JYP Entertainment’s flagship girl group TWICE has officially announced a massive expansion of their fifth world tour, titled Ready To Be, marking a significant milestone in the group’s eight-year career. Following the successful launch of the tour’s first leg in Seoul earlier this April, the group revealed via their official social media channels on April 23 that they will be bringing their high-energy performances to major cities across Europe and Southeast Asia. This expansion represents the group’s most ambitious touring schedule to date, reflecting their burgeoning influence in Western markets and their sustained dominance in the Asian pop landscape.
The Ready To Be world tour was initially announced in February 2023 with a 17-stop itinerary covering South Korea, Australia, Japan, and North America. However, due to overwhelming demand and the commercial success of their 12th mini-album, also titled Ready To Be, the tour has now grown to include several high-profile European arenas and massive venues across Southeast Asia. This development follows a period of record-breaking activity for the nine-member ensemble, consisting of Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu.
Detailed European Itinerary and Ticket Information
The most notable aspect of the new announcement is TWICE’s long-awaited foray into the European market. While the group has previously performed at festivals and smaller events, the Ready To Be tour marks their first concentrated effort to headline major arenas in the region. The European leg is scheduled for September 2023 and includes three pivotal stops in the continent’s most influential music markets.
The journey begins on September 8 at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom. As one of the world’s busiest and most prestigious indoor venues, the O2 represents a significant step up for the group. Tickets for the London show are scheduled to go on sale at 10:00 AM BST on April 28, with high demand anticipated based on the group’s streaming numbers in the UK.
Following the London performance, TWICE will travel to Paris, France, to perform at the Accor Arena on September 11. The tour’s European leg will then conclude on September 14 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany. These three cities have historically served as the primary hubs for K-pop in Europe, and TWICE’s presence in these venues underscores JYP Entertainment’s strategy to solidify the group’s global footprint beyond the Pacific Rim.
Expansion into Southeast Asia
In addition to the European dates, TWICE has confirmed a series of large-scale performances in Southeast Asia for late 2023. This region has traditionally been a stronghold for the group, with a massive and dedicated fan base known as ONCE. The newly 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 it is one of the world’s largest indoor arenas, with a seating capacity of approximately 55,000. This choice of venue highlights the immense popularity of TWICE in the Philippines, where they have consistently topped music charts and social media trends.
The Ready To Be Album and Global Momentum
The expansion of the world tour is intrinsically linked to the success of the group’s 12th mini-album, Ready To Be, which was released on March 10, 2023. The album served as a bold statement of the group’s evolution, moving away from their earlier "color-pop" roots toward a more mature, sophisticated, and globally-oriented sound.
The album’s lead single, "Set Me Free," was promoted heavily in the United States, including a high-profile performance on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. This performance was widely praised for its choreography and the members’ vocal stability, further piquing interest among Western audiences. Additionally, the album featured the group’s second English-language single, "Moonlight Sunrise," which debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, marking their second entry on the chart after 2021’s "The Feels."
Statistically, the Ready To Be album achieved remarkable heights. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, earning the biggest sales week for a K-pop girl group in the United States at the time of its release. This commercial performance provided the necessary data for JYP Entertainment and their American partner, Republic Records, to justify the expansion of the tour into larger stadiums and new territories.
Chronology of the Ready To Be Tour
To understand the scale of the current expansion, it is essential to look at the tour’s timeline:
- February 2023: JYP Entertainment announces the first part of the Ready To Be world tour, focusing on Seoul, Sydney, Melbourne, Osaka, Tokyo, and 13 cities across North America, including stadiums like SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
- March 2023: The Ready To Be mini-album is released. TWICE becomes the first K-pop girl group to receive the Breakthrough Award at the Billboard Women in Music Awards.
- April 15-16, 2023: The tour officially kicks off with two sold-out nights at the KSPO Dome in Seoul. The shows featured solo stages for all nine members, a live band, and high-budget production.
- April 23, 2023: The second part of the tour is announced, adding the aforementioned dates in Europe and Southeast Asia.
- May-July 2023: The group is scheduled to move through Australia, Japan, and North America, where they are expected to set records for the highest attendance for a K-pop girl group in the United States.
Strategic Implications and Industry Analysis
The expansion of the Ready To Be tour is a clear indicator of the shifting dynamics within the global music industry. For years, K-pop touring was largely restricted to East Asia and select cities in the United States. However, the current "fourth wave" of K-pop, bolstered by digital streaming and social media, has democratized access to the genre, creating viable markets in Europe and Latin America.
Industry analysts suggest that JYP Entertainment is positioning TWICE as a "legacy" group that continues to grow even after the typical seven-year contract cycle. In 2022, all nine members of TWICE renewed their contracts with JYP Entertainment, a rarity in the industry often referred to as breaking the "seven-year curse." This renewal has allowed the group to pursue more aggressive global strategies without the uncertainty of lineup changes.
Furthermore, the partnership between JYP Entertainment and Republic Records (a subsidiary of Universal Music Group) has been instrumental. By leveraging Republic’s infrastructure in the West, TWICE has gained better access to mainstream media outlets, radio play, and logistical support for large-scale touring. The addition of London, Paris, and Berlin is a direct result of this collaborative effort to maximize the group’s international reach.
Production and Fan Experience
The Ready To Be tour is marketed as a celebration of TWICE’s individuality and collective strength. Unlike previous tours that leaned heavily into whimsical or cute concepts, this tour focuses on themes of confidence, self-assertion, and "breaking free" from societal expectations.
The concert production reportedly involves state-of-the-art stage designs, including massive LED screens, complex pyrotechnics, and a revamped setlist that balances their massive hits like "Fancy" and "I Can’t Stop Me" with new, experimental tracks. The solo stages, a highlight of the Seoul kickoff, allow each member to showcase their unique musical colors—ranging from Nayeon’s pop-diva energy to Momo’s contemporary dance and Jihyo’s powerful vocal performances.
For the fans, known as ONCE, the expansion is a long-awaited acknowledgment of their global presence. Social media sentiment following the April 23 announcement was overwhelmingly positive, with hashtags related to the tour trending globally. The demand for tickets is expected to be unprecedented, particularly in London and Bulacan, where the group has not performed a full-scale solo concert in several years.
Future Outlook
As TWICE prepares to embark on this expanded journey, the music industry will be watching closely. The success of the European leg, in particular, will serve as a bellwether for other JYP artists and the broader K-pop industry’s ability to sustain arena-level tours in the region.
With more dates potentially to be added in the future—rumors of Latin American and additional North American dates continue to circulate—the Ready To Be world tour is on track to become one of the highest-grossing tours by a female group in K-pop history. By continuously evolving their sound and expanding their horizons, TWICE remains at the forefront of the global pop phenomenon, proving that their "readiness" is not just a concept, but a definitive state of their career.
The tour’s expansion serves as a testament to the group’s resilience and the universal appeal of their music. As they transition from a domestic powerhouse to a global touring juggernaut, TWICE continues to set new standards for what a K-pop group can achieve on the world stage. For now, the focus remains on the upcoming ticket sales and the massive preparations required to bring the "Ready To Be" experience to millions of fans across three continents.
