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2PM
South Korean boy band From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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2PM (Korean: 투피엠; RR: Tupiem) is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment. The group is composed of six members: Jun. K (formerly known as Junsu), Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Junho, and Chansung. Originally a seven-piece group, Jaebeom left the band in 2009.
Through the documentary series Hot Blood Men, Korean producer J.Y. Park formed an eleven-member band known as One Day. Eventually, the band was split into the hip-hop group 2PM and the ballad-oriented group 2AM. 2PM debuted with the song "10 Out of 10", which incorporated acrobatics in its choreography.[1] They achieved their first number-one single with "Again & Again". Both singles were featured on their debut 2009 studio album, 01:59PM, which peaked atop the Gaon Album Chart.
In 2011, they released their second Korean album, Hands Up, which also peaked atop the Gaon Album Chart, and made their Japanese debut with Republic of 2PM. The group enjoyed significant commercial success in Korea with their subsequent albums; Grown (2013), Go Crazy! (2014), No.5 (2015), and Gentlemen's Game (2016), each of which peaked within the top 3 on the Gaon Album Chart. 2PM achieved even greater success in Japan, with Legend of 2PM (2013), Genesis of 2PM (2014), 2PM of 2PM (2015), and Galaxy of 2PM (2016) all reaching number 1 on the Oricon Albums Chart. Furthermore, out of their twelve Japanese single albums, nine have received Gold certification status from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for hitting at least 100,000 sales; Galaxy of 2PM has also received this certification.[2]
Following touring for Gentlemen's Game, the group took an official hiatus in July 2017 due to mandatory military service.[3][4] After the members' discharge, 2PM returned with their seventh Korean studio album Must in June 2021, which peaked at number three on the Gaon Album Chart. The same year, they made their Japanese comeback with the EP With Me Again.
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Pre-debut
The members of 2PM all auditioned to join JYP Entertainment, with the exception of Thai-American member Nichkhun, who was scouted as a high school senior in the United States and became the company's first non-ethnic Korean trainee.[5] Jun. K, Wooyoung and Jaebeom were chosen from auditions. Taecyeon, Junho and Chansung had participated in JYP Entertainment's audition program Superstar Survival; Junho finished as the winner while Taecyeon and Chansung were given trainee contracts despite being eliminated.[6] Three of the members had previously lived in the United States: former leader Jaebeom in the Seattle area, Nichkhun in Southern California, while Taecyeon attended middle and high school in Massachusetts before returning to Korea.[7]
Originally, the members of 2PM were part of a larger group known as One Day. A reality TV series called Hot Blood Men captured the group's training days and had viewers vote on which trainees would debut.[8] Former member Jaebeom received the most fan votes, finishing in the top spot, while three trainees were eliminated: Lee Swichi, Jeong Jin-woon, and Yoon Doo-joon. However, Jinwoon replaced Im Daehun upon the latter's withdrawal. By the end of the training process, One Day had been reduced to an eleven-member group. The band was then split into four-member ballad group 2AM and seven-member hip-hop dance-focused group 2PM.[9]
2008–2010: Debut, early success, and Jaebeom's departure
While most Korean boy bands at the time adopted a "pretty boy" or kkonminam image, 2PM constructed a tough and macho beast-like image when they made their debut.[9][10] By emphasizing their masculinity, 2PM is known for creating the jimseung-dol (translating to beast/animal idol in Korean) phenomenon in 2008.[10] Jaebeom was chosen to serve as the group's leader, as the oldest and most well-rounded member as acknowledged by the other members.
