Tell Me (Wonder Girls song)
Encyclopedia
"Tell Me" was the lead single from the Wonder Girls
' first full-length album, The Wonder Years
. Sampling Stacey Q
's "Two of Hearts", "Tell Me" was a strong hit for the group, topping various online and offline charts. The song is notable for its choreography, which was widely imitated and featured on various online video sites.
first introduced the song to the group, the Wonder Girls felt that the song was too different and would not be successful. However, once they were used to the song, they eventually believed it could be a strong single.
This was the first single to feature Kim Yubin, the replacement for former member Kim Hyun-ah, who was removed from the group by her parents due to health issues. On September 5, 2007, Good Entertainment
, the talent agency for the popular boy band
Shinhwa
, sent their trainee Yubin to JYP Enterainment as a replacement for Hyun-ah. She made her debut three days later in the group's live performance of "Tell Me" on Music Bank .
Due to the last-minute addition of Kim Yubin, the album version does not feature her; however, the version released and promoted by the group contained a rap verse performed by Kim Yubin. The single was a hit and reached number one on various Korean television and internet music charts, including KBS's Music Bank.
The choreography for the song was simple and widely imitated: by October, many fan performances of the dance circulated on video sharing sites such as YouTube and Daum, including one by a group of policemen who were eventually profiled on SBS's Star King. Many celebrities, including Shin Hye Sung
, Kim Heechul, Nam Hyun Joon and Hong Kyung-min, also sang and danced to the song at their own fan meetings. The song was labelled a "pop phenomenon" by the San Francisco Chronicle
, and YouTube
co-founder Steve Chen
stated that the dance clips were among his favorites on the website.
Although the rap version was not initially given a release, it was eventually released as a B side on the Wonder Girls' follow-up single "So Hot
".
stated in June 2009 that "Tell Me" would be the second English single for the group, after "Nobody
". On May 15, 2010, they released their 2nd American single "2 Different Tears
" (also known as 2DT), which includes Tell Me on the tracklist.
Wonder Girls
Wonder Girls is a South Korean girl group. Its producer and manager is singer-songwriter Park Jin-Young and the Wonder Girls is signed to his talent agency, JYP Entertainment. Each of the five original members were selected through auditions...
' first full-length album, The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years (Wonder Girls album)
The Wonder Years is the debut album by South Korean girl group Wonder Girls produced by Park Jin-young.- Album information :The Wonder Years was released on September 13, 2007...
. Sampling Stacey Q
Stacey Q
Stacey Q is a pop singer, dancer and actress. She is best known for her 1985 hit single "Two of Hearts".-Early life:Stacey Swain was born on November 30, 1958 in Fullerton, California. She is the youngest of three children...
's "Two of Hearts", "Tell Me" was a strong hit for the group, topping various online and offline charts. The song is notable for its choreography, which was widely imitated and featured on various online video sites.
History
When producer Park Jin-youngPark Jin-young
Park Jin-young also known as J.Y. Park is a singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer and the current CEO and founder of JYP Entertainment, a major artist management/record label of Korean pop music.-Music career:Park has released seven albums...
first introduced the song to the group, the Wonder Girls felt that the song was too different and would not be successful. However, once they were used to the song, they eventually believed it could be a strong single.
This was the first single to feature Kim Yubin, the replacement for former member Kim Hyun-ah, who was removed from the group by her parents due to health issues. On September 5, 2007, Good Entertainment
Good Entertainment
Good Entertainment is record label owned by CJ Music that was formed April 2003. Most notably, they were the producer of popular boy band Shinhwa...
, the talent agency for the popular boy band
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
Shinhwa
Shinhwa
Shinhwa is a popular South Korean boy band and hip hop group. The group has six members , and debuted on March 24, 1998. It has enjoyed massive success alongside the likes of Sechs Kies, g.o.d., Turbo , Fin. K.L., H.O.T. and S.E.S...
, sent their trainee Yubin to JYP Enterainment as a replacement for Hyun-ah. She made her debut three days later in the group's live performance of "Tell Me" on Music Bank .
Due to the last-minute addition of Kim Yubin, the album version does not feature her; however, the version released and promoted by the group contained a rap verse performed by Kim Yubin. The single was a hit and reached number one on various Korean television and internet music charts, including KBS's Music Bank.
The choreography for the song was simple and widely imitated: by October, many fan performances of the dance circulated on video sharing sites such as YouTube and Daum, including one by a group of policemen who were eventually profiled on SBS's Star King. Many celebrities, including Shin Hye Sung
Shin Hye Sung
Shin Hye Sung was born Jung Pil Kyo on 27 November 1979. He is a South Korean singer, known as the lead vocalist of six-member boy band Shinhwa. His stage name "Hye Sung" means comet. His English name is Steve Jung...
, Kim Heechul, Nam Hyun Joon and Hong Kyung-min, also sang and danced to the song at their own fan meetings. The song was labelled a "pop phenomenon" by the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, and YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
co-founder Steve Chen
Steve Chen (YouTube)
Steven Shih "Steve" Chen is a Chinese Taiwanese American and a co-founder and previous Chief Technology Officer of the popular video sharing website YouTube.- Early years and education :...
stated that the dance clips were among his favorites on the website.
Although the rap version was not initially given a release, it was eventually released as a B side on the Wonder Girls' follow-up single "So Hot
So Hot
"So Hot" is a Wonder Girls song released in 2008, produced by Park Jin-young. Released as a second single on June 3, 2008, the song became an instant hit and quickly hit #1 on various online and offline charts.-History:...
".
North American release
JYP EntertainmentJYP Entertainment
JYP Entertainment is a Korean music record label, founded in South Korea in 1997 by Park Jin-young.- History :Park Jin-young founded the company in 1997 as "Tae-Hong Planning Corporation", which eventually became "JYP Entertainment" in 2001....
stated in June 2009 that "Tell Me" would be the second English single for the group, after "Nobody
Nobody (Wonder Girls song)
"Nobody" is a dance pop song produced by Park Jin-Young and recorded by Korean girl group Wonder Girls. The song was released as a digital download single on September 22, 2008 in their native Korean...
". On May 15, 2010, they released their 2nd American single "2 Different Tears
2 Different Tears
"2 Different Tears" is a single by South Korean girl group, the Wonder Girls. The song was written and produced by J.Y. Park. It was simultaneously released in English, Korean and Chinese. Stylistically, the Wonder Girls used a 1970s denim look to promote the song as shown on the single cover and...
" (also known as 2DT), which includes Tell Me on the tracklist.