Dressed in identical electric blue zip-ups and matching miniskirts, with the word "FOUR" stamped across their hips in stark white lettering, the nine members of TWICE stand perfectly still. Their hair falls pin-straight past their shoulders, sleek and uniform, while stilettos and thigh-high stockings root them in place. The only thing pulsing is the music: clubby, propulsive, and unmistakably new for the group. The image, a teaser for TWICE’s fourth full-length album, This Is For, now available on all platforms, is about as bold a declaration as one can make without uttering a single word.
It’s fitting, because This Is For marks both a new era and a victory lap for the girl group, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. In K-pop years, that’s practically an eternity; in an industry built on youth where new groups pop up every month, even the biggest names are expected to peak and move on (there’s even a so-called ‘seven-year curse’). And yet, TWICE has defied that cycle, evolving with intention and a rare cohesiveness that has given them even rarer longevity.
"Ten years is a long time, but it also went by very fast," Nayeon, who at 29 is the oldest of the group, tells W. "We worked really hard, and a lot happened to us. We dedicated our twenties to this career. So the last decade is very precious—it holds such special meaning for us." All nine members of TWICE (for the record, that’s Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu) have Zoomed in for an interview from the Seoul headquarters of their label, JYP Entertainment. Partway through our conversation, one of Momo’s tiny terriers wanders into the frame, making the rounds from lap to lap like a beloved mascot. It’s the kind of chaotic, cozy moment that could happen in a group that’s spent their adult lives together.
From left to right: Dahyun, Sana, Jeongyeon, Momo, Jihyo, Chaeyoung, Mina, Nayeon, Tzuyu
Since launching (or debuting, in K-pop parlance) in 2015, TWICE has topped global charts, sold out stadiums, expanded their sound across dozens of music projects, and grown up in front of millions. Over time, their sound has shifted from the bubbly, high-energy “color pop” sound of hits like “Cheer Up,” “TT,” and “Signal” to the sleeker, more self-assured production of their latest offering.
"The For has a double meaning," Dahyun tells W of the album’s title. "It's the number four, but it’s also the preposition for—as in, for everyone, and for our fans." That duality runs through the project, which the group views as both a reflection of their growth and a gift to those who have grown with them. "We wanted to show our colors," she adds, "but also share a message of strength and self-confidence. It’s the kind of album that can cheer you up, and it really suits the mood of summer."
The album’s opener sets the tone with the same clubby beat from their teaser, but fuller, glossier, and pulsing with intent. "Since we perform a lot, we felt like we needed something grand to open with," Jihyo explains.
What follows is one of TWICE’s boldest, most versatile albums to date. The title track, "This Is For," bursts out of the gate with 808s and attitude. "This is for all my ladies who don’t get hyped enough," they chant over the beat, before launching into a bright turn-up anthem that could soundtrack a night out or a rooftop party. It’s brash, bouncy, and unapologetically for the girls, a perfect delivery system for lyrics by Tayla Park (a go-to songwriter of pop royalty like Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande). "We thought the hook was addictive," says Nayeon. "And it gave us room to expand, visually, performance-wise, and even sonically."
It’s their palpable chemistry, though, that remains TWICE’s most defining trait. "We really understand each other," Momo says. "When we first began as a group, I didn’t know how to express myself clearly," she adds. "But I learned from the others that voicing your opinion is actually really important to keep the group strong." All that time together has softened the group, as they’ve learned to navigate the inevitable disagreements that arise when dealing with so many personalities. "We’ve become a lot cooler than we were when we were younger,” Jihyo says. "We’ve learned how to gracefully concede [to one another]. We understand now that sharing opinions and having conversations is for the greater good of the group.”
As TWICE’s de facto leader, Jihyo has felt that shift most acutely. At 28, she recently celebrated 20 years with JYP Entertainment, an almost unheard-of milestone in the idol world (of their generation, only a handful of groups, like BTS and Seventeen, have maintained a similar level of continuity and output). "In the beginning, my role wasn’t that different from the others," she says. "We were all so young. But as the team got bigger and our fame grew, there was more to coordinate between the members and the label. I’ve become more of a mediator."
Growth, she says, is especially evident in the youngest members. "When we debuted, they were babies," Jihyo says. "But now they’ve grown so much, both externally and internally." Tzuyu agrees. "Back then, I really didn’t know anything except how to dance and sing,” she says. "I was innocent in a way. But thankfully, I was able to debut, join this team, and gain so many experiences that helped me grow into who I am now."
Much has changed in the K-pop landscape over the past decade, not least of which is the genre’s massive expansion. "K-pop has such a huge global presence now,” eldest Nayeon says. “There’s more room to grow as global artists, and the ways we communicate with fans, [like on TikTok], have really diversified. We can feel that change."
Which brings them here: the supergroup is marking their tenth anniversary not with nostalgia, but with forward motion—their fourth album, sixth world tour, and a history-making appearance at Lollapalooza later this month as the first K-pop girl group to headline the iconic festival. (They’re not above being a little starstruck, shouting out Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo as the other performers they’re most excited to see.)
"I’m so grateful for the fans who still cheer for us and love us after all these years," Dahyun says of their prolific schedule. "This is our way of paying them back. Our gratitude hasn’t changed. And I don’t think their love has, either."
In 2022, all nine members of the group resigned their exclusive contract with JYP, another rarity in the K-pop world. For TWICE, the renewed commitment was a no-brainer.
"We joke around about what other jobs we’d have, like recommending things to each other," Jihyo says. "But in the end, we’re just really grateful to be TWICE. Without this, we wouldn’t have had these glorious days."
As Chaeyoung, one of the group’s youngest members at 25, puts it, "We’ve always laughed and joked about the silliest things. We’re still like a bunch of girls hanging out together."
