Why TWICE at the Philippine Arena was more than just a concert for Onces

In their introductions on September 30 at the Philippine Arena, TWICE’s leader Jihyo told the audience in Korean: “Our last stop here in the Philippines was in 2019 and it’s been such a long time since we returned. Did you guys wait for us?” Their fans, called Onces, responded with a resounding yes as they excitedly waved their Candybongs.

Led by Jihyo, the nine-member group includes Koreans Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Dahyun, and Chaeyoung, Japanese members Momo, Mina, and Sana, and Taiwanese member Tzuyu. Chaeyoung’s absence due to health issues was sorely felt during the two-night concert in Bulacan.

The JYP Entertainment girl group first performed in the country four years ago as part of the “Twicelights World Tour” at SM Mall of Asia Arena which had 10,000 in attendance according to Naver. Since then, their fan base has expanded and so a bigger arena was needed for two sold-out shows that can hold up to an estimated capacity of 55,000. That would total to 111,000 Filipino Onces who went to see TWICE on Sept. 30 and October 1.

I was one of those who became a Once in 2020 during the pandemic-induced lockdowns and I was still a newbie K-pop fan. I wanted to get into TWICE as their 2019 outputs such as the fan-favorite “Fancy” and “Feel Special” impressed me so much. Both songs radiate bubblegum pop energy – their signature sound – yet there was sophistication and maturity in these songs that allowed the group to evolve without completely abandoning what made them so popular in the first place.

To hear these songs live as TWICE performed with a live band took my breath away. One could really see how much the group has grown since their debut in 2015 – five years before I officially became a Once.

However, their live performance of “Feel Special” on Sept. 30 was mired with technical issues. During the bridge, Jihyo’s headset mic was turned off and Onces were displeased that they couldn’t hear the idol’s powerhouse vocals. Luckily during the encore, Jihyo reprised her part, this time holding a functional yellow mic so that Onces could finally hear her part with no hiccups. They also reprised “Queen of Hearts” after their earlier attempt was similarly hit with technical issues.

Genuine love

TWICE was quite comfortable talking to the crowd, expecting their fans to know the inside jokes within the fandom. There were many instances where Onces affectionately “barked” at the group, especially whenever Dahyun spoke. She is the member that is most responsive to the fans’ barks which started out as a joke last year and has now become one of the common chants. Dahyun was also the one who spoke Tagalog the most in her greetings.

Jihyo and Nayeon yelled out “Shot puno” at the Onces’ request prior to performing “Alcohol-Free.”

The way the group expressed their love for their Filipino Onces felt genuine. They were especially happy for two Onces in the front row who got engaged during the finale, with Jeongyeon first witnessing the proposal and calling the attention of her fellow members as they congratulated them.

Solo turns

Dahyun explained that their tour is named “Ready to Be” because it’s a way to show more of their “true selves” as they know their fans love them regardless. It’s a fitting title to describe this current era for the group that has been active for almost eight years after being promoted exclusively as nine members.

Since their contract renewal last year, they’ve been allowed to take up solo opportunities. So far, Nayeon and Jihyo have released their own music. Jihyo performed her debut R&B pop single “Killin’ Me Good”, while Nayeon sang “Pop” during the concert’s solo segment.

It’s easy to see why they were the first two members to release solos. Jihyo was a trainee for ten years, while it took five years for Nayeon. The hard work put in during their trainee days and an additional seven years together as a group was evident – from the energy of singing and dancing to maintaining an engaging stage presence that makes the crowd go wild.

For the rest who haven’t released solo music yet, they did covers. Dahyun sang “Try” by Colbie Caillat with her playing the piano, Tzuyu did “Done for Me” by Charlie Puth, Sana performed “New Rules” by Dua Lipa, Momo danced to “Move” by Beyonce with a pole-dancing break, Mina performed “7 Rings” by Ariana Grande, and Jeongyeon covered “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” by Justin Timberlake.

Their covers showcased who they are as individuals. Dahyun’s piano playing, for one, showed that there’s more to her than just being the group’s rapper and comedian. The sultry turns from Momo and Mina were refreshing to see as part of their evolution after years of bubblegum concepts. Tzuyu’s and Sana’s solos likewise highlighted why they manage to shine despite being in a group of nine.

“I Can’t Stop the Feeling” is a fitting song for Jeongyeon. One can’t help but feel happy with her performance, considering her hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to anxiety.

If Chaeyoung was present, she would have performed her original song “My Guitar.” While Onces requested to have her stage set up and they would just sing along in her place, her stage was ultimately skipped.

How TWICE helped me through COVID

As TWICE was saying goodbye, I couldn’t stop myself from crying. It wasn’t because the show was going to end, but because the concert reminded me how much this group meant a lot to me during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I was stuck at home unhappy at how I was in the middle of a worldwide historical event where people were dying left and right and treated as a worrying statistic. I had to find my escape, even for a few hours.

I spent the isolation exploring K-pop, and TWICE was there at one of my most vulnerable moments. It wasn’t just their bubblegum pop songs that reminded me of the times I was purely happy, it was also their variety and talk show appearances and their live streams that helped me get through the pandemic.

It was also fitting that in 2020, the group would have darker concepts with their image and music through their “More & More” and “I Can’t Stop Me” eras, which basically embodied how I felt that year. In the years following, they would go back to their lighter concepts but with a more mature flair, starting with “Alcohol-Free” and “The Feels” – also symbolizing my growing positivity and maturity.

To see TWICE perform live after they left a huge positive impact on me three years ago felt like the conclusion I needed to leave whatever resentments and worries I had from the COVID-19 era behind. I am sure there were so many Onces who felt the same.