2NE1 (also known as 2NE1 1st Mini Album) is the debut extended play (EP) by South Korean girl group 2NE1. YG Entertainment released the seven-track record via digital and physical formats on July 8, 2009. Composed and produced by South Korean producers Teddy Park and Kush, the EP showcases a blend of pop, dance, R&B, and hip-hop styles.
2NE1 experienced immediate commercial success in South Korea upon release, becoming the best-selling album by a female artist and the third best-selling album overall in 2009. It was also released in several other Asian territories, including Thailand, the Philippines, and Japan. The Japanese edition, distributed by Avex's Rhythm Zone, was made available on March 16, 2011.
To promote the album, three singles were released: the LG Cyon promotional single "Lollipop", "Fire", and "I Don't Care". All three singles achieved success on the South Korean charts, with "I Don't Care" winning Song of the Year at the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards. In 2014, Star News recognized 2NE1's debut EP as one of the most successful digital albums in South Korean history. By September 2016, the EP had sold over 225,000 physical copies in the country.
Background 2NE1's first song was "Lollipop", digitally released on March 27, 2009. The song was created for LG Cyon to promote their Lollipop phone, and it was a joint release with Big Bang; the commercial/music video debuted on March 28, 2009. Lee, Duna. '여자빅뱅' CF통해 모습 공개한다 ("Female Big Bang" First Shown Through Commercial). uKopia. March 26, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2009. Although it was not a promoted single (as it was an advertisement song, there were problems with network chart eligibility), Im, I-rang. 빅뱅-2NE1 '롤리팝', CM송 최초 가요프로 1위 될까? (Big Bang-2NE1 "Lollipop", First Commercial Song to Hit #1 on Network Music Shows?). MyDaily. April 17, 2009. Retrieved May 7, 2009. "Lollipop" proved to be a strong chart hit, going to number one on various online charts and topping music television network Mnet's online chart for four weeks in a row. Kim, Hyeong-woo. 빅뱅-2NE1 '롤리팝' 엠넷차트 4주연속 1위 기염 (Big Bang-2NE1 "Lollipop" M-Net 4-Week #1). Joins.com/Newsen. April 28, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2009. It was also profiled in Perez Hilton's blog. Perez Hilton: Some Yummy K-Pop Deliciousness (With Subtitles)! However, questions were raised about the group's future, as the song's success was attributed to the popularity of BigBang. 빅뱅에 숟가락 얹은 '2NE1' 성공할 수 있을까? (Big Bang's Helping Hand for 2NE1; Can They Succeed?) . Kukinews. April 14, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
On April 30, Yang Hyun-suk revealed that 2NE1's debut song would be a hip hop and reggae song, and that it would be digitally released on May 6, 2009. 양현석 "2NE1 데뷔곡은 레게풍 힙합곡" (Yang Hyeon-seok "2NE1's Debut Song is Reggae/Hip-Hop Song"). SBS News. April 30, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2009. Titled "Fire", the song was fully written and produced by 1TYM's Teddy Park. 신예 여성그룹 2NE1, 첫 타이틀곡 '파이어' 발표 (New Female Group 2NE1, First Single "Fire" Released) . Korea Economic Daily. May 7, 2009. Retrieved May 7, 2009. Teasers of the song were released on their official website at the beginning of May, with a 20-second clip released on May 1. Yoon, Hyeon-jin. 2NE1, 음원공개 하루만에 20만접속 '폭주' (2NE1, 200,000 Viewer "Explosion" Day After Teaser Release). Joins.com. May 2, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
Singles "Lollipop", written and produced by Teddy Park, was digitally released on March 27, 2009. Despite not being promoted traditionally by both groups, the song nonetheless was a major success in South Korea; giving the girls a number one song before their debut.
"Fire" became a hit on various on- and offline charts. It was released as planned on May 6, with two versions of the music video—a "space" version and a "street" version—released the same day. 2NE1, 두 가지 버전의 '파이어' 뮤비 공개 (2NE1, 2 Version of "Fire" Video Released) . Hankyung. May 7, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2009. The videos received over one million views in a day; Park, Sae-yeon. 2NE1, 2009 최고신인 되나? '파이어' M/V 1백만 클릭 '대박' (2NE1, 2009 Best New Group? "Fire" Music Video Receives 1 Million Clicks, "Huge Success"). JoongAng Ilbo/Newsen. May 7, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2009. the view count then increased to two million. Park, Yeong-woong. 2NE1, 뮤비 공개 하루만에 2백만 조회...17일 첫 무대 (2NE1, Music Video Debut Has 2 Million Views...17th is First Performance). MyDaily. May 7, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2009.
