BDZ (an abbreviation for "bulldozer") is the debut Japanese studio album (second overall) by South Korean girl group Twice. It was released on September 12, 2018, by Warner Music Japan. The album contains five previously released songs and five new ones, including the title track of the same name produced by Park Jin-young. The title "symbolizes the members' wish to be tough and live strong".
A repackaged edition with one additional song was released on December 26, 2018.
Background and release On June 3, 2018, at Twice 2nd Tour: Twiceland Zone 2 – Fantasy Park in Osaka, it was announced that Twice would release their first Japanese album in the autumn. The title track "BDZ" was pre-released as a digital single on August 17, along with the accompanying music video. The full album was released on September 12, along with a "document video" of "Be as One" featuring behind-the-scenes footage of Twice's first year in Japan.
A repackage was released on December 26, 2018, containing "Stay by My Side", the theme song of the Japanese television drama . "Stay by My Side" was released as a digital single on October 22 along with a "making" music video showing Twice recording the song.
Promotion "BDZ" was first performed on Music Station on August 31, 2018, and it was performed on the opening stage of Tokyo Girls Collection the next day. All songs from the album were performed during Twice 1st Arena Tour 2018 "BDZ", which began on September 29 in Chiba.
Commercial performance BDZ debuted at number 1 on the daily ranking of the Oricon Albums Chart with 89,721 units sold, setting a record for the highest first day sales of albums released by K-pop girl groups in Japan. It also topped the weekly ranking with 181,069 units sold, making Twice the fifth foreign female artist in Oricon history to top both the weekly singles and albums chart, after The Nolans, BoA, Kara, and Girls' Generation. On the Oricon Digital Album Chart, it debuted at number 1 with 3,103 downloads.
The album topped the Billboard Japan Hot Albums chart, selling 181,605 copies and 3,239 downloads from September 10–16, 2018. On September 15, it was reported that it sold more than 292,300 copies in pre-orders. It was certified Platinum by the RIAJ on October 11 – Twice's fifth consecutive platinum certification.
Track listing
Personnel Credits adapted from CD album liner notes.
JYP Entertainment staff
Song Ji-eun "Shannen" (JYP Entertainment Japan) – executive producer Jimmy Jeong (JYP Entertainment) – executive producer Cho Hae-sung (JYP Entertainment) – executive producer J. Y. Park "The Asiansoul" – producer Min Lee "collapsedone" – assistant producer Kim Seung-soo – assistant producer Park Nam-yong (JYP Entertainment) – performance director Kim Hyung-woong (JYP Entertainment) – performance director Yun Hee-so (JYP Entertainment) – performance director Na Tae-hoon (JYP Entertainment) – performance director Yoo Kwang-yeol (JYP Entertainment) – performance director Kang Da-sol (JYP Entertainment) – performance director Park Gyeong-seok (JYP Entertainment) – performance director Sim Kyu-jin (JYP Entertainment) – performance director Bock Mi-ran (JYP Entertainment) – performance director Lee Tae-sub (JYP Entertainment) – recording engineer Choi Hye-jin (JYP Entertainment) – recording engineer Eom Se-hee (JYP Entertainment) – recording engineer Lim Hong-jin (JYP Entertainment) – recording engineer Jang Han-soo (JYP Entertainment) – recording engineer No Min-ji (JYP Entertainment) – recording engineer Lee Sang-yeop (JYP Entertainment) – recording engineer
Japanese recording staff
Goei Ito (Obelisk) – music director Yu-ki Kokubo (Obelisk) – recording director Satoshi Sasamoto – Pro Tools operation Manubu Ohta – Pro Tools operation
Design staff
Toshiyuki Suzuki (United Lounge Tokyo) – art direction Yasuhiro Ueda (United Lounge Tokyo) – design Tommy – photography Choi Hee-sun (F. Choi) - style director Seo Ji-eun (F. Choi) - style director Lee Ga-young (F. Choi) - style director Lee Jin-young (F. Choi) - assistant stylist Noh Hee-ha (F. Choi) - assistant stylist Jung Nan-young (Lulu Hair Makeup Studio) – hair director Choi Ji-young (Lulu Hair Makeup Studio) – hair director Son Eun-hee (Lulu Hair Makeup Studio) – hair director Jo Sang-ki (Lulu Hair Makeup Studio) – makeup director Jeon Dallae (Lulu Hair Makeup Studio) – makeup director Zia (Lulu Hair Makeup Studio) – makeup director Won Jung-yo (Bit&Boot) – makeup director Choi Su-ji (Bit&Boot) – assistant makeup director Naoyuki Hashimoto (Magenta Wall Design Inc. Tokyo) – production designer Yuzo Morota – production manager
Other personnel
J. Y. Park "The Asiansoul" – all instruments (on "BDZ") Hae Sol Lee – all instruments and computer programming (on "BDZ") Jaepil Jung – guitars (on "BDZ" and "One More Time") Twice – background vocals Ikuko Tsutsumi – background vocals Dr. Jo – vocal recording director (on "BDZ") Tony Maserati – mixing engineer (on "BDZ", "One More Time", "Candy Pop", "Wake Me Up") Chris Gehringer – mastering engineer Na.Zu.Na – all instruments (on "BDZ", "One More Time", "L.O.V.E", "Brand New Girl") Min Lee "collapsedone" – all instruments and computer programming (on "Candy Pop" and "Say it Again") Mayu Wakisaka – background vocals and vocal recording director (on "Candy Pop" and "Say it Again") Naoki Yamada – mixing engineer (on "L.O.V.E", "Wishing", "Brand New Girl", "I Want You Back") Mussashi (Albi Albertsson) – all instruments (on "Wishing") Brian – recording engineer (on "Wishing") Shin Bong-won – mixing engineer (on "Say it Again") Atsushi Shimada – all instruments (on "Wake Me Up") Kim Seung-soo – all instruments (on "Be as One") Choi Hyun-jun – all instruments and vocal recording director (on "Be as One") Chung Soo-wan – guitars (on "Be as One") Jo Jun-sung – mixing engineer (on "Be as One") Yuichi Ohno – all instruments except guitars (on "I Want You Back") Akitoshi Kuroda – guitars (on "I Want You Back")
Locations Recording JYPE Studios, Seoul, South Korea (all songs except "Wishing") U Production Studio, Seoul, South Korea ("Wishing")
Mixing Mirrorball Studios, North Hollywood, California ("BDZ", "One More Time", "Candy Pop", "Wake Me Up") I to I Communications, Tokyo, Japan ("L.O.V.E", "Wishing", "Brand New Girl", "I Want You Back") MusicLab Busan Studios, Busan, South Korea ("Say it Again") WSound, Seoul, South Korea ("Be as One")
Mastering Sterling Sound, New York City, New York
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (2018) Peakposition Japan Hot Albums (Billboard) 1 Japanese Albums (Oricon) 1 Japanese Digital Albums (Oricon) 1
Year-end charts Chart (2018) Position Japan Hot Albums (Billboard) 12 Japanese Albums (Oricon) 8
Chart (2019) Position Japan Hot Albums (Billboard) 66 Japanese Albums (Oricon) 60
Certifications
Accolades Year Award Category Result 2019 33rd Japan Gold Disc Award Best 3 Albums (Asia)
References