JYP Entertainment’s premier girl group, TWICE, has officially confirmed a significant expansion of their fifth world tour, titled Ready To Be, marking a pivotal moment in the group’s international trajectory. On April 23, the announcement was disseminated via the group’s official social media channels, detailing a new leg of the tour that includes long-awaited stops across major European capitals. This expansion follows the successful launch of the tour’s first phase, which commenced earlier this month with a high-energy two-night residency in Seoul. The move signals a strategic effort by JYP Entertainment to solidify TWICE’s presence in the Western market, building on the momentum generated by their recent discography and high-profile American media appearances.
The Ready To Be world tour is the group’s most ambitious undertaking to date, both in terms of production scale and geographic reach. Initially, the tour was announced in February with a 17-stop itinerary covering parts of Asia and North America. However, due to overwhelming global demand and the record-breaking success of their 12th mini-album, also titled Ready To Be, the group has now integrated a European leg into their schedule. The newly announced dates include performances at some of the continent’s most prestigious venues: the O2 Arena in London on September 8, the Accor Arena in Paris on September 11, and the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin on September 14. Tickets for the London engagement are scheduled to become available to the general public on April 28 at 10:00 AM local time, with high sell-out expectations based on the group’s previous touring data.
Chronology of the Ready To Be Era
The journey toward this world tour began in early 2023, following a landmark year in 2022 where all nine members—Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu—renewed their contracts with JYP Entertainment. This renewal cleared the path for a new chapter in the group’s career, characterized by a more mature musical direction and a heightened focus on global activities.
In February 2023, JYP Entertainment unveiled the first set of dates for the Ready To Be tour, focusing on stadiums and large-scale arenas in South Korea, Australia, Japan, and North America. Shortly thereafter, in March, the group released their 12th mini-album, Ready To Be. The album served as a thematic foundation for the tour, emphasizing themes of confidence, liberation, and the breaking of barriers. The lead single, "Set Me Free," alongside the English-language pre-release single "Moonlight Sunrise," showcased a sophisticated synth-pop sound that resonated with international audiences.
The promotional cycle for the album included a high-profile appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where TWICE performed "Set Me Free" for a global television audience. This performance was widely cited by industry analysts as a catalyst for the group’s surging popularity in the United States and Europe, as it demonstrated their synchronized choreography and live vocal stability to a mainstream Western demographic. The success of the Seoul kickoff in April further proved that the group was ready to scale their performance to larger international stages.
Musical Impact and Commercial Success
The Ready To Be mini-album achieved remarkable commercial milestones that provided the data-driven justification for the tour’s expansion. Upon its release, the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, making TWICE the first female K-pop act to have three albums reach the top three of that chart. Furthermore, the album earned the biggest US sales week for any female K-pop act in history at the time of its release, surpassing previous records held by their own earlier projects.
The single "Moonlight Sunrise" also saw significant traction, debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming a staple on global streaming platforms. The song’s success was particularly notable in the United Kingdom and across Europe, where it maintained a presence on regional charts for several weeks. This data indicated a burgeoning fan base—collectively known as ONCE—within the European market, which had previously been underserved by the group’s touring schedules.
The decision to book venues like the O2 Arena and the Accor Arena reflects the group’s "stadium-tier" status. The O2 Arena, for instance, has a capacity of approximately 20,000, while the Accor Arena and Mercedes-Benz Arena hold similar capacities. Transitioning from smaller theater-style venues to these massive arenas highlights the exponential growth of TWICE’s brand outside of East Asia.
Detailed Itinerary and Ticket Logistics
The European leg of the tour is strategically timed to follow the group’s extensive North American run, which spans June and July. By scheduling the European dates for September, JYP Entertainment is maintaining a consistent global presence throughout the third quarter of the year.
The specific logistics for the European stops are as follows:
- September 8, 2023: London, United Kingdom – The O2 Arena.
- September 11, 2023: Paris, France – Accor Arena.