"I Don't Care" was the third single from 2NE1, co-produced by Teddy and YG's newly signed rising producer Kush. Soon after its release, the music video was also profiled in Perez Hilton's blog who declared them his "favorite" Korean girl-group. Perez Hilton: New 2NE1! The single went on to win Song of the Year at the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards, making them the first group to win the accolade in the same year of debut, and the second rookie to win after Big Bang for "Lies" (2007).
Commercial performance The extended play was a commercial success in South Korea. It recorded over 50,000 pre-orders within a week—a high amount for a rookie group at the time, and sold over 80,000 copies within two weeks after its release. On August 10, it was reported that the EP surpassed sales of 100,000 copies. On the South Korean Hanteo record chart, 2NE1 1st Mini Album was the best-selling album by a female artist and the third best-selling album overall during 2009, behind Super Junior's Sorry, Sorry and G-Dragon's Heartbreaker.
All three singles from 2NE1 1st Mini Album ranked within the top 10 on the year-end Melon chart for 2009, while five of its tracks ranked within the top 100—the most by any act during the year. In January 2014, Star News named the record the second-most successful digital album released in South Korea since 2004, tied with SG Wannabe's Saldaga (2005) and Big Bang's Stand Up (2008). It continued to show strong sales by charting on the Gaon Album Chart year-end issue for 2010, selling an additional 40,949 copies. It has since sold over 225,000 copies as of September 2016.
Promotion The group's first performance of the song was on May 17, 2009, on SBS's Inkigayo. beginning the group's activities. Their first performance was also included in Perez Hilton's blog once again, showing his interest towards the group. Perez Hilton: 2NE1 – Fire (Live!)
Both the song and the group have been very popular online, with the song topping M.Net's online chart and the group's name becoming a top search term. Kim, Hui-jeong. 2NE1, 가요계에 돌풍 일으키나? (2NE1, a K-Pop Blast?) . Korea Economic Daily. June 1, 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2009. The group was also rewarded with three Cyworld Digital Music Awards, with both "Lollipop" and "Fire" winning "Song of the Month" awards and the group winning "Rookie of the Month" for May 2009. Lee, Hyae-rin. 2NE1, 디지털 뮤직어워드 3관왕 기염① (2NE1, 3-Time Digital Music Award Winners). Asia Economy. June 10, 2009. Retrieved June 10, 2009. They received their first Mutizen award during their fourth stage performance in SBS Inkigayo (Popular Song) on June 14, 2009. They received their second Mutizen award on SBS Inkigayo (Popular Song) on June 21, 2009. For closed the promotion of the first mini album was released the song "In The Club" as first promotional single of the album.
Accolades +Awards and nominations for 2NE1 1st Mini Album Year Award-giving body Category Result 2009 GQ Korea Awards This Year's Album (Album of the Year) Melon Music Awards Album of the Year Rhythmer Awards R&B Album of the Year
Track listing
Production Mastering: Tom Coyne (Sterling Sound)
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (2010–2011) Peakposition South Korean Albums (Gaon) 3 Japanese Albums (Oricon)Japanese edition 24 Japanese Top Albums (Billboard)Japanese edition 28
Monthly charts Chart (2010) Peakposition South Korean Albums (Gaon) 10
Year-end charts Chart (2009) Position South Korean Albums (Gaon) 3
Chart (2010) Position South Korean Albums (Gaon) 34
Sales
Release history +Release dates and formats for 2NE1 1st Mini Album Region Date Version(s) Format(s) Label(s) Various July 8, 2009Korean YG Entertainment South Korea Thailand July 6, 2010 CD GMM Grammy Philippines January 15, 2011 CD+DVD Universal Records Japan March 16, 2011 Japanese(compilation album) Rhythm Zone
References
External links 2NE1 official site