TWICE’s Tzuyu Is Obsessed with Queen of Tears, Chicken Feet, and $12 Press-Ons

TWICE’s Tzuyu is officially in her solo era. The superstar K-pop group’s maknae, or youngest member, steps out on her own today with her debut album, abouTZU. The teaser for the title track, aptly named “Run Away,” shows a dreamlike sequence of Tzuyu riding a bike, sprawled on a marble floor, and flashing a knowing smile as she releases an invisible arrow.

“New Tzuyu,” she explains as her face pops up on my Zoom screen from a JYP conference room in Seoul. “The sides that I’m showing through this album are not new to me particularly,” she clarifies. “They’re the sides that have existed within me for a very long time but the public is not familiar with.” It’s a process that she describes as mostly fun, at times challenging.

The most fun part was the freedom to be creative. “I was able to express many different emotions that I have felt so far,” she says. On the flipside, she recalls worrying over “how to convey the emotional side of the lyrics,” especially on a project all her own.

“This was the first time that I am doing everything alone without the [TWICE] members,” she says. Well, maybe that’s not entirely accurate; Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, and Chaeyoung (Tzuyu’s bandmates) were always watching from the wings. “During the jacket shooting and music video shooting, all of them took their time to come and visit me in the studio or on set,” she says. “While we were doing our group schedule, they would sing along to my new songs and dance along to my choreography. That was really fun.”

Tzuyu also credits her members for sharing their creative input as they monitored her music video on-set. “Also, the two members who released solo work before me reached out to me and offered their help before I even asked for it, saying that they'll always be by my side whenever I need them,” she says, referring to Jihyo, who released Zone in 2023 and Nayeon, who dropped Im Nayeon in 2022 and Na earlier this year. “That was really helpful.”

When I listen to my super-secret preview of the six-track album, it’s — just as she promised — a whole new Tzuyu. TWICE fans know the K-pop star for being “cute and lovely,” she says, but “this album shows the side of me that is more mature and older, and some of the B-side tracks are very emotional.” Still, there are familiar traces of the Tzuyu that ONCE (TWICE fans) will know well. “It has emotional songs and also quirky and upbeat songs,” she says.

Each track has its own place in the album’s gradual revealing of her identity. “Heartbreak in Heaven” is “the joy and pain in love,” she explains. “Losing Sleep” is a story of “nights that I cannot sleep because of you.” My personal favorite track, titled “Lazy Baby,” is one she describes as “do nothing.” “Fly” is her tribute to fans: “the story that I have with ONCE.” Similarly, she refers to “One Love” as the “certain and sure love that I have for ONCE.” As for the title track, “Run Away,” it’s the announcement of her new chapter: “a decision to be courageous,” in her own words.

Now that the hard work of album-making is mostly done, she’s ready to take some time for herself before her solo schedule begins. “I exercise, go to good restaurants, and eat good food with my friends,” she says. These days, she’s obsessed with “grilled chicken with just a little bit of salt and also non-spicy dakbal [chicken feet].” Other than that, she takes inspiration from her own album. “Just like the lyrics of ‘Lazy Baby,’ I do nothing other than walking my dogs and playing with them,” she says.

Today is a work day, though, so we leave the topic of foodie recommendations and go back to discussing her album’s visual concept and the beauty products she’s using on repeat. Ahead, TWICE’s Tzuyu talks with NYLON about her beauty inspirations, the press-on nails she buys in bulk, and the Netflix show she binges while getting ready.

What's your first beauty memory?

Well, my first beauty memory is from my parents. My parents are dermatologists so they introduced me to different facial products and facial packs early on. That’s how I got into beauty and beauty products.

How has your relationship with beauty evolved as you’ve grown up?

I can’t really bother to visit dermatologists that often. [laughs] So I try to do my best in daily life. I try to stick to beauty products that have very basic, pure ingredients. And I also try to keep my place clean and dust-free.

You’ve said before that you believe confidence is beautiful. Where do you find your confidence?

I'm not the type who's always confident, but I think being confident can also be mastered through practice. So I try to practice having a confident attitude a lot.

Can you tell us a little bit about your stage makeup and album makeup for your solo debut? How did you come up with the concepts?

For the album jacket, we wanted the emotions to seep through. So we didn't want to go for a trendy makeup look, but instead stuck with the classic look. The makeup tone is really muted, and my outfit is also very classic and toned-down. But for my stage makeup — because the song is pretty bold — we wanted to accentuate my eyes, so I'm wearing really bold eye makeup.

Offstage, what does your daily beauty routine look like when you're not working?

I tend to multitask. When I do my beauty routine, I put on my facial sheet mask and do my nails while also watching Netflix. I really like Queen of Tears right now.

What are some of your current favorite beauty products?

I use the Pond’s Bright Miracle Ultimate Clarity Serum a lot. [Editor’s note: While this product isn’t available in the U.S., you can try Pond’s Bright Beauty Spot-Less Glow Serum for a brightening boost.] I apply this serum before their cream and after I started using it, my face definitely feels more moisturized and healthy. I’ve also been using the Bring Green Artemisa Cera Fresh Masks. I've gotten a lot of allergic reactions recently, so it's been helping me a lot.

For makeup, I recommend Visée Nenmaku Fake Rouge. It’s moisturizing and the color is very natural, so it's perfect for daily makeup. For nails, I use Dashing Diva press-on nails. Some people say that it doesn't really stick to their nails but for some reason, the size is perfect for my nails and they last as long as two weeks. I bought it in bulk recently.

I’m also currently using a fragrance by Le Labo. A lot of the [TWICE] members and people around me have told me that the smell really suits me.

Can you tell us which Le Labo fragrance it is?

Secret! [laughs] I think it has a little note of apricot and peach. [Editor’s note: While Le Labo doesn’t carry any perfumes with apricot or peach notes, Tzuyu might be wearing Le Labo Thé Noir 29 (a tea-inspired scent with a creamy, slightly sweet fig note) or Bergamote 22 (a sunny, bright citrus blend with a splash of bergamot and grapefruit).]

Is there any beauty look you want to try that you haven't done already?

For my hair, I’m vaguely thinking — maybe years down the road — I may pursue a dramatic length cut-wise.

Where do you get your beauty inspiration?

I have a lot of sources of inspiration. Sometimes I get inspiration from Instagram posts and also other members of TWICE. They’ll recommend styles or products so I get inspiration from them as well. I trust my makeup shop’s recommendation the most because they know my skin, and they always recommend perfectly-suited products. So I usually go by their advice. [Editor’s note: While Tzuyu kept the name of her go-to makeup shop a secret, you can check out her makeup artist Won Jungyo’s Instagram for inspiration.]