Go Away (2NE1 song)

Background

The song was produced by YG Entertainment, the lead producer for 2NE1's previous extended play 2NE1. The song was part of the triple "title tracks," or lead promotional singles, for To Anyone alongside "Clap Your Hands" and "Can't Nobody". Before the release of the album, teasers were released for the song. On September 9, 2010, the album released which signaled the start of the new promotions. The music video was released one day later, after the video for "Clap Your Hands" but before "Can't Nobody". The song was promoted until ceasing for the next promotional single, "It Hurts (Slow)".

Japanese version

The song was the second 2NE1 song to be released in Japan as a ringtone, after "Can't Nobody (English Version)," in March 2011. A Japanese version of the song was first announced in late March, after it was announced as the theme song for the Fuji TV early morning news program Mezanyū. It was used as the theme song between April 1, 2011 and October 1, 2011. The Japanese version of "Go Away" was announced in September 2011 as the group's debut physical single in Japan, after the group's three digital singles and extended play Nolza released earlier in the year. It is to be released on November 16, 2011, with a Japanese-language version of the group's song "It Hurts" as the single's B-side.

Physical Sales

'Go Away' is 2NE1's most successful single in Japan to date selling more than 40,000 copies since release in 2011.

Reception and chart performance

As with the rest of the To Anyone album, the overall response was primarily positive and praised for top production quality. The song won the September Song of the Month from the Cyworld Digital Music Awards, in addition to winning on countdown shows The Music Trend and Music Bank.

The song topped various online charts along with the other two title tracks. On the official South Korean singles chart, it debuted at number eight on September 11, 2010. By the eighteenth, it had reached number one where it stayed in the top position for two weeks. It was replaced by "It's You" by Sung Si Kyung featuring IU. On the monthly chart, it captured the number one spot for the month of September, where it was then replaced by "Then Then Then" by Supreme Team featuring Young Jun. At the end of the year, the song placed fourth overall for all songs released in South Korea. It achieved 2,584,933 downloads and 24,516,687 streams, enabling it to place 16th and 14th on the downloads and streaming chart, respectively. In 2011 the song reached other 1.5 million downloads for a total of 4.000.000 digital copies sold, it became one of the best-selling singles of all-time in South Korea.

Background

The music video was six minutes long and directed by Jae Eun-taek. It was filmed in August 2010 and was released on September 9, 2010

Synopsis

The music video opens with CL in a cafe with her boyfriend (Song Jae-rim). CL's boyfriend breaks it off, telling her not to mess with him anymore or else he'd kill her, and then gets up to leave. CL wants him to stay and grabs his hand, but he lets go and leaves. A distressed CL puts her glasses on, bumps into a girl, then accidentally bangs into a door. Minzy is waiting for her outside in her car, then CL drives off. It begins to rain and CL throws a relationship ring out of the car. In the chorus, CL is at the racetrack getting ready to race and sees her ex-boyfriend who is also wearing a race uniform with a new girl. The two race against each other but her ex-boyfriend wins, because she hesitated when he almost crashed into her. Intercut in the race are scenes of Dara and Bom. The next chorus shows Dara drinking with a devastated CL with Minzy outside the cafe standing in rain with an umbrella. Next all of the members are playing in a band in a garage with Bom playing the keyboard, Minzy on the drums, CL on the microphone, and Dara on the guitar. The next scene shows a drunk CL going to the house of her ex-boyfriend. CL knocks on the door and her ex-boyfriend tries to ignore her. CL gets angry and kicks the door. Her ex-boyfriend opens the door and drags her away where he slaps her and pushes her. CL falls to the ground and gets a bruise on her cheek. When he leaves, the other members come and help her get up. In the third chorus, CL has come to the racetrack again with an obvious bruise on her cheek and races against her ex-boyfriend again. At the last minute of the race, with tears on her face, CL bumps her ex-boyfriend's car and they both push against each other. CL's black car flies into the air then bumps into her ex-boyfriend's car again. The cars explode and start a fire. In the last scene, CL is re-covered and standing with the other members, dressed in black, looking at the car. They all turn and comfort CL, smiling as they walk away.

Live performances

The song was performed as one of three promotional singles through the month of September along with "Clap Your Hands" and "Can't Nobody". It was performed on the four main music programs in South Korea: M! Countdown, Music Bank, The Music Trend, and Show! Music Core.

The group began Japanese promotions for their debut single by performing the song at Happy Music on November 21, 2011.