2PM debuted with their single album Hottest Time of the Day on August 29, 2008. The album consisted a total of 6 tracks, including its lead single "10 Out of 10" (10점 만점에 10점).[11] The group made their debut live performance with a performance of "10 Out of 10" on M Countdown on September 4, 2008.[12] The following month, the group released a winter special version of their song "Only You", a B-side from their debut mini-album.[13] Concurrently, 2PM hosted the third season of the Korean variety show Idol Army.[14]
On April 16, 2009, the group released their second single album, 2:00PM Time For Change, which they began promoting the same month with its lead single "Again and Again". This comeback was met with commercial success, with "Again and Again" placing at number one on various Korean music charts including Cyworld, Hanteo, Melon, Mnet, and Muse, as well as Thai music charts including the Channel V Thailand Asian Chart and MTV Thailand International Chart.[15][16] The following month, they won their first Mutizen Song award on M Countdown, followed by two more as well as a Music Bank award.[17] On June 11, 2PM began promotions for their song "I Hate You" (니가 밉다) on M Countdown.[18] 2PM then achieved first place on the M Countdown and Music Bank charts with "I Hate You" later in July, becoming the first group to receive two M Countdown Mutizen Triple Crown awards with songs from the same album.[19] On July 30, the group won the "Only One Song" award for the month of July on M Countdown. During this time, 2PM also starred in the Korean variety show Wild Bunny, which was received positively along with other "real-life" idol-centric variety shows airing at the time such as 2NE1 TV.[20][21]
A controversy regarding Jaebeom emerged when on September 4, 2009, articles surfaced on the internet regarding his posts from 2005 made on his personal Myspace account, in which he expressed his dislike for Korea while he was still a trainee for JYP Entertainment. These posts, leaked by a netizen who hacked his Myspace account, were taken out of context and severely misinterpreted by the Korean media.[22] Jaebeom issued an apology regarding this matter.[23] Although some netizens demanded Jaebeom's expulsion from 2PM, JYP Entertainment CEO J.Y. Park stated on September 7 that he lent the singer a vote of confidence, suggesting that Jaebeom would remain in the group.[24] However, the following day, Jaebeom announced on his official fancafé that he would be going on hiatus and returning to the United States. In addition, he apologized to his fellow band members and promised to return upon reflecting on his behavior.[25] J.Y. Park confirmed that 2PM would continue on as a six-member group.[26][27] Due to the sensitive topic of Jaebeom's departure, 2PM withdrew from their appearances on television shows for several weeks.[28]
Despite the controversy, the group went ahead with the release of their first studio album. Titled 01:59PM, the album was released on November 10, 2009 and included tracks from their previous EPs.[29] In response to lingering questions regarding Jaebeom's future, J.Y. Park announced on the day after the release of 01:59PM that Jaebeom could return to 2PM if he wished to make a comeback, although the singer's return was not imminent.[30][31] In support of Jaebeom, the six remaining 2PM members decided to equally split their income from their first album with him.[32] The album included tracks voiced by Jaebeom, although his face was excluded from the cover.[33] The group finished re-filming their music video for the album's title track "Heartbeat" without Jaebeom in October 2009. The group then began promotional activities for the album on a variety of music shows, including Mnet's O Good Concert and M Countdown, Korean Broadcasting System (KBS)'s Music Bank, Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC)'s Show! Music Core and Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS)'s Inkigayo in November 2009.[34]
A week and a half after the album's release, 2PM performed at the Mnet Asian Music Awards on November 21, 2009, and took home the awards for Best Male Group and Artist of the Year, the latter being one of the three daesang awards, the most prestigious awards of the show.[35] The group paid homage to Jaebeom during their performance of "Again & Again". During the performance, a spotlight shone over Jaebeom's usual position in the dance formation, and his vocals played over the speakers without being replaced.[36]
In late November 2009, after two weeks of promotional activities for 01:59PM, 2PM earned their first TV music show win since the album's release on Music Bank with "Heartbeat", which went on to take number-one on Music Bank's K-Chart for three more weeks and achieve the Mutizen Triple Crown song award on Inkigayo.[37] On December 30, 2009, at the KBS Song Festival, "Again & Again" was recognized as the "Song of the Year", winning with 57,060 votes.[38] From December 2009 to January 2010, 2PM promoted their second single from 01:59PM, "Tired of Waiting", which was also used in a trailer for the blockbuster film Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard.[39]
In February 2010, JYP Entertainment announced that Jaebeom would not return to 2PM, as his contract with the company had been permanently terminated, with the agreement of all 6 members.[40] A combined fan meeting and press conference was held two days later with the six remaining members of 2PM and JYP Entertainment CEO Choi Jungwook in attendance.[41] Various 2PM fansites were shut down immediately after the conference as a protest of Jaebeom's termination. The record label then announced that although 2PM would move forward with six members, a new leader would not be chosen to replace Jaebeom.
