South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment, TWICE, released their fourth studio album “THIS IS FOR” on July 11, 2025. The album consists of 14 tracks. TWICE also released their deluxe version four days after the original. Since their releases, they embarked on their 2025 World Tour, which started inside the Inspire Arena in Incheon, South Korea.
I listened to their album when it was first released, and I also had the opportunity to watch TWICE perform live at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. In some ways, the live performances differed from the studio recordings, but the new instrumental compositions made the performances feel more alive while still having recognizable lyrics.
TWICE has been my number one girl group, especially growing up with an older sister who introduced me to the world of second and third-generation K-POP girl groups. Second and third generation K-POP groups are from the years 2003 through 2019: 2NE1, Girls’ Generation, SHINee, and Wonder Girls. I’ve basically been surrounded by TWICE’s music my entire life, and it’s a genre of music that makes up part of my personality. Their most recent album resonated with me heavily.
I will be comparing my listening experience to their studio recordings and my experience seeing them perform selected songs from the album live. I will be judging based on instrumental composition, how enjoyable each song is, how recognizable each song is, and which version of the song I prefer.
“FOUR”
“FOUR” is the opening track on the album “THIS IS FOR” and is the first song that starts off the concert. To me, this opening track stands out compared to the rest of the album, and that’s what makes it enjoyable to listen to, both live and recorded. This song is blunt, blaring, and high-energy, using elements of synth-pop to make it sound futuristic and electronic. “FOUR” also has strong, repetitive vocals that can wake you up and get you hyped. When I first listened to this song, it immediately made me wonder what the rest of the album would sound like. Although “FOUR” is different from the rest of the album, this track sounded exactly the same on stage since it was the opening song of the concert. Regardless, this song is one of my favorites to chant to; it’s like an announcement, knowing who is about to perform on stage and getting excited for the rest of the night’s performances.
“THIS IS FOR”
This song is one of TWICE’s most popular on their discography and was teased the most before their release. Not only that, but this track is the title of the album. “THIS IS FOR” has over 600 million streams on Spotify as of February. This song is almost universal, and it’s all thanks to the positive, reassuring vibes of this track. Not only is this a perfect song to dance to, but it sends the message of what the album is really about: empowering and uplifting women who may go through any type of hardship. The release of this song had me excited, and I fell in love with the ending of it. The last 30 seconds in particular make me feel emotional, while proud of being a woman. Getting to hear this song live still made me emotional, but nevertheless excited. This was one of the tracks that was played differently onstage, which sounded somewhat softer and flowier than the original recording, but still included clear, groovy guitar and bass riffs, and even added drumlines. The performance was quite recognizable whenever any of the members started to sing, despite the changes within its instrumentals. Surprisingly, I actually prefer the studio recorded track rather than the live performance, only because I really enjoy the original ending. What made this song so delightful to listen to was the guitar and bass riffs; being able to hear such strong riffs with the group’s vocals makes this track one of a kind.
“OPTIONS”
This song takes a step back and takes the softer and slower side, with subtle R&B components, while still including synthesizers and even stringed instruments such as the harp and the violin. During the live performance, there were certain instruments that were removed compared to the original track, like the sound of the electronic drums. In doing this, it made the girls’ vocals more prominent and harmonic. This track would have to be my favorite of the album because of how magical it sounds. Although this song isn’t as upbeat or as fast-paced as the others, it still gives the emotion it needs to give, and it did not disappoint. As much as I loved hearing the original track of “OPTIONS”, the live performance was pristine. You can absolutely hear the passion and emotion in the group’s vocals, and hearing them live made me tear up in the best way possible.
“MARS”
We switch it up once again to a more fast-paced and upbeat track, but the meaning behind this song is much deeper. “MARS” is about the feeling of seclusion and a desire to run away with a lover to a distant planet. This track integrates synth-pop and 90’s elements well into the instrumental, and its recurring synthesizers fit the message and name of the song. Whenever I hear this track, I lose myself in it. It’s quite literally “intergalactic,” and during the performance, it felt so immersive. The song was not as recognizable at first, but the members’ singing gave it away. The sound of a guitar during the live performance was so clear, and there was even an added guitar solo towards the end of the song. The solo was quite enjoyable, but so was the overall performance, which I prefer over the studio track.
“RIGHT HAND GIRL”
This track starts a little ominous, but it’s catchy and a song that you can sing and dance to. Though this track follows the rest of the quick paced album, the overall rhythm of this song is dance-driven. Of course, it uses the synthesized basslines and crisp drums. The lyrics are also all in English, which makes it more enjoyable for people who love to sing along. “RIGHT HAND GIRL” is especially likable for me because of the message of having a ride or die best friend. The lyrics truly resonate with me, my favorite being “Who gonna love you through the thick and the thin? / Ah-ha, your right hand girl” because of just how memorable it was listening to it live. There wasn’t much that was changed during the live performance; however, I loved it especially because the members were only a few feet away from me, singing and dancing to this song.
My final take on both the album and the concert is that the concept of this album and its songs are well written and fit so exceptionally well with the order of the concert’s set list. I truly believe that making changes to the songs not only made the concert experience for me unique but also made me anticipate how the next song would sound. My experience at the concert was truly unimaginable, and if given the opportunity, I would love to hear all of my favorite tracks live. Still, the original songs have my heart. I strongly recommend listening to TWICE if you’re looking for a girl group that appeals to all tastes. Once you listen, love them TWICE as much.
