2NE1 

(Korean: 투애니원; RR: Tuaeniwon, IPA: [tʰu.ɛ.ni.wʌn]) was a South Korean girl group formed

by YG Entertainment, which was active between 2009 and 2016. The group was composed of four
members: Bom, CL, Dara, and Minzy. Known for breaking typical stereotypes of K-pop, musical
experimentation, fashion, and stage presence, they are recognized for expanding girl group styles in
the Korean music industry and have become one of the leading figures of the Korean wave.[1][2][3][4][5]
The group was introduced in March 2009 after appearing on the promotional single "Lollipop"
alongside labelmate Big Bang. 2NE1 rose to prominence with the release of their debut extended
play 2NE1 (2009), which featured the singles "Fire" and "I Don't Care". The latter was named
the Mnet Asian Music Award for Song of the Year, making 2NE1 the first idol group to receive
a daesang (grand prize) in the same year of debut. They followed up their debut EP with their first
studio album, To Anyone (2010), and their second EP; the latter produced four chart-topping singles
including Bom's "Don't Cry", "Lonely", "I Am the Best" and "Ugly". Considered the first world tour by
a K-pop girl group, their New Evolution Global Tour visited eleven cities in seven countries in Asia
and North America in 2012,[6] and their show at the Prudential Center in New Jersey was named the
second best concert of the year by The New York Times.
2NE1 released their final studio album, Crush, in 2014—it was the first album by a Korean artist to
break into the top 100 of the US Billboard 200 (debuting at number 61)[7] and remained the highest
charting Korean album for over two years. By the end of 2014, 2NE1 amassed a total of nine
number-one songs on the Gaon Digital Chart (the most of any idol group then). After a period of
group hiatus, Minzy announced her departure from 2NE1 in April 2016,[8] while YG Entertainment
announced that the other three members had disbanded that November.[9] Their final single,
"Goodbye", was recorded as a trio and was released in January 2017. In April 2022, 2NE1
performed for the first time since their disbandment at the Coachella festival as a surprise reunion,
which was named by several publications as one of the year's best performances at the festival.
The group won numerous accolades throughout their career, including nine Melon Music Awards,
eleven Cyworld Digital Music Awards, ten Mnet Asian Music Awards, and were the first artist to
receive all three grand prizes at the latter by their second year. The group has sold 66 million
records worldwide which makes them one of the best-selling girl groups of all time.[10][11]

Name[edit]

Logo of 2NE1

The group's name was initially "21", however, their name was changed to "2NE1" upon discovery of
a singer with the same stage name.[12] The name, spoken in Korean to the approximate English
pronunciation for "to anyone" and "twenty-one", combines the phrases "21st century" and "New
Evolution".[13]

History[edit]
2008–2010: Early work, debut and commercial success[edit]
2NE1 promoting their debut EP, 2009

In May 2008, reports began circulating in South Korean media about the potential lineup of YG
Entertainment's upcoming girl group, then dubbed "female Big Bang".[14] On May 19, the agency said
that Park Bom and CL—who had both previously made appearances in the music scene—along
with Minzy would be part of the new group, with the additional possibility of Sandara Park joining the
final lineup.[15] In early 2009, YG officially confirmed that the four members would debut as part of a
group in May of that year, making them the first girl group to debut under the agency since Big
Mama in 2003.[16] The company stated that they had trained for four years and that their debut album
would contain songs produced by former 1TYM leader Teddy Park.[16][17][18]
2NE1's first extended play (EP), 2NE1 (2009), was preceded by two singles. The first, "Lollipop",
was recorded with labelmate Big Bang and released on March 27, 2009, to promote the LG Cyon
phone.[16] Although a music video was filmed,[19] "Lollipop" was not promoted because of its product
advertising; this created issues with its eligibility to enter the music charts in South Korea.[20] The
second single, "Fire", was written and produced by 1TYM's Teddy Park.[21] The single, featuring
elements of hip-hop and reggae, was released in May.[22] Two music videos for "Fire" were released:
a "space" version and a "street" version.[23] Within 24 hours of the single's release, both videos each
accumulated over one million views—a feat that "has never been seen before."[24] "Fire" and "2NE1"
subsequently became popular online search terms.[25] The final single, "I Don't Care", was released
alongside their first eponymous EP in July. Promotional activities that followed demonstrated a
softer, more feminine image for the group that contrasted the edgier tone conveyed in "Fire".[26] "I
Don't Care" was the most-downloaded song that month, and the music platform Bugs later named it
the most-downloaded song of the year. It topped the platform's chart, with four of the group's other
songs tracking in the top 100, making 2NE1 the group with the most top-100 songs on Bugs in 2009.
[27]
 The song was ranked number one on Cyworld's 2009 year-end popularity chart in January 2010,
the third consecutive track by a YG group to top the annual list.[28]

