, Jeongyeon, and Mina stand out as the moodmakers of the evening. Jihyo puts her all into every single performance and it’s clear she adores her job, even after 20 years of training and performing. Tonight is no different, and she radiates a determined and purposeful charisma whenever she appears, dancing and hitting her notes at 200%. Fans match her energy each time.
Jeongyeon appears with a genuine smile on her face when talking to ONCE and her joy is infectious. She’s the more mischievous member, often pulling antics on stage and sharing playful smiles with her fellow members on stage, even while they’re performing.
Known as the quietest and shyest member, Mina surprises me the most, stunning the crowd with her beauty. Maybe because her parents are at the show (Jihyo spots them during one of the ments), whenever the camera turns to Mina, she manages to serve each time with a knowing look. There’s no doubt that all the members slay their angles, but Mina in particular exudes a specific grace and a natural confidence befitting of a former ballerina.
The whole night, the Austin crowd never dims their excitement, going wild for every performance and exchange. During the dance cam right before the encore, the hanging screens highlight many enthusiastic fans dressed in TWICE-inspired costumes, including a cactus (if you know, you know). A male ONCE takes his shirt off and whips it above his head.
“Today’s vibe is absolutely amazing!” Momo shares during another ment.
“Your energy is so passionate, I think this was the hottest tour of all the North America tour,” Nayeon agrees.
A 360 Stage That Makes You Want “MORE & MORE”
The most unique element about this TWICE tour is its intricate and intentional 360 stage. The platform itself resembles a flipped “S” shape, with two side stages on the short ends of the arena and one main stage in the center. Two thin walkways connect the different areas, with floor sections filled with fans and a band nestled in between.
From above, nine boxes sit directly over the square center stage in a three-by-three formation, while four giant screens outline the perimeter, one for each side. These components lower and lift throughout different performances, sometimes meeting the ground and acting as a curtain. The middle stage platform is also split into nine boxes that move up and down to varying heights during certain songs.
No matter which side of the stage the group is on, choreography gets rotated so the audience can all see something. During “The Feels,” an infectious dance-pop number, the members take center stage again, but split up so that different groups face out from each edge into the audience. As the members sing their lines, they dance along before passing the next part of the song to a group on another side of the stage. Even if the members aren’t facing you, the execution makes for an entertaining experience from the stands, and cameras deftly placed throughout the venue still manage to capture all the action for the big screen.
Every inch of the stage is covered throughout the two-hour performance, even when transitioning between acts.
In the third act, each member performs a solo song from TWICE’s latest album “TEN,” taking different stages to allow for smooth and quick transitions in between songs. The members’ solo stages are entertaining and the crowd shows love for all of them. Each song is distinct and the section covers a wide range, but they’re shortened, leaving the audience wanting more.
And that’s not all.
Jihyo and Jeongyeon return to sing a fierce rock version of “TAKEDOWN,” a cover the two, along with Chaeyoung, recorded for the “KPop Demon Hunters” soundtrack. The duo command the middle stage, jumping above the audience on raised platforms and encouraging the audience to sing along with them.
While a 360 stage gives more creative freedom for captivating performances, it also allows TWICE to get close to ONCE. When the members aren’t performing choreography, they often travel to different parts of the stage to wave to and interact with the audience, or play with each other. After the first chorus of the sunny and upbeat “I GOT YOU,” a song about friendship and supporting one another, Jeongyeon walks around the stage on my right to bother Momo, who laughs. Later in the show, I see her across the way cheerfully spraying water on fans.
Each section gets a different view, and with something always happening on stage, the experience feels truly special.
A “Magical” Bond
At this point, TWICE has been on tour for 10 months, with 38 performances since January of this year. But if some of the members seem shy and tired in the beginning of the show, they’re fully animated and more open with the audience by the time the group makes it to act two. For more of their well-known songs, their passion is palpable.
An artist’s relationship with their fans is important, but to witness the attachment between a team, especially one like TWICE, through all their ups and downs, is so special. TWICE has been idols for 10 years, but behind their highly trained personas, it’s clear they hold such admiration and love for one another and feel comfortable being themselves.
Even with so much going on, the large overhead screens capture some of the more intimate moments between each member, like the small smiles shared between Mina and Nayeon when they find each other during “FANCY” around one of the giant boxes on the stage, or when Mina and Jeongyeon dance together in the youthful and summery “Dance the Night Away.”
As with any K-pop concert these days, there are plenty of fanchants — and lots of barking. “Since Dahyun’s [not] here, you guys didn’t really do that chant [the barking], but it’s still good to hear it after a while,” Jihyo notes.
“I think for our next, final song, out of all the North America cities, Austin ONCE will be the loudest to do the chant,” Nayeon declares. I’m unsure whether or not we are the loudest, but there is a rousing “burning, burning, burning” during each chorus of the fast-paced and sentimental “ONE SPARK.” Seeing the fans stay absorbed through the whole show brings smiles from each of the members as they sing and dance.
Despite the warning of a final song, the show isn’t over yet — and the most spirited part has yet to come. For the encore, TWICE returns with another uplifting classic, “Feel Special,” before turning to requests from the audience.
Choosing an encore song sparks quite a bit of debate in the audience and some confusion among the members as people all shout different options. When Jeongyeon suggests one of the group’s early hits, the quirky and addicting song “SIGNAL,” the crowd erupts in cheers. “Oh, they love ‘SIGNAL.’ OK, let’s do it,” Nayeon decides.
Perhaps because tonight is one of the last dates of the tour leg, TWICE offers one more song. When their dancers and band join them on stage for curtain call, Jihyo lets one of the musicians choose the last number. He proposes the “TWICE Song,” a fun, bubbly track where each of the members introduces themselves and their distinct charms.
The final song is truly a sight to behold. Jihyo picks up a giant inflatable CANDYBONG (TWICE’s official lightstick) from the pit and carries it around the stage. As each member sings their line, the dancers follow them. The stage is full of pink confetti from previous numbers and they pick it up in clumps and throw it in the air. Sana hilariously manages to convince some of the backstage staff to come up, practically pulling them on stage, while Mina and Jeongyeon hold hands around one crew member and dance. After the song concludes, the staff shyly run off as the members laugh.
After an evening of dynamic performances from these seasoned entertainers, the scene is one of absolute chaos and pure joy, and it’s a perfect and memorable end to the night.
Setlist at Moody Center, Night 1
Act I
- “THIS IS FOR”
- “Strategy”
- “MAKE ME GO”
- “SET ME FREE”
- “I CAN’T STOP ME”
- “OPTIONS”
- “MOONLIGHT SUNRISE”
Act II
- “MARS”
- “I GOT YOU”
- “The Feels”
- “Gone”
- “CRY FOR ME”
- “HELL IN HEAVEN”
- “RIGHT HAND GIRL”
Act III
- “Run Away” (Tzuyu solo, shortened)
- “STONE COLD” (Mina solo, shortened)
- “MEEEEEE” (Nayeon solo, shortened)
- “FIX A DRINK” (Jeongyeon solo, shortened)
- “ATM” (Jihyo solo, shortened)
- “DECAFFEINATED” (Sana solo, shortened)
- “MOVE LIKE THAT” (Momo solo, shortened)
- “TAKEDOWN” (TWICE version with Jeonyeon and Jihyo)
Act IV
- “FANCY”
- “What is Love?”
- “YES or YES”
- “Dance the Night Away”
- “ONE SPARK”
Encore
- “Feel Special”
- “SIGNAL”
- “TWICE Song”