- September 14, 2023: Berlin, Germany – Mercedes-Benz Arena.
For the London performance, ticketing is expected to be managed via major platforms such as Ticketmaster and AXS. Given the high demand for K-pop concerts in the UK, industry experts anticipate that "Platinum" and "VIP" packages will be highly sought after. These packages often include benefits such as soundcheck access, exclusive merchandise, and premium seating, which have become standard for high-profile K-pop tours.
Industry Analysis: The European K-pop Expansion
The expansion of TWICE’s tour into Europe is part of a broader trend within the music industry. Historically, K-pop groups focused their international efforts primarily on Japan and the United States. However, recent years have seen Europe emerge as a critical market for the genre. Groups like BTS and BLACKPINK paved the way for large-scale European tours, and TWICE is now positioning itself to capture a significant share of this audience.
Market analysts suggest that the European market offers a unique growth opportunity for JYP Entertainment. Unlike the highly saturated domestic market in South Korea, the European fan base is characterized by high loyalty and a strong appetite for physical media and live experiences. By establishing a physical presence in London, Paris, and Berlin, TWICE is not only generating immediate ticket revenue but also strengthening their long-term brand equity in the region. This is particularly important as the group explores more diverse brand partnerships and localized marketing strategies.
Furthermore, the "Ready To Be" tour represents a shift in how K-pop tours are structured. Rather than announcing all dates at once, JYP Entertainment has utilized a "phased announcement" strategy. This approach allows the agency to gauge real-time demand and adjust venue sizes or add additional dates based on ticket sales data from previous legs. The success of the North American ticket sales, which saw several stadium shows sell out within minutes, likely influenced the decision to move forward with the European expansion.
Official Reactions and Fan Expectations
While official statements from the individual members regarding the European dates have been brief, the group has frequently expressed their desire to meet fans in regions they have not visited extensively. During the Seoul kickoff, the group’s leader, Jihyo, remarked on the significance of the "Ready To Be" theme, stating that it represents the group’s readiness to show the world who they truly are. This sentiment is echoed in the tour’s production, which features a mix of their classic "bubblegum pop" hits and their more recent, sophisticated tracks.
Fans in Europe have responded to the announcement with significant enthusiasm. Social media metrics show that the tour announcement became a top trending topic in the UK, France, and Germany within hours of the post. For many European fans, this tour represents the first opportunity to see the full nine-member lineup perform live, as previous world tours had more limited European stops or were impacted by global travel restrictions.
The setlist for the tour is expected to be a comprehensive retrospective of their career, featuring over 30 songs. Highlights include "I Can’t Stop Me," "Cry For Me," "Fancy," and "The Feels," alongside the new tracks from the Ready To Be mini-album. The production is also reported to include solo stages for each of the nine members, a first for the group, allowing them to showcase their individual musical styles and talents.
Broader Implications for JYP Entertainment
For JYP Entertainment, the success of the Ready To Be world tour is a vital component of their "JYP 2.0" and "JYP 3.0" strategic plans, which emphasize "Globalization by Localization." By successfully touring in Europe and North America, JYP demonstrates the scalability of its idol training and production model.
TWICE remains the flagship group for the agency, and their ability to command arena-sized audiences nearly eight years into their career is a testament to the sustainability of their brand. The revenue generated from this tour—encompassing ticket sales, merchandise, and sponsorships—is expected to contribute significantly to the agency’s annual earnings. Moreover, the tour serves as a promotional vehicle for the members’ individual solo and sub-unit activities, such as the debut of the Japanese sub-unit MISAMO (comprising members Mina, Sana, and Momo).
As the group prepares for the next phase of their journey, the music industry will be watching closely. The Ready To Be world tour is more than just a series of concerts; it is a statement of intent from one of the world’s most successful girl groups, proving that their reach is truly global and their momentum shows no signs of slowing down. With the European leg now confirmed, TWICE is set to spend the remainder of 2023 cementing their status as global icons of the K-pop genre.