A promotional shoot for "Can't Nobody" in 2010

Although group members recorded and released solo material throughout late 2009, 2NE1
performed a reggae version of "I Don't Care" on Inkigayo in September; the reggae version became
popular and was released as a digital single on September 3.[29] Buoyed by the singles' success,
sales of 2NE1 reached 120,000 units by the following year.[30] 2NE1 performed at the sixth Asia Song
Festival in 2009, representing Korea with three other groups and receiving the Asian Newcomer
Award.[31]
In February 2010, the group released "Try to Follow Me" digitally to promote the Samsung
Corby cellphone, with no previous announcement.[32] The song peaked at number one on the Gaon
Digital Chart.[33] 2NE1 traveled to Los Angeles and London in mid-2010 to record English-language
songs for an American debut album with music producer Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, recording
10 songs in their initial sessions.[34] The group released its first full-length album, To Anyone, on
September 9. It debuted at number seven on the Billboard World Album Chart[35] and amassed
120,000 preorders before its release.[36] Several of To Anyone's twelve tracks were released as
singles, and the top-three hits "Clap Your Hands", "Can't Nobody", and "Go Away" were released
with the album.[37] 2NE1 was the first group in K-pop history to have three singles from one album top
different music program charts, and was the first artist to top the Inkigayo chart for four consecutive
weeks.[38][39] The Halloween-themed music video for the fourth single from To Anyone, "It Hurts
(Slow)", was released on October 31.[40] A fifth track, "Don't Stop the Music", was released on
November 26; the song, recorded as a "special gift for Thai fans", was also used in conjunction with
the group's Yamaha Fiore endorsement.[41]

2011–2012: Japanese debut, international breakthrough, and first

concert tours[edit]
On January 19, 2011, the English-language version of "Can't Nobody " was released by the
Japanese digital retailer Recochoku as a ringtone and ringback tone.[42] The following month, its
music video was made available for download through iTunes Japan. The group's Japanese debut
single, "Go Away", was released as a ringtone on March 9;[43] it was later used as the theme song for
the Japanese television program Mezamashi TV.[44] 2NE1's first Korean EP, 2NE1, was released in
Japan on March 16, 2011; promotional activities were canceled, however, due to the Tōhoku
earthquake and tsunami.[45] 2NE1 debuted at number 24 on the Oricon charts, selling 3,860 copies in
its first week.[46] Plans for their Japanese debut on Music Station were postponed due to the
earthquake,[47] and the group participated in the Naver "Pray for Japan" campaign with other Korean
celebrities to raise funds for earthquake victims.[48]

