2PM
Intro
2PM is a South Korean idol group that initially had 7 members but currently has just six due to the withdrawl of leader Park Jaebeom in 2009. 2PM is managed by major South Korean entertainment agency JYP Entertainment, which also manages other major artists including Wonder GIrls. Originally, 2PM and boy group 2AM were one, eleven-member act called one day, but in the interest of music sales and audiences, JYP broke the group into two smaller groups of seven and four members respectively. The current members of 2PM are Nichkhun, Junsu, Junho, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, and Chansung. 2PM is well known for several of its members being fluent English speakers as several were born or gew up outside of Korea. Former member Jaebeom, was born and raised in Seattle, Washington and auditioned for JYP in his teens. Ok Taecyeon was originally born in Seoul, but his family emigrated to Massachussetts, where his family currently lives. Taecyeon auditioned for JYP in New York City initially as an actor. Nichkhun is a Thai-Chinese American citzen, born in Rancho Cucamonga, California. From age 2 to 12, he lived in Thailand, and then traveled to New Zealand to study for a year and a half before finally returning to California to complete high school.
Debut
2PM debuted on September 4, 2008, after a television documentary titled Hot Blood Men recorded the lives of JYP trainees hoping to become members of the new JYP idol groups 2PM and 2AM. Their debut single of their first mini-album (Hottest Time of the Day which was released a week earlier ), titled 10 out of 10 (10점 만점에 10점) was very popular. Just over a month later, the group began promotions for Only You, the second single from the mini-album.
In 2009, on April 16, 2PM released their second mini-album titled 2:00PM Time for Change. The first single off that album was the tremendously popular song Again & Again, which won MNet Countdown and Inkigayo the first week of its release. The following week it received another mutizen on MNet, thereby winning the triple crown. Two weeks later it won the Music bank mutizen, the last mutizen that they had not yet won. In June, 2PM began promotions for their second single I Hate You (니가 밉다) which also received the Triple Crown in mid-July.
Controversy
In September of 2009, reports arose of posts 2PM leader Jaebeom Park had written on his MySpace during his trainee days at JYP. The reports indicated that Jaebeom and written that he was unhappy with his life in Korea. Jaebeom quickly issued an official apology, but netizens were outraged and slow to forgive. Dozens of protesters argued that Jaebeom should be elbowed out of 2PM, forced to leave Korea, and some even called for suicide. In spite of the harsh criticisms on September 7, JYP indicated that they would stick by the 2PM leader. However, the very next day, Jaebeom announced his plan to leave 2PM and return to the United States to pursue an education and improve his musical knowledge. After he left, fans quickly changed their minds and desperately worked to win Jaebeom back. In addition the remaining 2PM members dedicated many performances and awards to the departed leader.
After Jaebeom's Departure
On November 10, 2009, 2PM released the first full-length album, titled 1:59PM, which members said was an homage to Jaebeom's departure. An album teaser, Tired of Waiting (기다리다 지친다) was released before the album, on November 2nd. On October 31st, 2PM re-filmed the music video for their first single, Heartbeat, which included Jaebeom's vocals, but excluded Jaebeom from the video. The group had their comeback stage on MNet's "Oh Good Concert " in mid-November, and the title track and album shot to the top of the charts. Just over a week later, 2PM won the MNet Asian Music Awards for Best Male Group and Artist of the Year.
On February 25, 2010, JYP announced the official permanent termination of Jaebeom's contract. JYP decided that there would not be a new leader chosen for 2PM to replace Jaebeom, a surprising and unconventional move for the idol groups. In mid-April, 2PM's third mini-album, titled Don't Stop Can't Stop, was released. The first single off the album, Without U was tremendously successful, garnering first place honors on 6 different music charts.
The group continues performing in spite of much negativity and uncertainty surrounding the events of Jaebeom's sudden departure from Korea. The group has endured unrelenting chants of "Park Jaebeom" during various performances, including the sold-out Dream Concert in May of 2010.
