2NE1 mini-album release re-set to July 28

2NE1 [YG Entertainment]

The release date for girl group 2NE1's second mini-album has been rescheduled to July 28, a week later than originally planned.

The announcement came through YG Entertainment's blog on Friday, with an official at YG explaining that it is because several final decisions had to be made to perfect their album.

The date had already been pushed back by about a month following labelmate Big Bang member Daesung's involvement in a car accident which has resulted in a death and put the girls' activities on a brief halt.

Nonetheless, they returned to promoting themselves three weeks ago through the release of song "I am the Best" which will be included in the upcoming record set to include a total of six tracks including sub title tracks "Don't Cry," Lonely," "I am the Best," "Hate You," title track "Ugly" and a bonus track named "Don't Stop the Music," the blog showed.

In line with their plans to promote every song on the album by releasing a new song every few weeks, as they have done so with "Don't Cry," "Lonely" and "I am the Best" since April, the next song 2NE1 will reveal is "Hate You."

"Hate You" was supposed to be included in 2NE1's first full-length album released last September but was not because its original title was "F*** YOU" which YG had not been able to change in time after deciding to do so in consideration of member Minzy being underage and the negative influence it could have on 2NE1's underage fans, the blog explained.

The teaser video to "Hate You" will be revealed on Sunday midnight and the music video on Wednesday midnight.

In the meantime, the album's title track "Ugly," a fast-tempo tune led by a powerful guitar riff, will sing of how one sings of her looks not being pretty and its music video and song will be released on the midnight of July 27.

"I am the Best," which has been topping various music charts in Korea, will also be the first track unveiled from 2NE1's Japan debut album set for release on September 21.

Every 21 days starting July 20, the girls are set to reveal a total of three songs, one at a time, from the upcoming record set to be a mini-album.

This will mark the girls' long-awaited debut in Japan which was supposed to be in March but got pushed back following the devastating earthquake that month.

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Jessica Kim jesskim@