TWICE

TWICE: A Global K-Pop Phenomenon

TWICE is a nine-member South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment through the 2015 reality television series SIXTEEN. The group consists of Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu. The name "TWICE" signifies the intention to impress fans twice, once through their music and again through their visuals. Their fandom is known as "ONCE," reflecting the sentiment that if fans love them once, TWICE will repay that love twofold.

Formation and Debut

The group's formation was announced in early 2015 by JYP Entertainment founder Park Jin-young, who revealed that the lineup would be determined by the survival show SIXTEEN. The show, which aired on Mnet, concluded with seven members: Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, and Chaeyoung. Park Jin-young later expanded the group to nine members, adding Tzuyu, who was a popular audience choice, and Momo, selected for her performance skills. This decision to add eliminated contestants caused some initial controversy.

TWICE officially debuted on October 20, 2015, with their first extended play (EP), THE STORY BEGINS, and its lead single "Like OOH-AHH."

Rise to Stardom and Chart Dominance

The group achieved significant success in 2016 with the single "Cheer Up" from their second EP, PAGE TWO. The song topped the Gaon Digital Chart and became the best-performing single of the year in South Korea. It also garnered "Song of the Year" awards at the Melon Music Awards and Mnet Asian Music Awards. Their subsequent single, "TT," from the EP TWICEcoaster: LANE 1, held the number one position for four consecutive weeks. TWICEcoaster: LANE 1 became the highest-selling K-pop girl group album of 2016, selling over 350,000 copies by year's end. Within 19 months of their debut, TWICE had sold over 1.2 million units across their EPs and special albums.

International Expansion and Record-Breaking Achievements

In January 2017, the music video for "TT" surpassed 100 million views, becoming the fastest K-pop group music video to reach this milestone and breaking TWICE's own record. Later that year, "TT" became the first music video by a K-pop female act to exceed 200 million views. JYP Entertainment announced TWICE's first solo concert tour, "Twiceland – The Opening," which sold out quickly. The group also scheduled concerts in Thailand and Singapore.

Following the Korean leg of their tour, TWICE released a reissue of their third EP, TWICEcoaster: Lane 2, featuring the lead single "Knock Knock." The album sold over 266,000 units in February 2017 alone, and "Knock Knock" was recognized by critics as one of the best songs of the year.

In May 2017, TWICE released their fifth EP, SIGNAL, with the title track produced by Park Jin-young. This marked their first collaboration with the JYP Entertainment founder. The EP included tracks co-written by members Jihyo and Chaeyoung.

TWICE officially debuted in Japan on June 28, 2017, under Warner Music Japan with their first compilation album, #TWICE. The album debuted at number two on the Oricon Albums Chart, achieving the highest first-week sales for a K-pop artist in Japan in two years and earning a Platinum certification.

Their first full-length Korean album, TWICETAGRAM, was released on October 30, 2017, with the title track "Likey." The album and its single topped Billboard's World Albums and World Digital Song Sales charts, respectively, making TWICE the first female K-pop act to lead both charts. A Christmas-themed reissue, Merry & Happy, with the title track "Heart Shaker," was released in December 2017.

Continued Success and Global Recognition

In 2018, TWICE embarked on their first Japanese concert tour, "Candy Pop," and released their fifth EP, What Is Love?. The title track, again produced by Park Jin-young, earned TWICE their first Platinum certification from the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) for selling over 250,000 copies. The reissue of What Is Love?, titled Summer Nights, featured the single "Dance the Night Away," which achieved Platinum certification for both streaming and downloads on the Gaon Music Chart.

Their first Japanese studio album, BDZ, was released in September 2018, followed by their sixth EP, YES OR YES. The music video for "YES OR YES" set a record for the seventh-biggest 24-hour debut on YouTube at the time. Their second Japanese compilation album, #TWICE2, released in March 2019, also received a Platinum certification.

TWICE made history as the first female K-pop act to hold a Japanese dome tour, "#Dreamday," which sold out all 220,000 tickets within minutes. Their seventh EP, FANCY YOU, released in April 2019, made TWICE the best-selling Korean girl group of all time, surpassing S.E.S.'s twenty-year record. By this point, TWICE had sold nearly seven million albums worldwide.

In June 2019, the group released digital singles "Happy Happy" and "Breakthrough," both of which later received Platinum certifications in Japan. Their eighth EP, Feel Special, released in September 2019, marked their second number-one on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales and became their first entry on the Canadian Hot 100 chart. Feel Special also broke TWICE's own first-week album sales record.

Their second Japanese studio album, &TWICE, was released in November 2019.

English Releases and Continued Chart Performance

TWICE released their first official English-language single, "The Feels," on October 1, 2021. The song debuted at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking their first appearance on the chart, and reached number 80 on the UK Singles Chart. Their third Korean studio album, Formula of Love: O+T=, was released on November 12, 2021, with the title track "SCIENTIST." The album peaked at number 3 on the Billboard 200, surpassing the group's previous best performance.

The group embarked on their fourth world tour, "III," in late 2021, which included sold-out concerts in the U.S. TWICE became the first female K-pop act to hold two separate arena tours in the United States and the first K-pop girl group to headline a stadium concert in the U.S. with an encore performance at the Banc of California Stadium. They also achieved three sold-out dates at the Tokyo Dome, becoming the first K-pop girl group to do so.

Recent Activities and Future Endeavors

In July 2022, all members of TWICE renewed their contracts with JYP Entertainment. Their fourth Japanese studio album, Celebrate, was released to commemorate their fifth anniversary in Japan. Their eleventh Korean EP, BETWEEN 1&2, released in August 2022, became their first album to sell one million copies.

In early 2023, TWICE released the pre-release English single "Moonlight Sunrise" ahead of their twelfth Korean EP, READY TO BE, which included the lead single "Set Me Free." READY TO BE became their best-selling album to date with 1.7 million pre-order sales. The group launched their fifth world tour, "READY TO BE," their largest to date, spanning 49 shows across multiple continents. TWICE also received the Breakthrough Artist award at Billboard's Women in Music 2023, becoming the first K-pop artist to win the award.

In May 2023, TWICE released their tenth Japanese single, "Hare Hare," for their first stadium concerts in Japan, becoming the first K-pop girl group to hold stadium concerts there. The North American leg of the "READY TO BE" World Tour concluded with sold-out concerts at SoFi Stadium and MetLife Stadium, a first for any K-pop girl group.

In 2024, TWICE released the single "I Got You" and their thirteenth Korean EP, With You-th, featuring the lead single "One Spark." They also released their fifth Japanese studio album, DIVE, and concluded the "READY TO BE" World Tour with special concerts in Japan, headlining Nissan Stadium. The tour was their largest, with 51 shows and 1.5 million attendees.

In commemoration of their ninth anniversary, TWICE held a fan meeting in October 2024, announcing their fourteenth EP, STRATEGY. They were also featured on a remix of Megan Thee Stallion's "Mamushi," with Megan Thee Stallion appearing on the lead single "Strategy." TWICE made history as the first K-pop artist to headline Amazon Music Live.

Looking ahead, TWICE is scheduled to open for Coldplay's Music of the Spheres World Tour in Seoul in April 2025, and will release their fifth Japanese compilation album, #TWICE5, followed by their fourth Korean studio album, THIS IS FOR, and the THIS IS FOR World Tour. They are also set to headline Lollapalooza Chicago and release their sixth Japanese studio album, ENEMY.

In August 2025, American rapper Saweetie announced a collaboration with TWICE on the song "Superstars." In September 2025, TWICE announced their fourth special album, TEN: The Story Goes On.