2PM is a South Korean idol group that initially had 7 members but currently has just six due to the withdrawl of leader Park Jaebeom in 2009. 2PM is managed by major South Korean entertainment agency JYP Entertainment, which also manages other major artists including Wonder GIrls. Originally, 2PM and boy group 2AM were one, eleven-member act called one day, but in the interest of music sales and audiences, JYP broke the group into two smaller groups of seven and four members respectively. The current members of 2PM are Nichkhun, Junsu, Junho, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, and Chansung. 2PM is well known for several of its members being fluent English speakers as several were born or gew up outside of Korea. Former member Jaebeom, was born and raised in Seattle, Washington and auditioned for JYP in his teens. Ok Taecyeon was originally born in Seoul, but his family emigrated to Massachussetts, where his family currently lives. Taecyeon auditioned for JYP in New York City initially as an actor. Nichkhun is a Thai-Chinese American citzen, born in Rancho Cucamonga, California. From age 2 to 12, he lived in Thailand, and then traveled to New Zealand to study for a year and a half before finally returning to California to complete high school.
Debut
2PM debuted on September 4, 2008, after a television documentary titled Hot Blood Men recorded the lives of JYP trainees hoping to become members of the new JYP idol groups 2PM and 2AM. Their debut single of their first mini-album (Hottest Time of the Day which was released a week earlier ), titled 10 out of 10 (10점 만점에 10점) was very popular. Just over a month later, the group began promotions for Only You, the second single from the mini-album.
In 2009, on April 16, 2PM released their second mini-album titled 2:00PM Time for Change. The first single off that album was the tremendously popular song Again & Again, which won MNet Countdown and Inkigayo the first week of its release. The following week it received another mutizen on MNet, thereby winning the triple crown. Two weeks later it won the Music bank mutizen, the last mutizen that they had not yet won. In June, 2PM began promotions for their second single I Hate You (니가 밉다) which also received the Triple Crown in mid-July.
Controversy
In September of 2009, reports arose of posts 2PM leader Jaebeom Park had written on his MySpace during his trainee days at JYP. The reports indicated that Jaebeom and written that he was unhappy with his life in Korea. Jaebeom quickly issued an official apology, but netizens were outraged and slow to forgive. Dozens of protesters argued that Jaebeom should be elbowed out of 2PM, forced to leave Korea, and some even called for suicide. In spite of the harsh criticisms on September 7, JYP indicated that they would stick by the 2PM leader. However, the very next day, Jaebeom announced his plan to leave 2PM and return to the United States to pursue an education and improve his musical knowledge. After he left, fans quickly changed their minds and desperately worked to win Jaebeom back. In addition the remaining 2PM members dedicated many performances and awards to the departed leader.
After Jaebeom's Departure
On November 10, 2009, 2PM released the first full-length album, titled 1:59PM, which members said was an homage to Jaebeom's departure. An album teaser, Tired of Waiting (기다리다 지친다) was released before the album, on November 2nd. On October 31st, 2PM re-filmed the music video for their first single, Heartbeat, which included Jaebeom's vocals, but excluded Jaebeom from the video. The group had their comeback stage on MNet's "Oh Good Concert " in mid-November, and the title track and album shot to the top of the charts. Just over a week later, 2PM won the MNet Asian Music Awards for Best Male Group and Artist of the Year.
On February 25, 2010, JYP announced the official permanent termination of Jaebeom's contract. JYP decided that there would not be a new leader chosen for 2PM to replace Jaebeom, a surprising and unconventional move for the idol groups. In mid-April, 2PM's third mini-album, titled Don't Stop Can't Stop, was released. The first single off the album, Without U was tremendously successful, garnering first place honors on 6 different music charts.
The group continues performing in spite of much negativity and uncertainty surrounding the events of Jaebeom's sudden departure from Korea. The group has endured unrelenting chants of "Park Jaebeom" during various performances, including the sold-out Dream Concert in May of 2010.