On April 19, 2010, the band released Don't Stop Can't Stop, their third single album consisting of six tracks, to much success, with its lead single "Without U" ranking atop multiple Korean music charts.[42] The group made first their TV comeback performance on M Countdown in April 2010.[43]
In May 2010, 2PM also performed at the eighth annual Korea Times Music Festival in Los Angeles, California and the 2010 Dream Concert in Seoul.[44][45] In the same month, 2PM released the single "What's Your Celebration?", which is sampled from K'Naan's "Wavin' Flag", for the FIFA 2010 World Cup. It was announced that all proceeds from the sales of the song will go to the donation support headed by FIFA World Cup in South Africa.[46] In June 2010, 2PM served as the opening act for nine Wonder Girls concerts in the United States, the first leg of the Wonder Girls World Tour.[47]
On July 31, 2010, 2PM held their first solo concert "Don't Stop Can't Stop" at the Seoul Olympic Park Arena, with their labelmates 2AM and Miss A making guest appearances at the concert.[48] The group held another concert date in Seoul on August 1, two concerts in Busan on August 7–8, and two more encore concerts in Seoul from September 4–5 in line with the celebration of their second debut anniversary. It was reported that more than 12,000 fans attended 2PM's first concerts in Seoul.[49]
On October 11, 2010, 2PM released their first EP, Still 2:00PM,[50] with the lead single "I'll Be Back" staying at number one for two consecutive weeks on KBS' Music Bank.[51] On the following month, it was reported that Still 2:00PM unexpectedly debuted at the 13th spot of the Billboard's World Albums Chart despite not being promoted in the United States.[52] On October 18, 2PM won the "Most Popular Asian Singer" award at the 10th Annual CCTV-MTV Mandarin Music Honors held at the Wukesong Arena in China. They became the first Korean artist to be granted with the award, with the group performing their songs "Heartbeat" and "I'll Be Back" at the event.[53]
2010–2012: Japanese debut, mainstream success, and first overseas concert tours
2PM officially made their Japanese debut on December 8, 2010 with three showcase performances, titled 2PM 1st Contact in Japan Live, at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Gymnasium.[54] Their journey, along with the behind-the-scenes of their first performances on Japanese television, was recorded in an episode of MBC's documentary program Situational Human Documentary: The Day aired on December 18.[55]
On March 9, 2011, 2PM released their first compilation album, All About 2PM, a box set comprising the group's previously released albums Hottest Time of the Day, 2:00PM Time for Change, 01:59PM, Don't Stop Can't Stop, and Still 2:00PM, for the Japanese market. The album debuted at number 26 on the Oricon Albums Chart, selling 4,502 copies in its first week.[56][57] On May 18, 2PM released their debut Japanese single, "Take Off", which included a Japanese version of their Korean single "Heartbeat" and was featured as the ending theme of the first season of the Blue Exorcist anime series.[58][59] Afterwards, the group held their first Japanese concert tour, Take Off, which began in Sapporo on May 6 and ended on May 13 in Tokyo.[60]
On June 20, 2011, 2PM released their second studio album, titled Hands Up, which included a title track of the same name, tracks from Don't Stop Can't Stop and Still 2:00PM, and, for the first time since the group's debut, two songs composed by 2PM members: "Hot" by Jun. K and "Give It to Me" by Junho.[61] Both "Hot" and "Give It To Me" were used in the soundtrack for the crime thriller film Blind.[62][63] After winning several TV music shows with the title track "Hands Up", promotions for the album ended after just one month, allowing the group to further prepare for their future Japanese promotions and their upcoming concert tour.[64] Concurrently in July, 2PM Show!, a variety show featuring all six members as hosts, began broadcasting on SBS Plus.[65][66]
2PM began their Hands Up Asia Tour with two concerts on September 2–3, 2011 at the Seoul Jamsil Gymnasium with an attendance of over 15,000.[67] The concert tour continued with intermittent breaks for the group to promote their Japanese releases and hold their first Japan arena tour. The group performed in arenas in seven more cities: Taipei, Jakarta, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Nanjing, and Hong Kong. Upon concluding the tour at the AsiaWorld Expo-Arena in Hong Kong on March 10, 2012, they had recorded a cumulative attendance of 160,000.[68]
On August 17, 2011, 2PM released their second Japanese single, "I'm Your Man", which included a Japanese version of their Korean single "Without U".[69] On November 2, 2PM released their third Japanese single, "Ultra Lover", which included a Japanese version of their Korean single "I'll Be Back".[70] Both singles peaked at number four on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart, and "Ultra Lover" was certified Gold by RIAJ in December 2011.[2]
On November 30, 2011, 2PM released their first Japanese-language studio album, Republic of 2PM, which included a Japanese version of their Korean single "Hands Up" and all of the group's previously-released Japanese singles: "Take Off", "I'm Your Man", and "Ultra Lover". In addition, the album consisted of five new songs including a track composed by Jun. K called "Hanarete Itemo" (離れていても, Even When We're Apart) which was dedicated for the group's Japanese fans. The album debuted at number 4 on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart, reporting over 50,265 copies sold in its first week.[71]
