Twice spoil fans at Singapore concert with Jeongyeon's return, solo stages and a 360-degree setup

In celebration of their 10th anniversary, K-pop girl group Twice returned to the Singapore Indoor Stadium over the weekend (Oct 11 and 12) for their sixth world tour This Is For.

Earlier this month, their agency JYP Entertainment had told The Korea Herald that member Jeongyeon would not be performing at the Bulacan show in the Philippines citing health reasons, adding she might also miss the Singapore and Malaysia shows.

Fortunately for Singapore Onces (fandom name), all nine members — Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu — were here with bright smiles and energetic performances.

Although 28-year-old Jeongyeon did seem lethargic compared to the others at some points, she continued to give it her all.

The 360-degree stage layout

Even before I knew I'd be attending the concert, I kept seeing videos on social media raving about Twice's new 360-degree stage — something the members had painstakingly prepared for and even revised old choreographies to suit the new layout.

In a previous episode of Yoo Jae-suk's web entertainment series Just An Excuse, they revealed they had a replica of the stage built in Pocheon, South Korea, so they could practice for the show.

When I finally stepped into Indoor Stadium and saw the stage, I was not disappointed by the grandeur of its design.

With a setlist of 31 songs, Twice spoiled fans for two-and-a-half hours with nostalgic hits and high-energy performances.

The group opened the show with This Is For — the title track from their fourth full-length album of the same name — dressed in all-white outfits with fringed elements.

They followed up with Strategy, Set Me Free, I Can't Stop Me and Options, with the members maximising the stage design and interacting with fans from different angles.

During one of their talking segments, Tuzyu, 26, also mentioned their recent 10th anniversary album Ten: The Story Goes On, which dropped on Oct 10, and thanked fans for "being by our side for 10 years".

Throughout the show, Twice's backup dancers also delivered sharp, synchronised routines that not only elevated the show's atmosphere but also helped fill out the two smaller side stages, creating a fuller and more dynamic look on stage.

One of the biggest surprises of the night was the live band, positioned at the side of the stage, who made their presence known during their solo numbers and added a subtle rock-edge to the overall vibe of the concert.

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Each member got a solo spotlight

When it came to their solo stages, my personal favourites were Mina and Dahyun.

Performing her solo song Stone Cold, 28-year-old Mina donned a black jumpsuit and showcased her dance skills with her soft vocals.

Dahyun, 27, captivated with her piano skills and began her solo song Chess by playing a snippet of Fur Elise, clad in a white-collar black dress. She ended off her performance posed elegantly on top of the piano.

Following their solo stages, the members went down memory lane performing hits such as Fancy, What is Love?, Yes or Yes and Dance the Night Away.

The members ended the night off with Signal and Talk that Talk for their encore stage, dressed in tour merchandise, specifically the charcoal t-shirt.

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Twice called for fans to lock in and enjoy the moment

As with most concerts, fans love to take photos and videos of the experience as a memento.

However, the members playfully asked for fans to fully enjoy the moment.

Before diving into their final two songs, 28-year-old Sana lightly teased fans and said they had two choices: "Experience the rest of the concert with your own eyes or through your phone screens."

"I understand that everyone is enjoying themselves, but you're also busy taking lots of pictures and videos. I really want you to jump with us," added 28-year-old Jihyo, imploring fans to put down their devices.

While the talking segments were shorter than expected and the members didn't seem to interact with fans much on day one, Twice certainly live up to their reputation as one of the strongest performers in the K-pop scene as they delivered back-to-back stages and never once lost their spark.

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esther.lam@asiaone.com

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