Here are my credentials (again): TWICE, as they are for a lot of people, were one of the first groups I knew at the beginning of my getting into k-pop in the early 2020’s, and I would consider myself a fan. I know a lot of their singles, since they’re pretty inescapable, but I wanted to know more about their insanely huge discography, which spans three languages, and the members themselves. So, let’s get into this!

(Part One)

Album #2: Summer Nights

What Is Love? is actually one of the first k-pop songs I heard, and it’s a testament to how good it is that I keep coming back to it almost five years later. Inspired by classic rom-coms from La La Land to Romeo + Juliet to Love Letter, it’s the bubblegum of bubblegum pop, sickly sweet from every pore, and yet…it works? It’s just so adorably earnest and bright that I can’t stop myself from grinning whenever it comes up on shuffle. That moment where Jihyo runs into the snow and screams that she wants to know what love is into the mountains? Perfection. Words can’t express how much I adore this song.

Dance The Night Away, from the repackage album, is a bit more on the calm side than What Is Love, but holds its own pretty well. Relaxed and fun with a brassy hook, it captures the feeling of summer nights on the beach with friends, and while it’s not a highlight in such a strong body of work, it sits comfortably among their singles.

From the album, Summer Nights, I enjoyed the video game chiptune of Shot Thru The Heart, the fritzy energy of Sweet Talker, and the tropical drum beats mixed with the vocalizing in Dejavu, and the great, straightforward 2nd gen energy of Stuck On You. My hidden gem was, from its first chorus, the surf-rock guitar-tinged, sassy 60’s HO! (which, despite the unfortunate name, is very catchy).

Single #3: Wake Me Up

Next up are a few Japanese singles, the first of which being Wake Me Up. Starting with a “up, up, baby don’t give up” hook that positions it as a kind of successor to Cheer Up with a classic mile-a-minute electronic beat running underneath the track, I can totally see it being the soundtrack to an anime. I wanted to mention that something I like about their Japanese work is how it sounds like J-pop, not K-pop in another language, which works to its advantage.

Single #4: I Want You Back

I Want You Back had me from the start, with its record–shop setting, a style that’s a great fit for TWICE’s bubblegum roots. It’s a cover of The Jackson 5 hit with a Jpop spin, adding doo-wop and other 60’s sounds, with some great background harmonizing and vocalizing that really fills it out. And the clothes! As a vintage lover and (very amateur) seamstress, I couldn’t be more delighted. Also, I’m so happy they didn’t change the pronouns and just let them be. Side note: this song is in English, obviously, but included on their Japanese albums.

Single #5: BDZ (Bulldozer)

BDZ is next up, and is practically a short film with how long its music video is, telling the story of a group of spies who are determined to break into the building of a government spreading hate and save the world by rescuing adorable little cartoon creatures that will bring love back. Despite what sounds like a very dark premise, the song itself is as upbeat as ever, and lands in Yes or Yes territory in terms of utter ridiculousness, and thus I ended up won over. It’s weird and hilarious and straight out of a Barbie movie, and I enjoyed the hell out of it.

Album #3: The Year Of “Yes”

Korean Yes or Yes make the great choice to start with a sample of its smash of a hook right from the outset, then going through decent verses before returning back to one of TWICE’s best choruses, that’s still stuck in my head as I type this up. I appreciate, as I often do, how self-aware they are at the ridiculousness of this song with its contradictions and manipulation, all wrapped in a bow and said with a grin, and it got a good laugh out of me.

From the album, The Year of “Yes”, I enjoyed the vocal highlights in Be As One, the fun, dancy energy of Say You Love Me, and the intro of Young & Wild. Mostly though, this album wasn’t as much for me as their past work, but it’s still good.

EP #6: Fancy You

Fancy is the start of a slow shift in TWICE’s discography away from the peppy, naive ultra-bubblegum pop of their start and more towards a still-poppy but more mature dancefloor synth sound. It’s still upbeat and a lot of fun, and I like its smooth vocals, pulsing background beat, and bright colors, though it’s not my favorite of their later work.

From the EP, Fancy You, I enjoyed the hard-hitting beat of Stuck In My Head, the vocalized hook of the way-too-short Girls Like You, and the synthy flair of Turn It Up’s chorus.

Single #6: Happy Happy

We’re back to the earlier sound with Japanese release Happy Happy, which is a certified blast of color and pop that is tailor-made for summer. I don’t have a lot to say about this one, though, since there’s nothing that makes it feel distinctive like their earlier work.

Breakthrough relies on a fritzy background beat and feels more like a part of TWICE’s new era with its minimalist synth sound. Despite this, though, it also goes back to their beginnings with lyrics about having faith in yourself and continuing on your path without giving up. It feels a little transitional, which makes sense, but I do like it better than Happy Happy.

EP #7: Feel Special

Feel Special, going further into their maturing sound, does one better than Fancy with a softer beginning and a sprawling chorus. While it’s still a love song, it also makes an important point about mental health and the importance of having people to rely on who make you feel…well, special, making it more unique and meaningful than your typical k-pop track. And, I even liked the rap!

From the EP, Feel Special, I enjoyed the fast-paced feel-good Rainbow, the marching band influences and distortion in Get Loud (my hidden gem), and the soft, ruminatory jazz of 2129.

Next time, we’ll finally be finishing this magnus opus of a review. Tschüss!

*Narrator Voice*: No, we will not be. (Part One)(Part Three)(Part Four)