From December 3–21, 2011, the group embarked on their Japan arena tour Republic of 2PM, but with all 100,000 tickets being sold out in just one minute, JYP Entertainment announced four additional concert dates including two concerts at the Nippon Budokan. In conjunction with their arena tour, the group also held the 2PM Japan Debut 1st Anniversary Event on December 8 at Ryogoku Kokugikan to an audience of 25,000 fans in commemoration of their one-year anniversary since debuting in Japan.[72] Furthermore, 2PM opened its official Japanese fan club called "Hottest Japan" on December 22.[73] In its annual sales report for the year 2011, Oricon announced that 2PM was the second best-selling new artist in Japan, being the highest-ranking Korean act, beating out SHINee and ranking just behind the Johnny & Associates group Kis-My-FT2. According to the report, 2PM reported revenue of over 990 million yen ($12.68 million) in singles, albums, and DVD sales.[74]
On March 14, 2012, 2PM released their second compilation album, 2PM Best ~2008–2011 in Korea~, which consisted of 17 Korean songs including the bonus tracks "Alive" and "Move On". The album reached its peak position of number 5 on the Oricon Album Chart, before staying in the chart for 14 weeks.[75] In April 2012, 2PM announced plans to release a documentary film with 2AM, to be known as Beyond the One Day ~Story of 2PM and 2AM~, in Japan. The trailer for the film was released on April 13, with the film itself first being premiered on June 30.[76][77] The theme song of the documentary, "One Day", was released as a digital single on July 4 as a collaboration between 2PM and 2AM, peaking at number five on the Oricon Singles Chart.[78] On May 22, 2012, 2PM released their third compilation album, 2PM Member's Selection, for the Korean market. The album reached number one on the Gaon Album Chart, and sold 21,893 copies by the end of the year.[79]
On May 24–25 and May 28–31, 2012, 2PM held their Six Beautiful Days concert series at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, becoming the first Korean group to perform at the Budokan for six consecutive shows.[80] Each show featured a different member as a MC. The next week, 2PM held two additional solo concerts at the Yokohama Arena on June 5–6.[81] Also on June 6, the group releasing their fourth Japanese single titled "Beautiful" and a live concert DVD entitled Arena Tour 2011: Republic of 2PM.[82][83] The single sold more than 73,529 copies on the day of its launch, peaked at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart,[84] and was certified Gold by RIAJ the same month,[2] while the DVD charted atop in the music DVD segment of Oricon's Daily Chart and at number two in the Combined DVD Chart.[85] In support of the release of "Beautiful", 2PM held "Hi-Touch" events in Osaka on June 9 and in Tokyo on June 16.[86] The group then performed at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards Japan on June 23.[87]
On November 12, 2012, 2PM began their second Asia-wide concert tour, What Time Is It?, which covered eight cities (Shanghai, Jakarta, Taipei, Macau, Manila, Guangzhou, Bangkok, and Seoul) and concluded on June 22, 2013.[88] On November 14, 2012, 2PM released their sixth (counted as fifth) Japanese single titled "Masquerade", which peaked at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart and was certified Gold by RIAJ the same month.[89][2]
2013–2014: Legend of 2PM, Grown, Genesis of 2PM and Go Crazy!
On February 13, 2013, the group released their second Japanese studio album, Legend of 2PM. The album consisted of 9 tracks including the previously-released singles "Beautiful" and "Masquerade". The singles "This Is Love" and "So Bad" were released digitally on iTunes from February 18 to 19 as a promotional single from the album. The album debuted atop the Oricon Albums Chart, selling 64,291 copies in its first week, and remained on the chart for nine weeks.[90] 2PM then embarked on their Legend of 2PM arena tour from January 13 to February 24, 2013, covering the cities of Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, and Sapporo.[91] This was soon followed up with two concerts at the Tokyo Dome to a recorded attendance of over 110,000 people on April 20–21.[92]
Over a year since Hands Up, 2PM made their Korean comeback in May 2013 with their third Korean-language studio album, Grown. The group first revealed the music video teaser for the album's title track, "Comeback When You Hear This Song", on May 2, 2013 through their official YouTube account.[93] "Comeback When You Hear This Song" was then fully released on May 6, along with 10 other songs from the album.[94] The album topped the Japan Tower Records pre-release chart upon release, overtaking the group's own Japanese single "Give Me Love" on May 5.[95] Grown then became the group's second entry on the Billboard World Albums Chart, becoming their first Top 10 entry peaking at number 6, and remaining on the chart for three weeks.[96] The album's second title track, "A.D.T.O.Y", was released on May 11 along with a one-hour TV special aired on MBC titled 2PM Returns showing the members' preparations and interviews for their long-awaited comeback.[97] "A.D.T.O.Y." was later recognized by Billboard magazine, ranking at number 13 in its "20 Best K-pop Songs of 2013: K-Town Picks" list.[98] In order to promote Grown, the group took part in the "2PM G+Star Zone" exhibition held at the Apgujeongrodeo Station from May 2 to July 31, 2013, as part of the "G+Dream Project" launched by the Gangnam-gu Office in order to support disadvantaged youth.[99] In addition, the group concluded their Asia concert tour, What Time Is It?, with two dates in Seoul on June 21–22 at the Jamsil Arena, which included tracks from Grown and was also screened in Japanese theaters and Zepp Tokyo.[100]
