TWICE’s latest run-up on the Billboard Hot 100 is a valuable reminder that you don’t need to rewrite your identity to break through in the U.S.

This week, the group’s 2024 single “Strategy” climbed to a new peak of No. 69 on the Hot 100 — its third straight week of gains — a surge undoubtedly tied directly to the song’s inclusion on the blockbuster KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack that grows hotter with each week.

But the trajectory is notable because “Strategy” wasn’t conceived as a specific U.S. single but as the title track to December 2024's Strategy EP. With the focus version featuring Megan Thee Stallion, the track has found fresh life as part of the film’s soundtrack, proving that contextual visibility — a hit movie, viral moment, primetime commercial, mainstream shoutout — can do a lot of the initial heavy lifting for a song.

Putting “Strategy” alongside TWICE’s earlier English efforts helps show a pattern.

The group’s first original English single, “The Feels,” debuted at No. 83 on the Hot 100 in October 2021 and fell off the chart quickly; “Moonlight Sunrise” likewise opened at No. 84 in February 2023 and didn’t linger. By contrast, “Strategy” is climbing week to week rather than debuting and disappearing — and it’s now their highest-charting Hot 100 entry to date.

That doesn’t mean U.S.-focused, English-language songs can’t help. In fact, TWICE’s incremental, and ultimately successful, moves into different territories are great case studies.

The ninesome first tested the waters in Japan less than two years into their careers by releasing Japanese versions of Korean hits in 2017 to eventually move toward entirely original Japanese material — as many K-pop artists do. Later, TWICE dove headfirst into English material with 2021’s bright, bubblegum-pop single “The Feels,” which felt like a callback to the effervescent earworms TWICE released in the early years of their careers. While I do think English versions of previous singles like “I Can’t Stop Me” and “More & More” could have also made waves in America, “The Feels” was one of the best K-pop crossover moments towards the west because it kept TWICE’s musical DNA intact when many artists (still) feel the need to switch up their style to craft a track to appeal to U.S. listeners, radio and television.

One of the earliest examples I remember scratching my head over was why after Wonder Girls broke new ground as the first-ever K-pop group to enter the Hot 100 with an English version of their throwback single “Nobody” made their next big push the AutoTune-heavy “Like Money,” an Akon-featuring EDM-pop track that made the group look like cyborg seductresses than modern-day Motown sirens. Who asked for that!? We were loving Wonder Girls for who they were!

TWICE’s 2023 single “Moonlight Sunrise” brought more of the sophisticated synth-pop sound the group was playing with at the time and landed another quick chart entry. By 2024, TWICE began releasing main singles in English with the moving “I Got You” off With YOU-th (the group’s first Number One album on the Billboard 200) and more recent English-language title tracks all feeling strategic in their own right. TWICE was slowly courting greater Western interest alongside platforms like radio and streaming, but didn’t abandon what made them TWICE. They adapted seemingly on their own terms.

The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack is the other part of the story: it’s a high-visibility platform that repackages existing songs alongside original material (the album also includes older licensed tracks from artists like folk duo MeloMance and ’70s Korean band Jokers which haven’t been able to break out big time), and that kind of spotlight can reroute attention to songs that may have flown under the radar in regular release cycles.

If there’s a takeaway for K-pop acts and their labels, I’d say it’s two-fold here. First: focus on strong, authentic songs and building a catalog that new and longtime fans can discover and rediscover. Second: when a genuine moment of exposure appears (a hit film, a commercial sync, an unexpected viral push), seize it — extra publicity, targeted digital content, or even a timely remix push can extend momentum. I can’t explain my frustration at the lack of action taken when Microsoft used 2NE1’s 2011 hit “I Am the Best” in commercials being shown throughout NFL games in 2014, causing a surge of downloads, Shazam activity and even some airplay. 2NE1 label YG Entertainment probably assumed the time had come and gone for “I Am the Best” when they promoted it in 2011, but the U.S. is sometimes very slow, and many artists see their back catalogue rise upon larger mainstream moments — see Lizzo and Chappell Roan charting multiple tracks with different release years when they blew up. Or how new Charli XCX tracks seem to go viral every few months, regardless of whether she’s promoting it or ever wanted it to be a single.

TWICE’s social media seems focused on the group’s world tour and member Chaeyoung’s solo album, but I hope there are some plans for more visibility into “Strategy.” The group’s headlining set at Lollapalooza was major and felt perfectly timed as well, but I’d love to see the group getting some U.S. performances out there or more content to push their original track. More Meg, please!

Ultimately, TWICE’s “Strategy” proves a simple idea: do what you do best, give it as many stages as possible to be seen on and let audiences decide where it fits. The U.S. tends to meet you when and if the song resonates — you don’t need a disguise to get in the door.

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—Songwriter-producer Savan Kotecha (One Direction, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran) spoke to India Today about his Visva Records (which is one of the labels behind KPop Demon Hunters), how he hopes to have his India to embrace his upcoming boy band OutStation (“I want parents to encourage to their kids, ‘Hey, take BTS off your playlist or your wall, put these Indian boys’”) and a story about how and why he got involved in KDH.

