투애니원
2NE1
Members
4
Fandom
Blackjack
The genre-bending girl-crush blueprint a whole generation of K-pop was built on.
- Trailblazing
- Girl-crush
- Genre-bending
- Iconic
- Hip-hop-leaning
LINEUP
Members
MILESTONES
Records & firsts
First world tour by a Korean girl group
New Evolution Global Tour, 2012; The New York Times named the New Jersey show the second-best concert of the year.
First Korean album inside the Billboard 200 top 100
Crush, 2014.
Group with the most number-one singles in South Korea
Nine on the Gaon Digital Chart by the end of 2014.
First act to win all three MAMA daesangs
Within two years of debut.
Welcome Back Tour drew over 250,000 people
2024–2025, grossing $44 million.
DID YOU KNOW
Trivia & lore
The group was going to be called "21" until a singer with that name turned up; 2NE1 reads as "twenty-one" and "to anyone", for "21st century" and "New Evolution".
They were introduced in March 2009 on "Lollipop", a promotional single with BigBang, before releasing any music of their own.
"Goodbye" was recorded by three members and inspired by a letter CL wrote to Minzy after she left.
In 2021 Minzy and CL said they had not been told about the 2016 disbandment in advance, contradicting YG's account.
Their surprise "Fire" and "I Am the Best" set at the 2015 MAMA was the most-viewed MAMA performance by a girl group.
DISCOGRAPHY
Signature tracks
TIMELINE
The journey
ORIGIN
YG's "female BigBang"
2008 — 2009
Korean press called YG's next act the "female BigBang" before it had a name, and the four were introduced in March 2009 on "Lollipop" with BigBang. The plan was rap- and hip-hop-styled pop and fashion, not the hyperfeminine look most girl groups wore.
BREAKTHROUGH
Fire & I Am the Best
2009 — 2012
The debut EP gave them "Fire" and "I Don't Care", and the 2011 EP stacked "Lonely", "I Am the Best" and "Ugly" at the top of the charts. Within two years they had won all three MAMA daesangs, and the 2012 New Evolution Global Tour was the first world tour by a Korean girl group.
Anchor track: I Am the Best
GLOBAL
Crush
2014 — 2014
Crush, their second and last album, was the first by a Korean artist inside the Billboard 200 top 100. By the end of 2014 they had nine number ones on the Gaon Digital Chart, more than any other group.
Anchor track: Come Back Home
FINAL
Hiatus & disbandment
2015 — 2017
A two-year hiatus broke only for a surprise set at the 2015 MAMA. Minzy's exit was confirmed in April 2016, YG announced the disbandment that November, and the three remaining members released "Goodbye" in January 2017.
Anchor track: Goodbye
RETURN
Welcome Back
2022
All four reunited for "I Am the Best" at Coachella in April 2022. YG brought them back for the 15th anniversary in 2024, and the Welcome Back Tour drew over 250,000 people and grossed $44 million before closing at KSPO Dome in April 2025.
Anchor track: I Am the Best
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Cover photo: Bananataste · CC BY 4.0