TWICE says 2nd full album shows band’s more daring, dark side

Popular K-pop girl group TWICE said Monday that its upcoming full-length album “Eyes Wide Open” will likely surprise fans with the band’s darker and bolder side.

“It portrays the danger and anxiety that come from standing on the boundary between the good and bad,” rapper Dahyun said in a series of questions and answers sent to the press before the album drops at 6 p.m.

“It also captures a provocative ambience that boldly crosses the line, which I feel that a lot of people will be surprised by seeing a new TWICE that they’ve never seen before,” she said.

Mina, one of the group’s Japanese members, said the band shifted away from its signature upbeat demeanor and delved into a darker area with the new album.

“(We) sang about the insecure and uneasy sentiment that TWICE has never shown. Everyone has both a bright side and an insecure side,” she said.

This photo, provided by JYP Entertainment, shows K-pop girl group TWICE. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Teasers released ahead of the album release show the group’s nine members — Jihyo, Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu — with more mature looks, wearing all-black dresses and gray suit-inspired outfits.

The main track “I Can’t Stop Now,” written by agency chief Park Jin-young and composed by Melanie Joy Fontana and Michel “Lindgren” Schulz, captures an uncontrollable mind that is in conflict between the good and bad, according to JYP.

Dahyun explained the main track is a retro-style song with strong instrumental sounds.

“It’s a synthwave genre that blends European electronic sound and the 1980s U.S. synth sound. Once you hear it you’ll probably be humming it,” she said.

The band’s members said they also attempted to play out the retro ambience visually through their outfits and music video.

Jihyo said the group attempted to showcase the retro vibe through bold styling in the music video, while Sana chipped in saying the music video comes with a lot of visual attractions, such as a huge flower set and a set replicating a subway platform.

When asked about their favorite tracks they would like to recommend, Jihyo and Chaeyoung picked “Hell in Heaven” while Nayeon and Mina chose “Say Something.”

The group’s members asked fans to look forward to their first full album in years and voiced disappointment at not being able to meet them in person.

TWICE is scheduled to hold a live meeting with fans at 8 p.m. that will be streamed on V LIVE and YouTube.

The nine-member band will be doing its promotional activities without Jungyeon, who will temporarily sit out due to anxiety issues.

In an Oct. 20 post on the group’s official Instagram account, Jungyeon left a message thanking fans for the group’s five-year anniversary and said she looks forward to returning soon after her recovery.