That sound you’ve been hearing today? That’s the sound of TWICE fans pressing the replay button on this video. (8.2 million views at the time of this writing, Jesus.)
As you might’ve guessed, TWICE — far and away the nation’s most popular girl group right now — has returned with What Is Love?, their newest mass-appeal title track designed to worm its way into your brain and stay there.
It’s pretty clear that JYP, the agency behind TWICE, decided to play it safe here, unlike the somewhat experimental (and polarizing) Signal. Which is a bit of a shame, since Signal was the most impactful the group has ever been.
Most girl groups show some progression as they age through the years. Compare Girls’ Generation in 2007 versus 2010. Or Apink in 2011 versus 2014. Or Red Velvet in 2014 versus 2018. The list goes on — but not TWICE, who remains stubbornly stuck in the land of cutesy-pop. Wake me the day they decide to shake things up.