Powerhouse girl group TWICE has announced the release of the new Special Vinyl <THIS IS FOR> WORLD TOUR FINALE in SEOUL - LIVE, containing live versions of the songs performed at the three-concert series in July.

The album will contain recordings from all three dates, which were hosted at the KSPO Dome on July 10, 11 and 12. Based on a setlist designed to showcase the growth of TWICE, it will likely see new versions of some of the group’s oldest songs alongside their newest hits as the first physical release associated with the <THIS IS FOR> World Tour.

<THIS IS FOR> marked a landmark period for TWICE, both in regards to sales figures and the group’s legacy. Partially promoted as a celebration of TWICE’s ten year anniversary, the tour took them to 44 cities across 4 continents, for a total of 81 shows over one year. It is the highest-grossing tour of their careers, and in the wider industry stands as the most-attended tour by a female K-pop act in North America. They also set further records in Oceania and Japan, displaying a clear international prominence.

A live album is rare in the K-pop space. While several artists have released them, most notably referring to BTS’ Permission To Dance On Stage - Live, they are by no way an expected aspect of the numerous world tours currently taking place. The complete list of live K-pop albums is growing but remains small, featuring artists like BABYMONSTER, BOYNEXTDOOR and TREASURE but missing many big names.

TWICE’s <THIS IS FOR> World Tour, however, is undoubtedly deserving of a live version. Given the success of the tour, interest in a live version is high. Additionally, with several of the members pursuing solo contracts and activities outside of TWICE in the coming months, schedules are likely going to be too full and too varied for a large-scale tour for some time. A live vinyl acts as preservation of this chapter as things begin to change for the group.

With the coinciding of a physical vinyl release alongside the album’s digital release on October 16, TWICE also contributes to the rise in vinyl album versions seen across the industry. Vinyls are traditionally used for special editions, but lately have become a way for groups to release additional versions of their new albums, boosting sales. They are becoming a staple of album roll-outs.

Instead of live albums, groups typically broadcast concert films or documentaries in various formats, from cinema showings to online viewing to physical DVDs. TWICE’s choice to use vinyl for a live album stands out against both regular vinyl albums and concert films, and may prompt other artists to follow suit.

JYP Entertainment are yet to reveal the tracklist for the album or the number of discs included, but pre-orders are now live on the TWICE store and links to other retailers have been shared on TWICE’s social media accounts.