TWICE 'Fancy You' Album Review: Why This Mini-Album Changed K-pop in 2019

TWICE's "Fancy You" shattered records as the first Korean girl group album to exceed 150,000 copies in first-week sales according to Hanteo Chart. After a notable absence during the first third of 2019, the South Korean powerhouse returned with their seventh extended play that would permanently alter their trajectory in the K-pop landscape.

Released on April 22, 2019, by JYP Entertainment, the "Fancy Twice" album marked a significant evolution in the group's sound and image. What makes this mini-album particularly noteworthy is its impressive lineup of six tracks, including "Girls Like Us," composed by Grammy Award nominee Charli XCX. Furthermore, the album achieved remarkable commercial success, eventually earning a 2x platinum certification in 2022 for selling over 500,000 copies on Circle Chart.

Beyond impressive sales figures, "Fancy You" represented a pivotal moment in TWICE's career - a deliberate step toward showcasing a more mature, active side of the group. This transition from their signature cute concept to a more sophisticated sound would go on to influence numerous other K-pop acts throughout 2019 and beyond.

What Makes 'Fancy You' a Turning Point for TWICE

Released in April 2019, "Fancy You" represents a pivotal transformation in TWICE's musical journey. The album boldly departed from their established formula, reshaping the group's identity while setting new standards in K-pop.

Shift from bubblegum pop to electro-pop

The "Fancy" title track marks TWICE's strategic evolution from their signature bubblegum pop sound toward a more sophisticated electro-pop direction. Unlike their previous cheerful releases, "Fancy" delivers a mellow pop-dance track that retains their quintessential retro-inspired base while incorporating dynamic synths and playful digital elements. This carefully crafted transition allowed the group to showcase a bolder styling without abandoning their distinctive identity. As Hong Dam-young of The Korea Herald noted, the song blends "mellow mood pop electro beats with the members' sophisticated, strong melodies". This sonic shift proved TWICE could mature musically while maintaining their core appeal.

Member involvement in songwriting

"Fancy You" showcases unprecedented creative input from the members themselves. Four TWICE members contributed to the album's lyrics, adding personal depth to the tracks. Jihyo penned "Girls Like Us" during a period of self-doubt, creating an empowering anthem about perseverance. Chaeyoung, who has written lyrics for seven TWICE songs—more than any other member—co-wrote "Strawberry," a song celebrating authenticity. Meanwhile, Momo contributed to "Hot," an encouraging song about confidence, and Sana wrote "Turn It Up," inspired by their dedicated fans. This collective involvement significantly enhanced the album's emotional resonance.

New visual and lyrical maturity

"Fancy You" also marked a dramatic visual transformation. The music video features vivid CGI backdrops with members alternating between stylish black and colorful outfits. Notably, it was the first time in their four-year career that TWICE embraced a decidedly sexy aesthetic, appearing in black, skin-tight garments adorned with metal chains. Lyrically, the album explores more mature themes, with songs boldly expressing romantic affections through lines like "I won't ever let you go". The vocalists also adopted a more sultry tone during verses while maintaining their exuberant energy for choruses, reflecting their artistic growth.

Track-by-Track Breakdown of 'Fancy You'

The six tracks on 'Fancy You' collectively showcase TWICE's artistic range, offering listeners a journey through various musical styles while maintaining a cohesive sound.

Fancy: Electro-pop with bold visuals

The title track "Fancy" represents a retro-inspired electropop masterpiece written by Black Eyed Pilseung and Jeon Goon. Its bouncing rhythm maintains TWICE's quintessential sound while incorporating dynamic synths and playful digital elements. The group's vocals take on a sultry tone during verses but burst with exuberant energy in the chorus. The music video became an immediate sensation, garnering over 42.1 million views in a single day, making it YouTube's seventh-biggest debut at that time. The visually striking video ranked third on 2019 YouTube's Most Popular Music Video in South Korea and tenth in Japan.

Stuck in My Head: Girl crush energy

As the second track, "Stuck in My Head" delivers heavier instrumentation that leans toward a hip-hop sound—previously uncharted territory for TWICE. Despite strong verses and excellent tension-building, some listeners found the repeated refrain "stuck in my head like" somewhat repetitive. Nevertheless, this bold track helped establish TWICE's new, more confident image.

Girls Like Us: Empowerment anthem

This anthemic pop song carries a powerful message about perseverance through hardship. With encouraging lyrics like "Oh girls, do what you want. You're going the right way," sung by Mina in the dreamy bridge, the track resonates deeply with listeners facing challenges. The song's empowering theme places it among notable K-pop anthems celebrating women.

Hot: Minimalist pop with attitude

"Hot" masterfully plays with contrast—heavy instrumentation and the repeated "HOT" refrain in the chorus offset by more subdued verses. The predominantly chorus-driven track creates an atmospheric, slightly sensual mood that showcases TWICE's newfound maturity. Momo contributed to the lyrics, adding authentic personal perspective.

