Strategy (EP)

''Strategy'' is the fourteenth extended play by South Korean girl group Twice. It was released on December 6, 2024, through JYP Entertainment and Republic Records. The EP consists of seven tracks, including the group's fourth original English-language single "Strategy" featuring American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. The album blends electro-pop, R&B, and the group’s signature bubblegum pop, fusing ' 80s influences with Y2K sounds. It debuted at number one on the South Korean Circle Album Chart and number four on the US ''Billboard 200''.

Background

In 2024, Twice released their thirteenth Korean EP, '' With You-th'' on February 23. The album became their first to reach number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200. They followed it with their fifth Japanese studio album, '' Dive'' on July 17.

On October 20, Twice held a fan meeting titled "Home 9round" to commemorate the ninth anniversary of their debut. During the event, they performed the unreleased track "Sweetest Obsession" and announced their fourteenth EP, ''Strategy'', set for release on December 6. On October 25, Twice was featured on a remix of American rapper Megan Thee Stallion's " Mamushi", which was included on '' Megan: Act II'', the deluxe reissue of her third studio album ''Megan''. In turn, it was announced that Megan Thee Stallion would feature on ''Strategy''s lead single of the same name, "Strategy". On November 21, Twice headlined '' Amazon Music Live'' and gave a quick preview of "Strategy" during the show.

Promotion

On December 4, Twice held a premiere event for fans at New Millennium Hall, Konkuk University, where they introduced the songs in the EP. During the event, they screened the "Strategy" music video and performed "Magical" for the first time. To promote the EP, Twice performed "Strategy" on the music program ''Music Bank'' on December 6. That same day, they performed "Strategy" on the late-night music talk show '' The Seasons: Lee Young-ji's Rainbow'', with host Lee Young-ji performing Megan Thee Stallion's rap. Twice's planned promotion on music programs was cut short, as ''Show! Music Core'' and ''Inkigayo'' were canceled due to South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law and the subsequent impeachment votes against him. Twice's pre-recorded performance on ''Show! Music Core'' was broadcast on December 15, and they also performed on ''Inkigayo'' that same day.

Composition

The EP shows a shift in style, blending electro-pop and R&B with the group's usual bubblegum pop sound. While experimenting with new genres, they still include tracks that stick to their classic pop roots, balancing fresh ideas with the familiar. The sound of ''Strategy'' blends eras—some tracks capture the breezy ' 80s-inspired pop that feels straight out of a "vintage teen movie soundtrack." On the other, tracks like "Like It Like It" and "Sweetest Obsession" channel Y2K nostalgia, pushing the group’s sound into the early 2000s.

Critical reception

In a review for ''NME'', Rhian Daly gave the album four out of five stars, describing it as influenced by 80s and Y2K pop. She characterized it as an upbeat and "bubbly" album, taking place "in a world where flirtations and the potential of romance can solve any problem". Daly finished her review by writing that "as they enter their 10th year together, Twice are still flying incredibly high all on their own." Marcy Donelson of AllMusic awarded the album 3.5 out of five stars, writing that the album "keeps the dance party going" and praising its "uplifting, groove-forward pop tracks that balance affection and empowerment."

Commercial performance

''Strategy'' topped South Korea's Circle Album Chart for the week ending December 7, 2024, with over 800,000 copies sold. In the United States, the EP debuted at number four on the ''Billboard'' 200 with 88,000 equivalent album units, as reported by music data tracking firm Luminate. Of these, 81,000 were pure sales, 6,500 were streaming-equivalent units, and less than 500 were track-equivalent units. ''Strategy'' is Twice's sixth top-10 record on the chart.

Track listing

Personnel

Musicians
* Twice – vocals, background vocals (tracks 1, 7)
* Earattack – all instruments (tracks 1, 7)
* Lee Woo-hyun – all instruments (tracks 1, 7)
* Kim Jong-seong – guitar (tracks 1, 7)
* Shorelle – background vocals (tracks 1, 7)
* Ryan Marrone – drum programming, guitar, synthesizer programming (track 2)
* The Imports – drum programming, keyboards (track 2)
* Albert Stanaj – piano (track 2)
* Sophia Pae – background vocals (tracks 2, 4–6)
* C'Sa – background vocals (track 3)
* Gingerbread – drums, programming, synthesizer (track 5)
* Rob Grimaldi – drums, programming, synthesizer (track 5)
* Johan Fransson – bass programming, drum programming, keyboards, string arrangement (track 6)
* Oliver Lundström – keyboards, additional programming (track 6)

Technical

* Kwon Nam-woo – mastering
* Shin Bong-won – Atmos mix engineering
** Park Nam-jun – Atmos mix engineering assistance
* Lee Kyung-won – digital editing (tracks 1, 6, 7)
* Earattack – recording and vocal direction (tracks 1, 2, 6, 7), vocal production (tracks 1, 7)
* Seo Eun-il – recording (tracks 1, 4, 5, 7)
* Lim Chan-mi – recording (tracks 1, 7)
* Shawn "Source" Jarrett – recording for Megan Thee Stallion (track 1)
** Dominique "Cookisdope" Cook – engineering assistance (track 1)
** Dylan Spence – engineering assistance (track 1)
** Trinity "Aux" Wohlferd – engineering assistance (track 1)
* Leslie Brathwaite – mixing for Megan Thee Stallion (track 1)
* Lee Tae-sub – mixing (tracks 1, 7)
* Goo Hye-jin – digital editing (track 2)
* Kwak Bo-eun – recording (tracks 2, 6), digital editing (track 4)
* Park Eun-jung – mixing (track 2), digital editing (track 5)
* C'Sa – digital editing, vocal direction (track 3)
* Lee Chang-hoon – recording (track 3)
* Lim Hong-jin – mixing (tracks 3, 5)
* Sophia Pae – vocal direction (tracks 4, 5)
* Choi Hye-jin – mixing (track 4)
* Eom Se-hee – mixing (track 6)

Charts

Weekly charts

Monthly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

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2024 EPs
Twice (group) EPs
JYP Entertainment EPs
Republic Records EPs