‘Tis the season for festive melodies and winter reminiscing! Twice bring all that and more with their latest release, The Best Thing I Ever Did (올해 제일 잘한 일). This comes as the title track for their third special album, The Year of Yes, a compilation of some of Twice’s best tracks this year, and the addition of a Korean version of Be As One to sweeten the deal. For a girl group that has been at the top of their game for a few years now, The Best Thing I Ever Did comes as a tender reminder of all they’ve achieved and is a loving thank you to their fans – with a Christmas twist.
It’s safe to say that ‘The Best Thing I Ever Did’ plays it safe. There’s no unexpected key or tempo changes here, no hooks that could become too repetitive. This song takes it slow and makes it sweet. Which is exactly why it fits so well with this time of year. Rather than opt for an upbeat affair filled with sleigh bells like last years ‘Merry and Happy’, this is the kind of song you can listen to whilst cosy indoors, wrapping presents as Christmas day approaches. The girls’ vocals are calm and almost wistful to reflect this, a lovely choice that is again a little different to the usual energy that they exude in all their title tracks.
Another benefit to the stylistic choices made in this song is that it’s not limited to Christmas. The lyrics make reference to December, but never to Christmas directly. This, and the lack of sleigh bells or chimes, all mean that it won’t feel out of place to listen to beyond the festive period. It’ss a good choice, and one that also helps the sentimentality that runs throughout to feel subtle rather than cliche. For Twice’s fans, their Once, the lyrics can also have more meaning than a simple romantic relationship. “The best thing I ever did was that I met you.” Whether to their fans or their fellow members, it’s a heartfelt message that will stay in the minds of whoever listens.
To this extent, the theme of being thankful for small moments with other people is carried forward in the music video. We see the girls in various festive scenes, outside or indoors, some alongside Christmas decrorations. They’re all carrying a ticket. This transitions into all the members seated in a cinema, popcorn at the ready, watching clips from the year gone by. It’s all warm smiles and laughter as they reminisce. This is juxtaposed with some beautiful shots of a snowy landscape, one that looks very similar to the winter scenes in their MV for ‘What is Love?’ Playing around in the snow, slow motion applied, is the epitome of icy cold winters and the Twice members sparkle amidst all the snow.
It’s simple. But really, that’s all it needs to be. The song and music video both feel like an end of year gift to the fans, and what a gift it is for Once.