Turn It Up: Dance-pop with catchy hooks

Beginning with acoustic elements before transitioning into an energetic dance track, "Turn It Up" surprises listeners with its musical misdirection. Sana served as the primary lyricist, reportedly drawing inspiration from TWICE's concert experiences and their fans' light sticks (candybongs).

Strawberry: Self-love and authenticity

Closing the album, "Strawberry" offers a more relaxed, sweet vibe compared to the preceding tracks. Though reminiscent of previous TWICE b-sides, it fits seamlessly within the album's mature concept, providing a perfect conclusion to the listening experience. The laidback track celebrates self-love and authenticity, themes central to TWICE's evolution.

Critical and Commercial Reception of the Album

Upon its release, critics formed diverse opinions about "Fancy You," cementing the album's position as a pivotal moment in TWICE's artistic evolution.

Billboard and The 405 reviews

Billboard magazine honored "Fancy You" by including it in their "25 Greatest K-Pop Albums of the 2010s" list at number 24. Writer Joshua Calixto described the EP as "a stylistic quantum leap from anything they'd done before," highlighting the "heavier, darker undercurrents" contributed by producers like Charli XCX, MNEK, and Black Eyed Pilseung. Chase McMullen of The 405 magazine rated the album 8 out of 10, praising it as "another joyous, irresistible addition to an already impressive discography". Roxanne Wilson from The Kraze lauded the album's "cohesive composition," noting how it "flows together perfectly".

IZM's contrasting critique

Not all reviews were favorable, however. Cho Ji-hyun of IZM awarded "Fancy You" just 2 out of 5 stars, suggesting the group's attempt to mature musically fell short. Rather than completely changing their style, Cho recommended TWICE should have opted for a "skillful digestion" of the members' capabilities.

Sales milestones and chart positions

"Fancy You" made history as the first Korean girl group album to surpass 150,000 copies in first-week sales according to Hanteo Chart. The EP debuted at number 2 on the weekly Gaon Album Chart while simultaneously reaching number 1 on Japan's Oricon Albums Chart. In America, it landed at number 4 on Billboard's World Albums chart, selling 1,000 copies in its first week—TWICE's best U.S. sales week at that time. By April's end, the album had sold 328,477 copies.

Certifications and accolades

In June 2019, "Fancy You" received a Platinum certification from the Korea Music Content Association for exceeding 250,000 copies sold. Subsequently, it earned 2× Platinum certification in November 2022. The title track "Fancy" ranked fifth on Dazed's 20 Best K-pop Songs of 2019 list and appeared in Billboard's best K-pop songs of the 2010s ranking. In 2021, "Fancy" surpassed 100 million streams, earning Platinum certification from the Korea Music Content Association.

How 'Fancy You' Influenced K-pop in 2019

Beyond merely altering TWICE's trajectory, the "Fancy You" mini-album sent ripples throughout the entire K-pop industry in 2019.

Set new sales records for girl groups

"Fancy You" rewrote the history books when it became the first Korean girl group album to surpass 150,000 copies in first-week sales, recording an impressive 151,051 units according to Hanteo Chart. This milestone shattered previous records held by BLACKPINK's "KILL THIS LOVE" (146,094 copies) and IZONE's "HEARTIZ" (132,109 copies). The achievement was especially remarkable considering it surpassed TWICE's own previous record of 129,691 copies set by "twicetagram". Following its initial success, "Fancy You" continued accumulating accolades, receiving Platinum certification in June 2019 for exceeding 250,000 copies sold. Consequently, the album maintained its record-holding status until TWICE themselves broke it with their subsequent release "Feel Special" later that same year.

Inspired concept shifts in other groups

The timing of TWICE's concept evolution proved strategically perfect. With members Tzuyu and Chaeyoung no longer minors, the group could embrace a more sophisticated image. As Chaeyoung herself acknowledged, "'Fancy You' became a turning point for TWICE". This successful transformation demonstrated to other established K-pop acts that concept evolution could occur without alienating existing fans. Throughout 2019, several prominent girl groups followed suit by adopting more mature concepts, recognizing that TWICE had proven audiences would embrace artistic growth from beloved groups. Their evolution showed that groups could retain their core identity while expanding their stylistic range.

Expanded TWICE's global appeal

"Fancy You" coincided with TWICE's first world tour announcement, including breakthrough performances in North American cities like Los Angeles, Newark, Chicago, and Mexico City. Prior to this, the group had "largely sat out U.S. promotions—despite amassing a strong international fanbase". The "Fancy" music video garnered 42.1 million views within 24 hours, securing its place as YouTube's seventh-biggest debut at that time. On Billboard's World Albums chart, "Fancy You" debuted at number 4, selling 1,000 copies in its first week—marking TWICE's strongest U.S. sales performance to date.