Jaehwa Bernardo

K-pop girl group TWICE poses with the packed crowd at the Philippine Arena during their 'This Is For' tour on October 4, 2025. Photo from TWICE's X account

Article (news)

TWICE goes all out in dazzling ‘This Is For’ concert in PH

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759644034968TWICE.jfif" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>K-pop girl group TWICE poses with the packed crowd at the Philippine Arena during their &#x27;This Is For&#x27; tour on October 4, 2025. Photo from TWICE&#x27;s X account</div>At 7 P.M., the Philippine Arena was bathed in a sea of blue as the words “TWICE This Is For” flashed on the large rectangular screens that slowly descended to encase the 360-degree stage at the heart of the venue. The crowd’s anticipation swelled, heightened by the pounding, club-ready beats of “Four.”The excitement only intensified as the opening VCR rolled: a cinematic montage spotlighting each member of the K-pop girl group. Moments later, their silhouettes emerged behind see-through screens, sending the thousands of fans that packed the Bulacan arena on Saturday into a frenzy.“This is for all my ladies who don’t get hyped enough / If you’ve been done wrong then this your song so turn it up,” the members declared, delivering the fierce opening lines of their latest single “This Is For.” As the screens lifted, Jihyo, Nayeon, Momo, Sana, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu were revealed in a circular formation, facing every corner of the arena. Met with thunderous cheers, TWICE launched into their empowering anthem — an ode to celebrating women.It had been two years since TWICE <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/10/10/23/twices-ready-to-be-concert-is-a-love-letter-to-filipino-onces">last staged a concert in the Philippines</a>, with <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/6/1/k-pop-group-twice-holds-1st-ph-fan-meet-vows-to-return-in-next-tour-2147">a couple</a> of <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/events/2025/8/4/twice-s-jihyo-tzuyu-coming-to-manila-in-september-2049">brand events</a> filling the gap in between. During their opening remarks at the one-night-only Bulacan stop of the “This Is For” tour, the members made it clear that they had missed the local crowd just as much as their fans had missed them.“Na-miss ko kayo!” Dahyun said in Filipino.“Masaya po ba kayo?” she added, drawing cheers from the crowd. Dahyun, who seemed to have the most Filipino phrases up her sleeve, grinned and said, “Ang saya, saya!” before urging the audience once more: “Philippines, sigaw!”“It’s been so long since we met again, but seeing how happy our ONCEs are, I’m happy as well,” Sana said through an interpreter.With the “This Is For” concert, held in support of the group’s recently released fourth studio album, TWICE — which is also celebrating its 10th anniversary — made a grand return, delivering a spectacle befitting artists of their stature.Each performance, from singles to deep album cuts, featured an impressive production, turning the entire two-and-a-half-hour affair into a dazzling feast for the senses.For one, there was the 360-degree stage, which extended into two B-stages on either side, designed to bring the members closer to fans. They were also joined by a live band that added fresh touches to their songs, as well as a company of backup dancers who helped them fill the expansive stage.Cube-shaped screens hung from above the main stage, displaying eye-catching visuals and occasionally descending to conceal and then dramatically unveil the members.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759644180636TWICE2.jfif" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>TWICE poses with the crowd at the Philippine Arena. Photo from TWICE&#x27;s X account</div>At times, the stage’s center would rise, lifting the girls to tower over the dancers that surrounded them. This effect was especially striking in numbers like the Latin-tinged “Hell in Heaven” and “One Spark”—the latter peaking with bursts of fireworks on the screens and a shower of confetti that capped the main show on a jubilant note. In other moments, each member rose on her own platform, forming striking tiered displays for songs such as the synth-drenched “Mars” and the hip-shaking “Right Hand Girl.”<div>Beloved singles</div>The concert, presented by Live Nation Philippines, also treated fans to a generous serving of TWICE’s beloved singles, from bubblegum pop hits like “What Is Love?” and “Signal” to the refreshing summer offering “Dance the Night Away.” The octet also revisited “Fancy,” the track that marked their shift to a more mature sound and image, and thrilled the crowd with other favorites such as the uplifting “Feel Special,” the vocal-driven “I Can’t Stop Me,” the dramatic “Cry for Me,” and the bouncy beats of “The Feels,” “Talk That Talk” and “Strategy.”Each member also got a moment in the spotlight, with nearly all performing their solo tracks from “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/music/2025/9/22/k-pop-group-twice-to-mark-10th-anniversary-with-special-album-1134">TEN: The Story Goes On</a>,” the group’s 10th anniversary album set for release on October 10.Tzuyu opened the segment with “Dive In,” followed by Mina, who captivated the crowd with “Stone Cold.” Dressed in red, Nayeon exuded sass as she warned, “Don’t play with a girl like me,” in “MEEEEEE.”Dahyun played the piano, leading to her solo “Chess,” followed by Chaeyoung’s performance of her recent retro-inspired solo debut single, “Shoot (Firecracker).” Jihyo brought sexy swagger as she dished out “ATM,” while the ever-charming Sana took the main stage for “Decaffeinated.”Closing the solo stages was Momo, who set the arena ablaze with her dance-driven “Move Like That,” which featured equally sultry and powerful moves that left the audience craving more. “Bakit ang iksi no’n (Why was that performance so short), Momo?” a media colleague quipped after the number.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759644235297TWICE3.jfif" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>TWICE in a backstage photo from the Bulacan stop of their &#x27;This Is For&#x27; tour. Photo from TWICE&#x27;s X account</div>At one point, the group also treated Filipino fans to what they called a “spoiler” of “Me + You” from their upcoming special album, teasing a line from the song while lining up to reveal what seemed to be part of its choreography.Throughout the show, the fans’ energy never waned, with sing-alongs and fan chants filling the arena. The idols took notice, praising the Philippine crowd and even calling them “the best.”During the encore, fans surprised the group with a video game-inspired tribute video that included clips from their past concerts in the country, ending with the crowd serenading them with “I Got You,” a song about friendship and overcoming hardships.Although member <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/events/2025/10/2/twice-s-jeongyeon-to-miss-bulacan-concert-due-to-health-reasons-1303">Jeongyeon was absent</a> from the concert for unspecified health reasons, fans made sure she was not forgotten, cheering whenever she appeared on the screens and chanting her name near the end of the show.“We’re very sad that Jeongyeon wasn’t able to be part of our performance tonight,” said Jihyo. “But we promise, next time we come back, we’ll be complete with nine members.”

With their 'This Is For' concert, K-pop girl group TWICE made a grand return to the Philippine Arena, delivering a spectacle befitting artists of their stature.

With their 'This Is For' concert, K-pop girl group TWICE made a grand return to the Philippine Arena, delivering a spectacle befitting artists of their stature.