2NE1 promoting the Japanese release of "Go Away", 2011

The group released its second EP, 2NE1 (2011), with the number-one hits "Lonely", "I Am the Best"
and "Ugly", and the top-three hit "Hate You".[49][50] Bom's solo single "Don't Cry" additionally reached
number one for two consecutive weeks. The EP was a success, topping the Gaon Music Chart and
selling over 108,000 copies.[51] Spin Magazine ranked the EP the sixth-best pop album of 2011,
ahead of albums by Coldplay, Ellie Goulding and Rihanna.[52] In late August, 2NE1 began their Nolza
tour with a solo concert at the Olympic Hall in Seoul's Chamsil Olympic Park. Originally scheduled
for August 27 and 28, tickets for both dates sold out instantly, and a third show on August 26 was
added.[53] The singles from the second EP were some of the year's most popular songs in South
Korea. Three reached the top 10 of the year-end 2011 Gaon Digital Chart: "Lonely" at number four,
"Don't Cry" at number five, and "I Am the Best" at number 7.[54]
2NE1 began the Japanese leg of its Nolza tour on September 19 and 20 at Yokohama Arena before
the release of the Japanese edition of the 2NE1 EP on September 21, 2011. It sold over 48,000
copies and topped the Oricon Albums Chart, making 2NE1 the second South Korean girl-group
album to do so.[55] The Japanese-language versions of "I Am the Best", "Hate You", "Go Away", and
"Lonely" were also released. That October, MTV's Iggy held a global competition in which 10 bands
from all around the world competed in a voting competition for the title of "Best New Band".[56] With
their song "I Am the Best", the group was awarded the title on November 10, 2011, making it their
first American award.[57] 2NE1 traveled to and performed at New York City's Times Square in
December to accept the honor, where they were described as "an unparalleled presence in today's
K-Pop scene".[58] MTV said: "it's a sign of the times", symbolizing "America opening its doors to pop
music from around the world".[59] At the end of 2011, 2NE1 was nominated for the Japan Record
Award for "Best New Artist", losing to Japanese girl group Fairies.[60][61]

2NE1 at the YouTube K-pop Awards in November 2011

On March 28, 2012, 2NE1 released their first full-length Japanese album Collection along with their
second Japanese single "Scream". The album includes Japanese versions of their Korean songs
such as "Love Is Ouch", "Fire", and "I Don't Care", and a cover of Madonna's 1984 hit song "Like A
Virgin". Multiple editions of the album were released, some of which include a DVD containing the
group's Japanese and Korean music videos, according to Oricon's music website. The album
peaked at number 5 on the Oricon Daily Chart and sold over 32,000 copies in Japan.[62][55] Later that
year, 2NE1 were invited to perform at the 2012 Springroove festival in Japan alongside American
and Japanese hip hop artists. 2NE1 and the subgroup GD & TOP had been invited to play at the
festival the previous year, but it was canceled due to the Japanese earthquake and tsunami disaster.
[63]
 2NE1 also collaborated with Japanese hip-hop group M-Flo for the song "She's So (Outta
Control)", which is included on M-Flo's sixth studio album Square One. "She's So (Outta Control)"
was released as the album's lead single on February 29[64] and reached number 43 on
the Billboard Japan Hot 100.[65]
In May 2012, 2NE1 performed at the International Recognized Exhibition Expo 2012 opening
ceremony in Yeosu.[66] In recognition of their unique musical style, fashion, and contributions in the
global spread of Hallyu, 2NE1 were chosen by Cheil Communications in to speak for international
advertising and communication experts at the world's largest advertising event, the Cannes Lions
International Advertising Festival in June; in a survey conducted by the Paris office of the Korea
Tourism Organization, they were voted as the favorite K-pop girl group among French Hallyu fans,
with nearly 65% of the vote.[67] The group concluded their Japanese promotions by performing at
the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards Japan, which took place on June 23 at the Makuhari Messe,
where they won the "Best New Artist Video" award for "I Am the Best".[68] A non-album single "I Love
You" was released in Korea on July 5, 2012, topping the Gaon Digital Chart and became their sixth
number-one single.[69]
At the end of that month, 2NE1 embarked on their first worldwide concert tour and second overall,
the New Evolution Global Tour. It included 16 shows in various countries throughout Asia and North
America from July to December and was the first world tour by a K-pop girl group.[6] Following the
group's Los Angeles concert at the Nokia Theatre L.A Li