On May 29, 2013, 2PM released their seventh (counted as sixth) Japanese single, "Give Me Love", which peaked at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart and was certified Gold by RIAJ that same month.[101][2] On October 16, 2013, 2PM released their eighth (counted as seventh) Japanese single, "Winter Games", which was certified Gold by RIAJ that same month,[2] peaked atop the Oricon Singles Chart,[102] and became the group's first chart-topper on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 on its issue dated November 2, 2013.[103]
On January 29, 2014, 2PM released their third Japanese studio album, Genesis of 2PM, consisting of 9 new tracks and the previously-released singles "Give Me Love" and "Winter Games". The album debuted atop the Oricon Albums Chart, selling 63,212 copies in its first week, and remained on the chart for seven weeks.[104] In support of the album, the group embarked on their arena tour Genesis of 2PM, held from January 27 to March 27, 2014, performing in 14 cities in Japan with a recorded attendance of over 150,000.[105]
During the filming of the music video of the group's upcoming Korean comeback scheduled for April, a fire broke out on the set of the music video. Authorities stated that the fire was relatively small and had been controlled by the time that the first responders had arrived. All the members and their staff were confirmed to be unharmed.[106] As a result, the group's comeback was postponed. Following the incident, the group first released teaser photos and other individual teasers which hinted on their comeback beginning August 31, and on September 10, 2PM released the music video of their single "Go Crazy!", the title track of their fourth Korean studio album of the same name.[107] The album itself was then released in both physical and digital format on September 15, which was followed with the group's promotional performances on Club Octagon in Gangnam District, Seoul and TV music shows starting with M Countdown.[108] The same day Go Crazy! released, 2PM released their ninth (counted as eighth) Japanese single "Midaretemina", a Japanese version of "Go Crazy!", which peaked at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart and was certified Gold by RIAJ the same month.[109][2] Go Crazy! marked 2PM's third appearance on the Billboard World Albums Chart, peaking at number 7 on its chart issue dated October 4, 2014.[110] On its chart issue dated on the same day, Billboard reported that 2PM also landed their second Japan Hot 100 chart topper with "Midaretemina".[111]
In support of their latest album, 2PM then began their world tour, Go Crazy World Tour, with a concert to a sold-out Jamsil Arena in Seoul on October 3, 2014. The concert tour covered 12 cities in 5 countries: Seoul, Bangkok, Beijing, Newark, Rosemont, Grand Prairie, Los Angeles, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Hong Kong, Jakarta, and Shanghai. With performances on major venues such as the Prudential Center, Rosemont Theatre, Verizon Theatre, and the Shrine Auditorium, the Go Crazy concert series marked the group's first solo concerts in the United States, having previously performed as opening acts for their labelmates Wonder Girls in 2010.[112]
2015–2017: 2PM of 2PM, No.5, Galaxy of 2PM, and Gentleman's Game
On January 18, 2015, the group released their tenth (counted as ninth) Japanese single, "Guilty Love", which peaked atop the Oricon Singles Chart and was certified Gold by RIAJ the same month.[113][2] On April 15, the group released their fourth Japanese studio album, 2PM of 2PM, which featured 13 tracks including those from the group's singles "Midaretemina" and "Guilty Love". The album debuted atop the Oricon Albums Chart, selling over 62,705 copies in its first week, and remained on the chart for 10 weeks.[114] In support of their album, 2PM embarked on their arena tour 2PM of 2PM from April 7 to May 31, 2014, covering the cities of Osaka, Nagoya, Yokohama, and Tokyo and recording a total attendance of over 150,000.[115] An additional 13,000 people also attended the live concert viewing held in 50 movie theaters in 34 regions throughout Japan.[116]
On June 15, 2015, 2PM released their fifth studio album, No.5. Nine of the twelve songs on the album were written by the members, with the title track "My House" written by Jun K.[117] The album performed well commercially, debuting atop the Gaon Album Chart, at number 14 on the Oricon Album Chart, and at number three on the Billboard World Albums Chart.[118][119][120] By the end of 2015, it was reported that No.5 sold 62,618 copies in South Korea.[121] On June 27–28, 2PM held solo concerts titled House Party in Seoul at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena.[122] This would be followed by solo concerts titled House Party in Japan at the Saitama Super Arena on August 22–23,[123] a fan meeting at the Thunder Dome in Bangkok on August 29,[124] and a solo concert titled House Party in Bangkok at the Impact Arena on March 20, 2016.[125]
On October 21, 2015, the group released their eleventh (counted as tenth) Japanese single, "Higher", which included a Japanese version of the track "My House" and peaked at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart.[126] That same month, the single was certified Gold by RIAJ.[2] Concurrently, 2PM held a concert tour from October 7–29 titled Six "Higher" Days with three shows in Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, and Nagoya each, a total of twelve shows with a total recorded attendance of 130,000.[127][128]
