How Did Cheer Up Twice Influence Modern K-Pop Choreography?

I still grin thinking about the moment the chorus of 'Cheer Up' hit for the first time—it's the kind of earworm you can't shake. The track was produced by Black Eyed Pilseung, the South Korean production duo known for crafting idol-friendly hooks. They teamed up with lyricist Sam Lewis to shape the song's playful, sassy lyrics and infectious structure. Their aim wasn't just to make a radio hit; they wanted a personality-packed single that would let each member of Twice shine through quick, memorable lines and character moments. Listening closely, you can hear how the production balances bright brass stabs, bouncy percussion, and pop melodies to give a cheerleader-meets-retro vibe. I love how that arrangement gives room for the now-famous 'shy shy shy' bit—an off-the-cuff moment by one of the members that fit the producers' vision perfectly and helped the song explode into a cultural meme. For me it's a lesson in how a clear, playful vision plus strong hooks can turn a song into a defining pop moment.

There's something about how a tiny gesture can explode into a global thing, and 'Cheer Up' is a textbook case. I got hooked watching a clip where the chorus hits and that tiny head-tilt plus the 'shy shy shy' line shows up — it’s instant earworm and visual hook. The choreography gives you a clear, repeatable signature move that anyone can mimic: short, cute, and camera-friendly. That matters more than people realize; platforms reward clips where viewers immediately get the point. On top of the move itself, the song arrived at a perfect cultural moment. Fan communities were already primed to recreate anything they loved, variety-show moments (you know the one where a member says something goofy) gave it meme fuel, and short-form video platforms made imitation trivial. I noticed how dance studios, random office workers, and kids at school all felt comfortable trying it — the barrier to entry was low. When influencers and idols started posting their own playful takes, algorithms latched on, amplifying the trend into a proper challenge. Watching it unfold felt like being in on a shared joke, and that communal vibe is what kept people making their own versions long after the initial burst. If I had to sum up why it blew up: catchy hook, iconic tiny choreography, meme-able personality, and the perfect tech moment for sharing. Still makes me smile whenever I catch a new cover — it’s pure, silly joy.

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.

Hearing 'Cheer Up' still gives me that weird, giddy tug of nostalgia — and once you start listening to the lyrics closely, you realize it's not just a cute pop jam. On the surface it's playful and teasing, full of wink-wink lines about someone who's hot and cold. But the deeper lyrical themes are about unrequited feelings, mixed signals, and the frustration of being led on. There's this delicious tension between vulnerability and mock confidence: the speaker pokes at the object of their affection while also admitting they care, which makes the song emotionally complicated in a very relatable way. The track also leans into resilience and self-preservation. Between the teasing and the catchy hook you can sense a push toward reclaiming self-worth — whether that means daring to flirt back or deciding not to be strung along. I always notice how friendship and communal cheer show up too: the lyrics and delivery feel like a group of friends egging someone on, offering solidarity. Next time you listen, try catching the little shifts in tone; they tell a whole story beyond the dance moves and viral lines.

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 spring of 2016 was wild for K-pop, and 'Cheer Up' was right at the heart of it. Released as the lead single from TWICE's mini-album 'Page Two' on April 25, 2016, the song shot up Korean streaming platforms almost immediately. Within days it was topping real-time charts like Melon and Genie, and by the end of April and into early May it was sitting comfortably at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart — the weekly national chart — and dominating other domestic charts as well. I was glued to music show broadcasts back then, cheering when they picked up trophy after trophy; seeing fans and casual listeners react the same way made it feel like a genuine cultural moment, not just a chart blip. Internationally, it also made waves on Billboard’s world-related charts around that time, helping TWICE cross into a bigger global audience. If you want the exact weekly placements, Gaon’s archive for late April/early May 2016 shows the full rundown, but the short version is: release on April 25, 2016, and chart-topping through late April and into May 2016. It still gives me that giddy nostalgia whenever I hear the first whistle riff.

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.

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.