Article: 2NE1 – Pushing Boundaries, Defying Expectations

Their larger-than-life stage presence and natural charm were already enough to make them stars but their uncanny ability to produce something fresh and out of the ordinary with every new release — catching fans and casual listeners off-guard without exception — has placed them in a league of their own.

Just three years after their debut, they have become one of the most popular K-pop groups today, turning heads all around the world, from Korea and Japan to the United States and Brazil. They were at the Cannes Lions, presenting K-pop’s spread at the advertising world’s biggest event. Spin Magazine ranked the group’s sophomore EP “2nd Mini Album” No. 6 on its review of best pop albums, above those by Florence + the Machine, Coldplay, Kelly Clarkson, Rihanna and fellow K-pop act Girls’ Generation.

For the group’s members, C.L., Bom, Dara and Minzy, success has come from hard work and the willingness to venture outside their comfort zone. But the girls’ surprisingly introverted demeanor at the interview, in stark contrast to their free-wheeling energy on stage, made the occasion even more intriguing, trying to discover the formula behind the hitherto foolproof K-pop magic potion.

“For 2NE1, it’s always been all about music,” said rapper and vocalist C.L., 21, who was the most engaging during last week’s interview but saved her words for later. “People really respond to that.”

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