TWICE Takes Down New York City with Their Sixth World Tour “This Is For”
Review by Crystal Li.
Photo credit: JYP ENTERTAINMENT, SARAH WAXBERG
Four years after their first sold-out show at the UBS Arena, global sensation TWICE returns to Elmont, New York, for a three-day mini residency. The 9-piece K-Pop girl group celebrated their 10th anniversary in 2025 and embarked on a year-long worldwide journey with their THIS IS FOR World Tour.
Before the show began, ONCEs swarmed the arena with their infectious energy, dancing to TWICE’s iconic choreographies. Candy Bongs (TWICE’s official lightstick) in hand, fans lined up for the merch stands, wanting to get their hands on the tour-exclusive jackets.
Photo credit: JYP ENTERTAINMENT, SARAH WAXBERG
Shortly after 8 PM, the show started with a grand intro of FOUR, followed by several of TWICE’s title tracks: THIS IS FOR, Strategy, and SET ME FREE. They also filled the set with B-sides from their recent albums. Admittedly, Gone was the only song I’d never listened to before the day of the show, but its intense choreography and mature energy left a lasting impression on me. Then came RIGHT HAND GIRL, which was a song that grew on me ever since seeing it live. The powerful choreography perfectly showcased TWICE’s ability to put on a show.
Photo credit: JYP ENTERTAINMENT, SARAH WAXBERG
A short interlude brought out the solo stages of 8 members, except for Dahyun (다현), who was absent for this stretch of the tour due to an ankle injury. Nayeon (나연), Jeongyeon (정연), Momo (모모), Sana (사나), Jihyo (지효), Mina (미나), Chaeyoung (채영), and Tzuyu (쯔위) all showed off their unique charisma. The members took up every corner of the stage, making full use of the 360-degree stage. 10 years into their career as a group, all 9 members are now getting more chances to showcase their individual talent.
The last act of the show was probably my personal favorite. I felt myself tearing up a bit during FANCY, which was an important piece in TWICE’s discography, as it signified the start of their transition into a more mature soundscape. Needless to say, my emotions were running high when What is Love came on. The night closed with a performance of ONE SPARK, the title track from the album WITH You-th came with tons of confetti sprinkled around the arena.
Photo credit: JYP ENTERTAINMENT, SARAH WAXBERG
After a quick outfit change, the girls came out again to perform two more songs for ONCEs, dressed in their custom merch. The first song was a fan-favorite, Feel Special, which was replaced by TAKEDOWN from the main setlist in the North American leg of the tour. This was a certified highlight of the night as ONCEs screamed to the infamous fanchant. A truly beautiful scene to see, as fans of different cultures came together to memorize the chant in Hangul. The second encore song switched up every night, and for Day 1 of the New York show, TWICE asked the audience to pick between TT and Signal, and ultimately went with the latter.
Photo credit: JYP ENTERTAINMENT, SARAH WAXBERG
With more than 80 shows announced, the THIS IS FOR World Tour is set to break many touring records. The gruelling schedule, however, has caused a toll on the members’ health conditions. More than half of the group had to sit out on different shows due to health-related concerns. The 360-degree stage, although it created an interactive and intimate vibe for the fans, also put more work on the performers. I have been following TWICE’s discography for eight years. They will always be the comfort group for me – whenever I am in need of a pick-me-up, TWICE’s music will forever be my go-to. We hope to see them again soon, with all 9 members.
This is for ONCE, this is for TWICE.
