Cue Star Wars Crawl:
It is an uncertain time in K-pop.
Bean counters nervously gnash their teeth.
Would-be stars going solo isn’t popping off like anyone hoped.
They band back together for a begrudging tour, but the energy isn’t the same.
Tone deaf racial moments arise.
The new great hope, NewJeans, are essentially suppressed into nonexistence by corporate greed, bad management, and poor maneuvering.
Amidst all this, somewhat against the odds, TWICE continue to stand tall, striding forward as if the hurdles before them are mere distractions to disregard…
Now 10 years in, the girl group occupy a unique space: even amidst K-pop’s seeming faded fortunes, their irrepressible longevity and consistent quality (14 mini-albums and nine LPs to date, phew) has afforded them an enviable place both at home and abroad. These are the women tapped for an extended opener every date of Coldplay’s Seoul residency, to craft a bop for current smash K-pop Demon Hunters, to break bread with Megan Thee Stallion.
Indeed, while it’s clearly long been a goal, following TWICE’s appearance on Meg’s “Mamushi” remix and hers on “Strategy”, the nine-member girl group have accelerated plans to roost on the international stage into overdrive. To that end, every step towards This is For has, while natural, been tactical, with each move akin to a gambit on a battlefield. Each tease purposeful and well-orchestrated (kudos to whomever has joined their creative team).
Thankfully, all the fanfare has been in service of their tightest and most cohesive album to date. All the winks and confidence leading into this moment now feel both earned and perfectly logical: they knew what they had on their hands. Each track flows seamlessly into the next, with even the shortened track lengths (whether to cater to TikTok or fit into a post-NewJeans world) working in the snappy, boisterous album’s favor.
Indeed, for all the fans that have long clamored for TWICE to enter their “grown women music” era – something the group has been leaning into more and more since last year’s With YOU-th – your moment has fully arrived. As many have noted, the group’s continual growth and ambition has made their 10 years of releasing music together feel akin to watching pals grow up from afar. The once bashful group that earnestly blushed through the likes of “Cheer Up” is now standing over you, taking shots across the likes of “BATTITUDE”, unafraid to declare themselves the best on “GOAT”, smirks on their face throughout (and who can forget Jihyo sniping by with, “And they double tap, tap ’cause I’m so cutesy / … / Had to say it twice: I don’t use the term loosely,” on “ Dat Ahh Dat Ooh”).
The album is also refreshingly willing to let the members combine for songs that serve their individual strengths in different pairings. K-pop being K-pop, these tracks may be billed as sub-units, but in actuality, it just makes for more organic delights. Not every Wu member needed to be on every Clan cut after all (I can only hope some omnivorous music nerds out there are now debating which member is TWICE’s ODB [Chaeyoung, right?]).
Next to the group’s seasoned, effortless chemistry and performances, This is For’s production is its greatest ally. To aid their expansive vision and elder statesmen era they’ve a diverse set of collaborators, right on down to Dem Jointz (a name that I first clocked on Dr. Dre’s Compton having such an impact on K-pop still absolutely sends me). “Options” has a certain serenity to it, twinkling keys and strings, with a slight build including finger snaps and harp, but wisely never really goes beyond an energetic stroll, allowing the perfect pairing of Nayeon’s featherlight vocals blend with Jihyo’s wounded, smoky powerhouse abilities for its closing (a pairing the album again takes advantage by letting the two ride as a duo for the perfection of “Talk”: a mini starring just the two of them, when?). Tracks throughout display the group’s diversity and ability to slide into numerous shades of their game across 36 minutes; take the nearly ominous, futuristic glide of “Right Hand Girl”, the throwback “early TWICE” playfulness across the strumming of “Peach Gelato”, or the West Coast revival inspired “Battitude” (would Kendrick in playful mode sound so out of place here? He would not.). Hell, the swaying bob of “Seesaw” feels akin to being submerged in some aquatic palace.
In truth, there isn’t all too much that needs to be said about This is For. For one thing, the battle lines have long since been drawn. They’re the best at what they do, and this draws either love or hate. More importantly, they’ve grown used to it. Most importantly, whatever stones bitter antis fling from their shattering glass houses, the album does the one thing so many other K-pop statements fail to: it speaks for itself. If you’re up for a warm frolic this summer, just set aside any resistance to poptimism and feel the wave. TWICE remain here to carry you along. Your stop is on their route, anyhow. This is gracious, giving pop that tends to feel limitless.
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