On April 27, 2016, the group released their fifth Japanese studio album, Galaxy of 2PM, which featured twelve tracks including tracks from "Higher". The album debuted atop the Oricon Album Chart and remained on the said chart for seven weeks.[129] In May, the album was certified Gold by RIAJ,[2] and by the end of the year, the album had sold over 122,685 copies on Oricon.[130] In support of the album, 2PM embarked on their arena tour titled Galaxy of 2PM, which was held from April 23 to June 18, 2016, covering the cities of Nagoya, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Hokkaido, and Osaka.[131] All 15 concert dates were sold out, and at the conclusion of the tour, the group had recorded an attendance of 160,000 people with an additional 35,000 fans who attended the live viewing of the concert held in 134 movie theaters throughout Japan.[132] The group then followed up with two concert dates held at the Tokyo Dome on October 26–27 titled The 2PM at Tokyo Dome with a recorded attendance of 100,000, marking the group's 99th and 100th solo concerts in Japan.[133][134]
The group's sixth studio album and final studio album before the members began their mandatory military enlistment was released on September 13, titled Gentlemen's Game with its title track "Promise (I'll Be)" written by Taecyeon.[135] The album peaked atop the Gaon Album Chart and entered the Billboard World Albums Chart for two weeks, peaking at number 11.[136][137] On October 26, 2016, 2PM released a Japanese version of "Promise (I'll Be)" as their twelfth (counted as eleventh) Japanese single, which topped the Oricon Daily Singles Chart and reached number two on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.[138][139] In November, the single was certified Gold by RIAJ.[2]
In February 2017, 2PM's variety show 2PM Wild Beat in Australia began airing on E! Asia. 2PM also announced they would hold a concert series entitled "6Nights" at the SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium scheduled for February 24–26, 2017 and March 3–5, 2017, the group's final concert series before the members began enlisting for their mandatory military service.[140] Each show would focus on a different member, with the setlist changing. However, due to an injury sustained by Jun. K during their February 26 concert, the last three concerts were rescheduled for June 2–4, 2017 at Korea University's Hwajeong Gymnasium, and an additional set of concert dates from June 9–June 11 at the same venue was added.[141]
2017–2020: Group hiatus
Taecyeon enlisted for his mandatory military service on September 4, 2017.[142] On January 31, 2018, five of the six members of 2PM signed their renewal to JYP Entertainment with Taecyeon's renewal to be discussed after serving his military service.[143] The following day, JYP Entertainment appointed the members of 2PM as directors of external affairs as they were the most senior group in the company.[144][145]
Jun. K also entered the military on May 8, 2018 after delaying his enlistment due to the injury sustained during the 6Nights concert.[146] Wooyoung enlisted on July 8, serving active duty.[147] On July 25, it was announced that Taecyeon decided not to re-sign with JYP Entertainment, instead signing with 51K, an agency specializing in actors. However, he stated that he will continue promoting with 2PM.[148] Taecyeon completed his military service and was discharged on May 16, 2019.[149] Junho began his military service on May 30, 2019, as a public service worker,[150] and Chansung enlisted on June 11, 2019.[151]
During the group's hiatus, JYP Entertainment and Epic Records Japan released two compilation albums in Japan. On September 18, 2019, the compilation album 2PM Best in Korea 2 ～2012–2017～, was released, consisting of 15 songs previously released in Korea from 2012 to 2017. The album peaked at number 7 on the Oricon Albums Chart and remained on the chart for three weeks.[152] Then on March 13, 2020, the Japanese-language compilation album The Best of 2PM in Japan 2011–2016 was released, consisting of two CDs containing a total of 38 songs recorded between 2011 and 2016 previously released in Japan.[153] Taking pre-order sales into consideration, the album topped the Oricon Albums Chart and Tower Records Daily Sales Chart upon release.[154] JYP Entertainment and Epic Records Japan also released several DVDs of past concert footage in Japan during the group's hiatus, including footage of 2PM's 6Nights concert held in Korea.[155][156]
Although 2PM did not release any new music as a group during the hiatus, each member released at least one solo album from 2017 to 2020, with members Taecyeon, Chansung, and Nichkhun all releasing their debut solo albums.[157] In addition, while 2PM never perform as a full group during the hiatus, several members made appearances together at concerts: Jun. K, Wooyoung, and Junho performed together at a solo concert titled From 2PM to You at the Yokohama Arena on November 3, 2017,[158] and Taecyeon was joined by Nichkhun, Wooyoung, Junho, and Chansung at the headliner show for the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics.[159][160]
2020–present: End of military service and group comeback
Jun. K completed his military service and was discharged on January 2, 2020.[161] Wooyoung was also discharged on February 25, 2020.[162] Chansung was discharged on January 5, 2021.[163] It was announced in January 2021 that 2PM would make a full group comeback later in the year after Junho has completed his military service.[164] Junho was discharged on March 20, completing 2PM's military services.[165]
In early 2020, the music video and performance footage for "My House", 2PM's title track from their 2015 album No.5, suddenly went viral on YouTube, causing the song to reenter various music streaming charts and spawn dance challenge videos.[166][167] In early 2021, 2PM began airing the web content series Wild Six on YouTube, with later episodes marking the first time 2PM would be seen together as a full group since their mandatory military enlistment.[168] This web series would later be broadcast on Mnet. Following guest appearances on popular YouTube variety show Civilization Express (MMTG), 2PM made their first performance together as a group since their mandatory military enlistment on MMTG's Hidden Gems Concert special broadcast on SBS on June 11, 2021.[169]
