The First Step: Chapter One is the debut single album by South Korean boy band Treasure. It was released digitally on August 7, 2020 and physically on August 13, through YG Entertainment. A music video for the album's only single "Boy" was released alongside the album. The First Step: Chapter One is the first of the 'The First Step' series. The single album debuted atop the Gaon Albums Chart and sold more than 200,000 copies in South Korea.
Background and release
The band was formed by YG Entertainment through the reality showYG Treasure Box. In May 2020, it was announced that the group would debut in July.[1] On July 13, 2020, YG uploaded the first teaser for the album.[2] In the following days various teasers were uploaded to their social media profiles. The album's title and release day were revealed on July 20, the tracklist was revealed 10 days later and a teaser for the music video for "Boy" was published on August 5.[3][4][5]The First Step: Chapter One was released digitally in various countries on August 7, 2020 18:00 KST, alongside the music video for the single "Boy".[6] Two physical versions titled "Black Ver." and "White Ver." were made available on August 13.
Music and critical reception
The album's lead single "Boy" was described as a hip hop song whose lyrics talk about a boy trying to make a girl fall for him.[7] An accompanying music video for the song was directed by Dongju Jang and Rima Yoon published simultaneously with the albums release. An uncredited writer for the Japanese online magazine Encount called the song and it's music video "gorgeous yet dynamic" for a hip hop bound label like YG and that the dance is a "masterpiece".[8] A writer for Wow! Korea described the song "with strong beats and [an] addictive sound" and called the lyrics in which the boy expresses strong love "impressive".[9]
Commercial performance
On July 31, the group's label announced that The First Step: Chapter One has surpassed 100,000 stock pre-orders in two days.[10] Three days later, it was revealed that pre-orders have surpassed 150,000 copies.[11] The single album debuted atop the Gaon Album Chart on the 33rd issued week of 2020.[12] It sold 160,614 copies in its release week; the second biggest sales week for a rookie group in 2020.[13] The album ranked second on the monthly album chart of September, selling 218,118 copies in three weeks.
^YG新人「Treasure」、デビュー間近ロゴポスター公開…YG設立以来最多人数グループ [YG newcomer [Treasure], the logo poster revealed...largest YG group since its founding]. Yahoo! Japan (in Japanese). July 13, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
^YG新人「Treasure」、YG初の12人カル群舞まで…デビュー曲｢BOY｣に集まる期待 [YG newcomer [Treasure], YG's first 12 person dance group...Expectations for the debut song “Boy”]. Wow! Korea (in Japanese). August 6, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
^Bigbang弟分Treasureが世界デビュー YG初の日本人4人含む12人組 [Bigbang's younger brother Treasure makes its debut, YG's first 12-member group, including 4 Japanese ones]. Oricon (in Japanese). August 8, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
^日韓合同ボーイズグループ「TREASURE」がデビュー 世界トレンドトップ、19か国で1位 [Japan-Korea joint boy group "Treasure" top world trend , No. 1 in 19 countries]. Encount (in Japanese). August 8, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
^“YGの新人グループ”「TREASURE」、宝石箱から飛び出した12人が「BOY」でデビュー ["YG's newcomer group" "Treasure", 12 people who jumped out of the jewelry box debuted with "Boy"]. Wow! Korea (in Japanese). August 8, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
^Hwang, Jeeyoung (July 31, 2020). 트레저, 데뷔 싱글 선주문 10만장…”YG 역대 신인 중 최대 수량” [Treasure, debut single pre-order 100,000 copies "The biggest number ever of a YG newcomer"]. Joins (in Korean).
^트레저, 선주문 15만...YG 역대 신인 중 ‘최대 초동 [Treasure, pre-order 150,000... YG's greatest rookie]. MK (in Korean). August 3, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
^싹쓰리, 연이은 기록 행진…33주차 가온차트 2관왕 [SSAK3, record streak...2 Gaon Chart wins in the 33rd week]. MK (in Korean). August 21, 2020.
^The First Step: Chapter One (liner notes). Treasure. South Korea: YG Entertainment. 2020. ASINB08DXJLDK9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^2020년 33주차 Album Chart [Week 33 of 2020 Album Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
^2020년 08월 Album Chart [August of 2020 Album Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
^2020년 Album Chart [2020 Album Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
