When Did Cheer Up Twice Top Korean Music Charts Worldwide?

I still get a little giddy thinking about how ’Cheer Up’ landed like a surprise party for people who'd never heard of them before. Back when it came out I was following K-pop casually and one afternoon I watched the music video on a friend's recommendation while I was waiting for the bus. The song hits with this impossible earworm chorus and then that tiny moment—yeah, you know the one—became a meme almost overnight. Seeing clips of that scene shared across Twitter, YouTube reaction videos, and casual meme pages meant people who didn’t follow Korean music were suddenly asking “who are they?” That curiosity funneled into binge-watching other songs and subscribing to channels. Beyond the memes, ’Cheer Up’ showcased Twice’s strengths: catchy hooks, tight choreography, and those distinct personalities each member brought to the screen. For a lot of international listeners it was the gateway that turned background interest into proper fandom. I started learning the dance steps in my living room and about ten of my friends did the same—little bubbles of fandom that, stacked together, pushed them into global visibility. It felt like watching a slow snowball turn into a small avalanche, and I was delighted to be part of the crowd seeing it grow.

The performance that really cemented 'Cheer Up' as a cultural moment for fans wasn't a single TV slot for me, it was a chain of live stages that kept feeding the hype. I fell down the rabbit hole watching music show performances on 'Inkigayo', 'M Countdown', 'Music Bank' and 'Show Champion' and every one of those stages added little flourishes — camera cuts, outfits, and the choreography tweaks that made each airing feel special. What pushed it into full-blown iconic territory was a handful of viral moments: the choreography hook, the cheer routine, and especially Sana's 'shy shy shy' line. That tiny, spontaneous-sounding bit turned into memes, fancams, and reaction videos, so every stage after that had people waiting for the moment. On top of that, year-end festivals and award-show mashups (the big, dramatic group performances) turned 'Cheer Up' into a singalong anthem. Finally, the live concerts — their early Twiceland shows and later stadium gigs — were where the fandom created the atmosphere that made the song immortal. Fans brought coordinated chants and lightsticks, and the members would stretch out or remix parts of the song live. Watching it in a crowd, with the lights and the screams, made the song feel like ours.

When 'Cheer Up' blew up, I felt like TWICE had found a new kind of confidence — one that could still be playful but didn't need to be purely saccharine. The song kept their bubbly charm but layered it with sharper hooks, more rhythmic punch, and a personality that could be cheeky and pointed at the same time. That little viral moment with the 'shy shy shy' line wasn't just meme fuel; it showed they could weaponize charm and attitude in the studio and on stage. Afterward I noticed everything else they released leaned into that lesson. Vocals grew bolder in delivery, producers started experimenting with stronger synth lines and trap-influenced percussion, and their concepts shifted between cute, retro, and sleekly mature without feeling inconsistent. So when I queue up 'TT' or 'Fancy' now, I hear the through-line that began with 'Cheer Up': infectious hooks anchored to personality, which let TWICE stretch into different colors while keeping a signature pop identity. It still makes me grin every time I catch a staged wink or a clever melodic twist.

I still get a little thrill thinking about that moment when 'Cheer Up' blew up — it felt like everything Twice touched after that suddenly sold faster. For me, the biggest surge was in albums and the collectible photocards that come with them. Suddenly people were buying multiple copies not just for the music, but to trade, collect, and hunt down their bias’s card. That ripple effect made album sales balloon. Beyond albums, fan gear like posters, T‑shirts, and stickers flew off shelves because the song’s choreography and the ‘shy shy shy’ moment made so many people fall in love with specific members. Even phone cases and small accessories with member art saw big bumps. If you’re starting a collection, I’d chase photocards first — they’re the little tokens that sparked the whole frenzy for me.