On June 7, 2021, it was revealed that 2PM would return with their seventh studio album Must. The album marked four years since their hiatus and five years since the release of Gentleman's Game.[170] Immediately following a television special starring 2PM aired by Mnet, Must was released on June 28 alongside its lead single "Make It", which was co-written by Wooyoung.[171] The album's ten tracks, seven of which were produced by 2PM members, borrowed elements from jazz and pop while maintaining 2PM's signature sweltering electronic sound.[172] "The Cafe", on the other hand, utilizes pulsating 808 drumming for a familiar R&B inflection.[173] The album reached number three on the Gaon Albums Chart and number four on the Oricon Albums Chart.[174][175]
On September 4, 2PM celebrated their 13th anniversary as a group with a fan meeting titled "Dear. Hottest", which was held online via Beyond Live due to the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea.[176] On September 29, 2021, 2PM released their first Japanese EP With Me Again, featuring seven tracks including a title track of the same name and a Japanese version of "Make It".[177] The mini-album peaked at number two on the Oricon Albums Chart.[178]
In occasion of their 15th anniversary, 2PM held solo concerts entitled 2PM 15th Anniversary Concert "It's 2PM" at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul from September 9–10, 2023 and at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo from October 7–8, 2023.[179] In addition, a sub-unit of Jun. K, Nichkhun, and Wooyoung called ENWJ held a one-night show titled From 2PM to You 2023 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo on March 4, 2023.[180] The next year, ENWJ held a fan-concert series with shows at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo on September 7–8, 2024,[181] the Chaengwattana Hall in Bangkok on November 16,[182] and the Taipei International Convention Center on December 7.[183] Also in 2024, Jun. K, Nichkhun, Wooyoung, and Chansung performed together on August 30 for a show celebrating J.Y. Park's 30th anniversary, which was later aired on KBS on September 16 under the title KBS Korea’s Mega Performance Project – 30th Anniversary Special "Dandara JYP".[184] On December 27, 2024, Jun. K, Nichkhun, Taecyeon, and Wooyoung performed together as guests at J.Y. Park's 30th anniversary concert titled Still JYP.[185]
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Television hosting
In December 2008, 2PM began to host the third season of MBC's Idol Show (아이돌군단의 떴다!그녀) with senior entertainer Boom.[14][186] The program ran from December 4, 2008 to March 26, 2009, with a total of seventeen episodes.
The group also starred in a reality show on Mnet titled Wild Bunny, in which the members escaped the pressures of stardom by performing forbidden activities to idols.[20] The show ran from July 21, 2009 to September 1, 2009, with seven episodes aired. The airing of the final episode, which featured the members engaged in a "Leader Olympics" game to select a new leader, was postponed indefinitely due to Jaebeom's controversy and subsequent departure from the group.[187]
In addition, from 2008 to 2011, 2PM members were individually cast for various variety programs in overlapping timeframes. Taecyeon and Wooyoung hosted SBS's weekly music show Inkigayo from July 26, 2009 to July 11, 2010.[188][189] After being cast on the SBS show Ya Shim Man Man with industry veterans such as Kang Ho-dong prior to debuting in 2PM, Nichkhun became a fixed panelist on another one of Kang Ho-dong's shows, Star King. He appeared on the show consistently from December 2008 to October 2009, often appearing with the other 2PM members. Following a format change in the MBC variety show Introducing the Star's Friends, Chansung and Jaebeom were consistently cast on the celebrity team from June 2009 up until the show's cancellation in August 2009. In 2010, Junho became a recurring cast member of KBS's sports variety program Let's Go! Dream Team Season 2, later followed by Chansung.[190] From February 2010 to August 2010, Wooyoung was an assistant MC on the KBS talk show Win Win.[191] Also in 2010, Taecyeon was a cast member for SBS's Family Outing 2, a short-lived sequel to the extremely popular variety show Family Outing.[192] From June 2010 to September 2011, Nichkhun was paired with Victoria Song of f(x) in the second season of MBC's We Got Married.[193][194]
In 2011, 2PM starred in another variety show titled 2PM Show!.[65][66] From 2012 to 2014, following their breakthrough success in Japan, 2PM hosted two Japanese TV shows: Wander Trip, a travel program also starring 2AM, and two seasons of One Point Korean, an educational program meant for Japanese audiences to learn Korean.[195][196] Upon debuting as a soloist in Japan in the summer of 2013, Junho hosted a solo variety program titled Junho (From 2PM)'s Say Yes ~Friendship~.[197] Members would continue to host music shows and award shows and be cast for various variety programs individually, including Chinese TV shows.
In 2017, 2PM starred in a variety program titled 2PM Wild Beat in Australia, their final TV program together prior to mandatory military enlistment.[198] The show was filmed in November 2016, featuring the members earning money to fund their trip in Australia through various challenges and searching for real part-time jobs.
