Admittedly, I was a little late to the k-pop craze. I knew a few BTS songs, and I understood the appeal — I just couldn’t picture sitting down and listening to it myself. That was, until a friend of mine played FANCY, the 2019 single by TWICE.
Now, I’m a full-fledged ONCE: the affectionate name for the TWICE fanbase. I saved all of their singles on Spotify, then started diving into the rest of their collection. I developed a bias (a term for your favorite member of a kpop group, mine is Dahyun) and watched all of the subtitled “TWICE funny moments” videos on Youtube I could find. So, when it was announced that TWICE was making a June comeback, I was ready. After all, this was my first comeback since joining the fandom! The teasers were gorgeous, and the hype was real.
MORE & MORE finally dropped on June 1st. From their first comeback stage, it was clear that MORE & MORE was TWICE like we had never seen them before. The visuals called to mind the summer vibes of Dance The Night Away, but with a twist that incorporates the story of Adam and Eve, in addition to a more bohemian aesthetic.
The song itself has an air of maturity that makes it stand out from previous TWICE singles. While singles like Candy Pop and BDZ are enjoyable for their childlike whimsy, MORE & MORE gets closer to the “dark TWICE” concept fans have always craved — while keeping the upbeat innocence that makes it a TWICE track.
Each of the nine members of TWICE gets a chance to shine on the single. We open with a soft verse from Nayeon and Mina, almost entirely focusing on their vocals. The song begins to build with our pre-chorus from Tzuyu and Momo. The girls alternate through the repetitive chorus as the music builds once more behind them.
The hook is where the song really begins to stand out — you can’t help but move to this talk-singing section which features all of the girls. This also acts as one of the most exciting dance breaks, inviting ONCEs across the globe to follow in the steps of their bias. Each member even posted an individual TikTok breaking down this section.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a TWICE single without a rap section from Dahyun and Chaeyoung, a pairing fans have shortened to “Dubchaeng.” This may be one of my favorite verses the two have done. You can feel the energy behind each syllable, even if you have no idea the Korean to English translation. Nayeon belts out a line at the end, calling us back from the rap verse into another amazing dance break.
It’s clear that the choreography was a big focus for MORE & MORE, which has its pros and cons. This is amazing for the music video and live performances but can get lost in translation when you’re just streaming on Spotify. What is one of the most well-done parts of the music video, and perhaps some of their most interesting choreography to date, becomes just an average break in the song, absent of new vocals from our girls.
Nevertheless, MORE & MORE is an amazing track. It gives ONCE what they want with a dark and mature TWICE concept while being something we can dance to. With “Fanfare” being released as a single right after, it looks like it’s the summer of TWICE.
Hannah is an accidental internet meme, drummer, loud talker, and proud owner of a purse that functions as a working analog clock. She got the media writer gene from her dad, PF Wilson, another writer for Pop Culture Beast. Her favorite bands come and go on a seasonal rotation, but Marina & The Diamonds and Say Anything are here to say. She’s probably watching The Grand Budapest Hotel right now, but if she isn’t, she’s out photographing rock concerts.