JYP Entertainment, the prominent South Korean music label and agency, officially announced on April 23, 2023, a significant expansion of the ongoing "Ready To Be" world tour for its flagship girl group, TWICE. Through the group’s official social media channels, the agency unveiled a series of new performance dates that extend the group’s reach into the European market and further solidify their presence across major Asian hubs. This announcement represents "Part 2" of their fifth world tour, following the massive demand generated by the initial reveal of dates in North America, Australia, and Japan earlier this year.
The "Ready To Be" world tour is TWICE’s most ambitious touring endeavor to date, reflecting the group’s transition into a global powerhouse after nearly eight years in the industry. The tour officially commenced with a two-night residency at the KSPO Dome in Seoul on April 15 and 16, 2023. The newly added European leg marks a historic milestone for the group, as it represents their first dedicated series of arena shows in the region, responding to a rapidly growing fanbase that has long campaigned for a presence in the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Strategic Expansion into the European Market
The European portion of the "Ready To Be" tour is scheduled for September 2023, featuring three high-profile stops in key cultural capitals. The leg begins on September 8 at the O2 Arena in London, a venue widely regarded as one of the most prestigious indoor arenas in the world with a capacity of approximately 20,000. Following the London engagement, the group will travel to Paris to perform at the Accor Arena on September 11. The European tour will conclude on September 14 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin.
Ticketing details have been prioritized for the London show, with sales set to commence at 10:00 AM BST on April 28, 2023. Industry analysts suggest that these dates serve as a "litmus test" for TWICE’s drawing power in Europe, a region where K-pop has seen exponential growth over the last three years. The selection of top-tier arenas indicates that JYP Entertainment is confident in the group’s ability to sell out large-scale venues, moving away from the smaller theater circuits that characterized earlier K-pop entries into the European market.
Strengthening the Asian Presence
In addition to the European dates, the expansion includes significant stops across Asia, reinforcing the group’s dominant position in the region. The added dates include:
- Singapore: September 2 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
- Bangkok, Thailand: September 23 at the Impact Arena.
- Bulacan, Philippines: September 30 at the Philippine Arena.
The inclusion of the Philippine Arena is particularly noteworthy. As the world’s largest indoor arena, with a capacity of up to 55,000, the venue choice underscores TWICE’s massive popularity in the Philippines. This move places TWICE among a select group of international artists capable of filling such a massive facility, highlighting the group’s immense commercial leverage in Southeast Asia.
Musical Foundation: The Ready To Be Era
The world tour is named after TWICE’s 12th mini-album, Ready To Be, which was released on March 10, 2023. The album served as a stylistic evolution for the group, moving toward a more mature, disco-inflected, and assertive sound. The lead single, "Set Me Free," was promoted extensively both in South Korea and internationally. A pivotal moment in the promotional cycle occurred when the group performed the track on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, a move that signaled JYP Entertainment’s intent to maximize TWICE’s exposure in the Western mainstream media.
The album also featured the group’s second full English-language single, "Moonlight Sunrise," which debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 earlier in the year. The success of "Moonlight Sunrise" provided the necessary momentum for the tour, as it demonstrated the group’s ability to resonate with English-speaking audiences without losing their core identity. Ready To Be itself achieved remarkable success on the charts, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200, making it one of the highest-charting albums by a female K-pop group in the history of the chart.
Chronology of the Ready To Be World Tour
The rollout of the "Ready To Be" tour has been characterized by a phased announcement strategy designed to build and sustain global momentum:
- February 2023: JYP Entertainment releases the first set of dates (Part 1), covering Seoul, Australia, Japan, and a comprehensive North American leg including stadiums such as SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
- March 10, 2023: The release of the Ready To Be mini-album sets the thematic and musical tone for the tour.
- April 15–16, 2023: The tour kicks off at the KSPO Dome in Seoul, featuring a 30-plus song setlist, solo stages for all nine members, and high-budget production.
- April 23, 2023: The announcement of Part 2, introducing the European and additional Asian dates.
- May–July 2023: The group is scheduled to perform across Australia, Japan, and North America, including their first-ever headlining stadium shows in the United States.
Analysis of Global Demand and Group Longevity
The expansion of the "Ready To Be" tour comes at a critical juncture for TWICE. In 2022, all nine members—Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu—renewed their contracts with JYP Entertainment. This renewal was a landmark event in the K-pop industry, as it broke the so-called "seven-year curse" that often sees groups disband or lose members after their initial contracts expire.
The tour expansion serves as a physical manifestation of the group’s "second chapter." By targeting major arenas in Europe and stadiums in the U.S. and the Philippines, TWICE is demonstrating a level of longevity and growth rarely seen in the fast-paced K-pop market. The demand for tickets in Part 1 was so high that several additional dates were added to the North American leg shortly after the general sale began, suggesting that the European dates will likely face similar sell-out conditions.
Implications for the K-pop Industry
TWICE’s successful foray into global touring reflects a broader trend of "globalization" within the South Korean music industry. While the group was initially marketed as a "representative girl group of Asia," their current trajectory shows a pivot toward a truly global identity.
The inclusion of London, Paris, and Berlin is a strategic response to the diversification of the K-pop audience. For years, European fans have expressed frustration over being excluded from "world tours" that often only covered Asia and North America. TWICE’s entry into these markets is expected to pave the way for other JYP Entertainment artists and sets a high benchmark for production and venue size for their contemporaries.
Furthermore, the "Ready To Be" tour emphasizes the importance of live performance revenue in the post-pandemic era. With physical album sales reaching saturation points, large-scale world tours have become the primary driver of growth for major agencies like JYP. The "Ready To Be" tour is projected to be one of the highest-grossing tours by a K-pop girl group, rivaling the records set by groups like BLACKPINK.
Fan Reactions and Official Statements
While JYP Entertainment has kept official statements brief, focusing on the logistical details of the tour, the reaction from the global fandom, known as "ONCE," has been overwhelming. Social media metrics showed "TWICE EUROPE" and "TWICE LONDON" trending globally within minutes of the April 23 announcement.
Industry insiders note that the solo stages included in the "Ready To Be" setlist—ranging from Nayeon’s "POP!" to various covers and unreleased solo material—have been a major draw for fans. These performances allow each member to showcase individual artistry, a factor that has contributed to the high "re-watch" value of the tour for fans who travel to see multiple stops.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
As TWICE prepares to take "Ready To Be" across three continents, the group stands as a testament to the enduring power of the K-pop idol model when combined with adaptive musicality and strategic global planning. The upcoming months will see the group navigating a grueling international schedule, but the expansion of the tour suggests that both the artists and their management are committed to securing TWICE’s legacy as a premier global act.
With the European leg set for September and tickets for London going on sale this week, the focus now shifts to the technical execution of these shows and the potential for even more dates to be added in "Part 3," as rumors of South American and additional Southeast Asian stops continue to circulate among industry circles. For now, the "Ready To Be" world tour remains a definitive statement of TWICE’s readiness to dominate the global stage.