Endorsements
In March 2009, 2PM was selected to model for EXR, a clothing company in Korea.[199] In July 2009, the members of 2PM were selected as the representatives of foreign artists by the Thai government-led tourism campaign, I Love Thailand.[200] Nichkhun was selected by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) as the face of their campaign entitled "Come to Thailand; Let's Take a Break!"[201]
In August 2009, 2PM collaborated with the Body Shop in "Soft Hands, Kind Heart", a worldwide campaign calling for the protection of children and teenagers against sex trafficking. The members acted as Korea's spokespeople for the campaign.[202]
In late October 2009, a commercial film (CF) of 2PM promoting Hanami, a Thai snack company, was released. The CF included Jaebeom; the commercial was said to be filmed prior to his departure in September.[citation needed]
November 2009 saw multiple new endorsement deals for the group,[203] the first of which being a commercial and print campaign for Market O's "Real Brownie" pastry. Shortly thereafter, the group endorsed the Samsung Corby mobile phone, one of the newest mobile devices in Samsung's popular "Anycall" series, both on television and on the Samsung website.[204] 2PM also endorsed Paris-Croissant Food Company's Paris Baguette bakery franchise, for which the group recorded a special Christmas song and featured in a series of commercials with Korean actress Kim Tae-hee.[205]
In 2010, 2PM signed on to endorse Coca-Cola[206] and the clothing company SPRIS (also known as PONY).[207] Members Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Jun. K and Wooyoung endorsed Cass Beer, and Nichkhun has continued advertising for the Suzuki Jelato motorcycle in Thailand. In addition, 2PM endorsed Calvin Klein South Korea and It's Skin, a South Korean cosmetics and skin care brand.[citation needed] In mid-2010, 2PM were chosen along with Girls' Generation to be the spokesperson for Caribbean Bay.[208] Shortly after, the members of 2PM (except for Nichkhun) were chosen to sing the song "Fly to Seoul (Boom Boom Boom)" to support tourism in Korea.[209] Due to renewal of their endorsement deal with Samsung, 2PM recorded the song "Nori For U" for Samsung Anycall NORi.[210][unreliable source?]
In April 2021, following the group's return from their hiatus, 2PM became endorsers for sportswear brand Xexymix.[211]
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Artistry
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Stage and image
2PM have been credited with originating the term jimseungdol (짐승돌), a portmanteau of the words jimseung ("beast" or "wild animal") and idol.[212][213] They opted against the trending youthful kkonminam ("flower boy") image, debuting with a more mature "wild" and "beast-like" image that matched their heights and large physiques.[9][10][214][215] The moniker was further solidified due to their intense performances, particularly from main rapper Taecyeon's unique "tough guy" rapping style during the group's earlier releases and his common practice of tearing his shirt off at the end during performances of their hit song "Heartbeat".[10][213] During their earlier years, they were primarily known for sex appeal, intense performances and stages that often featured at least one member taking off his shirt, which was unheard of among idol groups at that time.[212][216] Although not the first K-pop group to utilize acrobatics in their performances,[217] they were the first group to regularly incorporate acrobatics-inspired moves into their live performances and choreography, with representative examples being "10 Out of 10" and "Heartbeat".[214][218][216] NME noted, "The group stood out, thanks to their dynamic, acrobatic choreography and hyper masculine image, which cemented them as K-pop's OG 'beast idols'."[219]
By 2013, the group stopped incorporating acrobatics into their choreography due to injury risks as members entered their mid-twenties. Their album Grown has been described as a turning point as for their transition from the unrestrained "wild, beast-like" image they debuted with into a more sophisticated and "discreetly sexy" image;[220] the choreographies for the album's promoted singles "A.D.T.O.Y" (하.니.뿐) and "Come Back When You Hear This Song" (이 노래를 듣고 돌아와) were more minimalistic and "restrained" yet just as "charm[ing]".[216][221]
Musical style and themes
While their discography features diverse genres, 2PM's overall musical style has generally been described as being musically rooted in the R&B genre, often combined with electronic influences.[222] Academic Crystal S. Anderson opined that their later discography strongly leaned towards the R&B genre of "quiet storm" as the group transitioned into a sophisticated and mature masculine concept, beginning with the 2013 album Grown.[223][222] They have occasionally experimented with genres; for example, "Go Crazy!", the promoted single of the eponymously named 2014 album, was described as "[straddling] the line" between funk and EDM.[224]
The songs in their discography range from pop ballads about breaking up such as "At Times" (문득) to party anthems such as "Hands Up". Some of their songs garnered attention due to the overtly sensual nature of the lyrics.[173] The self-composed "Make Love" from Gentlemen's Game was notably banned by the Korean Broadcasting System due to its lyrics describing one's desire to make love with a lover.[225]
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Legacy
MTV Asia stated, "[They] rose to prominence as their catchy lyrics and easy-to-follow dance moves exploded in the early days of YouTube, long predating today's viral TikTok challenges. They were also the first group to embody the jimseung-dol, or beast-like idol, a charismatic and sensual archetype that has influenced the presentation of newer acts like Monsta X."[173] 2PM has been noted for successfully transitioning into a "manband" without overly relying on sex appeal gimmicks such as taking off their shirts, with Melon Music's e-magazine dubbing them "classic K-sexy" during their 2021 comeback from hiatus.[219][226] The members of Monsta X themselves, as well as of newer idol groups such as Seventeen, SF9 and labelmates Stray Kids have cited 2PM as "role models" for their stage presence and charisma during live performances.[227][228][229]
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Discography
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Korean albums |
Japanese albums
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Videography
Concert tours
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Awards and nominations
References
External links
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