—Minnie from i-dle will embrace her inner Drew Barrymore in her upcoming movie debut: “Sony Pictures International Productions is gearing up for its first production in Thailand, partnering with [Thai film studio] GDH on a reimagining of the 2004 romantic comedy 50 First Dates that marks the feature debut of Nicha Yontararak a.k.a. Minnie from K-pop group i-dle. Yontararak will star opposite Nadech Kugimiya, the lead in supernatural horror Death Whisperer 2, which became the highest-grossing Thai film of all time in 2024 with $24.7M (thb825m)…Sony’s original 50 First Dates starred Adam Sandler as a commitment-phobe who falls for a woman with short-term memory loss played by Drew Barrymore. Production is expected to commence later this year in time for a 2026 release in Thailand. Sony/SPIP will handle worldwide distribution.” (ScreenDaily)

—Five of Korea’s big music organizations are calling for K-pop to earn similar tax breaks that Korean video and webtoon sector enjoy as well as government support for small and medium-sized K-pop companies: “‘Despite the global success of BTS’ ‘Dynamite’ music video, it is not eligible for tax benefits, which contradicts fairness among content genres. The music industry should also be included in the comprehensive national content support policy,’ claimed the organizations.” (Music Ally)

—Hasan Beyaz opened her Wonderland review from Jin of BTS’ London concert by pointing to the significance of a huge star playing multiple dates across Europe: “When news broke earlier this year that JIN would bring his #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR to London’s O2 Arena, the announcement sent a ripple of disbelief across the fandom. Europe, usually left as a footnote in the K-pop ‘world tour’ circuit, wasn’t getting a token festival slot this time – it was getting multiple evenings with JIN, on his terms. For many fans in the region, seeing him live had felt like a distant hope, postponed until BTS’ impending full reunion (if they’re lucky enough to snag tickets, that is). But tonight, that distance collapsed. This wasn’t a livestream, nor a festival feed. We were going to be in the same room, breathing the same air, as he stepped onto the stage.”

—Business Insider thinks Netflix taking KPop Demon Hunters to movie theaters for sing-along screenings is a direct attack towards Disney: “Putting Kpop Demon Hunters in theaters, even for only two days, suggests that Netflix is set on making its biggest animated film ever a full-blown franchise. Netflix is also encroaching on what's long been Disney's territory: animated family-friendly movies with catchy songs.”

—1 in 4 Gen Alpha kids call K-pop their favorite music genre: “Despite much of the music not being in English, those who have seen K-pop stars and listened to their music might understand the affinity younger generations have with the genre. The music is catchy and packed and shared through energetic music videos, viral dance choreography, and very active online fan communities. K-pop resonates deeply with a lot of kids today. Platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram have only accelerated its popularity, allowing Gen Alpha fans to discover and share new artists instantly. Many are introduced to the genre through trending clips, fan-made edits, and live performances that rack up millions of views. Parents have even taken to TikTok and Instagram to share their surprise at how invested their kids are in K-pop.” (Parents)

—Gold Derby says KCON should be another festival for the music industry to scope out up-and-coming talent a la Coachella and Lollapalooza: “The annual gathering attracted 125,000 attendees, the same number that attends each weekend of industry staple Coachella. Despite the numbers and obvious impact, mainstream media was largely quiet. Unlike Coachella, Lollapalooza, and similar major U.S.-based festivals there were none of the typical burning questions posed in headlines: Did any of the performers just cement their Best New Artist Grammy bids? Are collaborations with major Western artists in the pipeline? Are any stars on the rise? With the rare exception, when it comes to Korean artists, the U.S. awards establishment generally reacts with a shrug. But KCON and its showcase artists are trying to change the narrative.”

—BTS’ V did a “What’s In My Bag” reveal for W Korea, sharing that he’s watching Breaking Bad and thinks he looks like Eeyore, the donkey from Winnie the Pooh. While showing his Beats Studio Pro headphones, he recommended the 2021 song “The Dress” by Baltimore singer Dijon, 2000 single “Hello Operator” by The White Stripes for workouts, “LADY” by Japanese singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu for a morning playlist, and the 2006 song “Airplane” by Korean hip-hop group Turtles for your travel playlist. Adding, “I hope you listen to BTS songs.”

V also spoke about watching his band mate Jin and J-Hope’s solo concerts: “First of all, the concert styles of the two members were so different. I think they were really fun. I remember Jin’s ‘Rope It’ performance. And actually, I shed a few tears during Hobi’s performance. I quietly shed a tear by myself. During the duet with Jung Kook, I got choked up. I was too embarrassed to say anything.”

—I love the party boy vibes of Monsta X’s latest teaser photos for upcoming album THE X out on September 1. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a K-pop boy band use bright pink and blue wigs like that. (@OfficialMonstaX)

—I thought it was cute that Jaemin of NCT DREAM referred to fans as his “princes and princesses” when telling them he was going to do a livestream to celebrate his birthday. (@NCTsmtown)

—”That’s That,” the new single by rising boy band AMPERS&ONE, gives me Jason Derulo “Talk Dirty” vibes a bit.

—There are deep fan theories that Lisa’s upcoming short film music video for her Alter Ego track “Dream” references a rumored, but unconfirmed, relationship with the rapper-singer-actor One (a.k.a. Jung Jaewon, also previously signed to YG Entertainment), who has essentially disappeared from the industry since 2019. (@YGFamilyEra)

—Kwon Yuri of Girls’ Generation shared some scary footage of her falling when horseback riding on a trip. MyMusicTaste wrote, “‘It was my first fall,’ Yuri later explained. ‘The horse suddenly stepped into a deep hole, and I was scared and couldn’t hold the reins tightly.’ She added that she feels perfectly fine despite hitting her back and head.”

—Manny Jacinto tells Cosmopolitan his “bias” in BTS is Jung Kook.