Yuq1 is the debut extended play (EP) by Chinese singer-songwriter Song Yuqi. The EP was released on April 23, 2024, and was promoted with its two singles, "Could It Be" and "Freak".

Yuq1
Digital cover
EP by
ReleasedApril 23, 2024 (2024-04-23)
Genre
Length19:19
Language
  • English
  • Korean
Label
Yuqi chronology
Grey Track
(2023)
Yuq1
(2024)
Singles from Yuq1
  1. "Could It Be"
    Released: April 5, 2024
  2. "Freak"
    Released: April 23, 2024

Background

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After releasing her digital single album A Page in 2021,[1] Song announced her new album Yuq1 on April 2, 2024.[2] Although Song had previously pursued solo music, Yuq1 was declared to be the official beginning of her solo career, making Song the third member of South Korean girl group (G)I-dle to debut as a soloist.[2][3] After her participation in composition and lyrics for (G)I-dle's songs, the EP also marked Song's first time composing her own album.[4]

Promotion and release

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Revealing a preview for Yuq1, Cube Entertainment posted a concept trailer on YouTube, showing Song playing a guitar while reminiscing about her past before investigating the sudden whispers and screams around her.[5] To promote the EP, "Could It Be" was rolled out as a pre-release single on April 5, 2024.[6] Yuq1 was released on April 23, 2024.[2] Its lead single "Freak" was released alongside an accompanying music video on the same day.[3]

The following month, Shinsegae Centum City, in collaboration with IPX (formerly Line Friends), opened a pop-up store that featured a themed photo zone, as well as a variety of clothes and merchandise, to commemorate the release of the mini-album.[7]

Title and artwork

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The EP's title, which used Song's given name, aimed to capture the essence of who Song Yuqi is as a solo artist; the inclusion of the number 1 to replace the letter I visually expressed her confidence in both the album and her future career.[8][9] Design-wise, a red rabbit was featured on the EP's concept photos, cover art, and tracklist as a "main character", which Song stated to represent herself, explaining: "I was born in the year of the Rabbit, and my favorite color is red!"[4]

Commercial performance

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Yuq1 accumulated more than 500,000 units in pre-order sales.[4] The mini-album then sold a total of 550,170 copies during the first week of its release, breaking the record of the highest first-week sales made by a K-pop female solo artist's debut EP.[10] In South Korea, it debuted at number two on the Circle Album Chart for the week of April 21 to 27, 2024.[11]

Track listing

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Yuq1 track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Freak"
  • Jop Pangemanan
  • Kyle Faulkner
  • Audun Agnar Gludbrandsen
  • Yuqi
  • Jop Pangemanan
  • Kyle Faulkner
  • Audun Agnar Gludbrandsen
  • Yuqi
  • Siixk Jun
  • Siixk Jun
  • Krap
2:51
2."My Way"
  • Yuqi
  • Boytoy
  • Mojo
  • Sohi
  • Yuqi
  • Boytoy
  • Mojo
  • Jiwoong
  • Sohi
  • Boytoy
  • Mojo
  • Jiwoong
2:48
3."Drink It Up" (featuring pH-1)
  • Yuqi
  • Boytoy
  • Mojo
  • Muna
  • XU
  • Jenna
  • pH-1
  • Yuqi
  • Boytoy
  • Mojo
  • Milli Oshyun
  • Muna
  • XU
  • Jenna
  • Disko
  • pH-1
  • Boytoy
  • Mojo
  • Milli Oshyun
3:16
4."Red Rover"
  • Elsa Curran
  • Stela Cole
  • Joshua Murty
  • Mark Schick
  • Elsa Curran
  • Stela Cole
  • Joshua Murty
  • Mark Schick
  • Joshua Murty
  • Mark Schick
2:03
5."On Clap" (featuring Lexie Liu)
  • Oscar Scheller
  • Jesse Thomas
  • Naomi Wild
  • Yuqi
  • Lexie Liu
  • Oscar Scheller
  • Jesse Thomas
  • Naomi Wild
  • Siixk Jun
  • Lexie Liu
Siixk Jun1:58
6."Everytime" (featuring Minnie)
  • Yuqi
  • Boytoy
  • S’oom
  • Zun
  • Muna
  • Yuqi
  • Boytoy
  • S'oom
  • Zun
  • Muna
  • Disko
  • Warming
  • Junsoo
  • Boytoy
  • Disko
3:11
7."Could It Be"
  • Mike Elizondo
  • Micky Ekko
  • Mike Elizondo
  • Micky Ekko
  • Mike Elizondo
  • Micky Ekko
3:09
Total length:19:19

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Weekly chart performance for Yuq1
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[12] 42
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[13] 108
South Korean Albums (Circle)[11] 2

Monthly charts

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Monthly chart performance for Yuq1
Chart (2024) Position
South Korean Albums (Circle)[14] 7

Certifications

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Certifications for Yuq1
Region Certification Certified units/sales
South Korea (KMCA)[15] 2× Platinum 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Reference

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  1. ^ Lee, Seung-hoon (May 10, 2021). "(여자)아이들 우기의 성장 이야기 'A page'..트랙 리스트 공개 "작사작곡 참여"" [(G)I-DLE Yuqi's growth story 'A page'...track list revealed "Participation in writing lyrics"]. Osen. Retrieved May 31, 2024 – via The Chosun Ilbo.
  2. ^ a b c Yoon, So-yeon (April 2, 2024). "(G)I-DLE member Yuqi to begin solo career with debut album". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on April 30, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Chin, Carmen (April 23, 2024). "(G)I-DLE's Yuqi is haunted by horror movie characters in 'Freak' music video". NME. Archived from the original on April 24, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Sayson, Sofia (April 24, 2024). "(G)I-DLE's YUQI Is "A Certified Freak," Just Like Everyone Else". Grammy Awards. Archived from the original on April 29, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  5. ^ "(여자)아이들 우기, 솔로 미니 1집 'YUQ1' 트레일러 공개! 콘셉추얼한 연출 '시선 집중'" [(G)I-DLE Yuqi, trailer for 1st solo mini album 'YUQ1' released! Conceptual directing ‘Focus on attention’]. KBS World. April 9, 2024. Archived from the original on May 31, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  6. ^ Jang, Woo-young (April 5, 2024). "(여자)아이들 우기, 오늘(5일) 선공개곡 'Could It Be' 발매" [(G)I-DLE's Yuqi releases pre-release song 'Could It Be' today (5th)]. Osen. Archived from the original on May 31, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024 – via Chosun Biz.
  7. ^ "[게시판] 신세계 센텀시티에 우기 솔로앨범 기념 팝업 스토어" [[Bulletin Board] Pop-up store commemorating Yuqi’s solo album in Shinsegae Centum City]. Yonhap News. May 17, 2024. Archived from the original on June 1, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  8. ^ Jang, Woo-young (April 23, 2024). "(여자)아이들 우기, 'FREAK'지만 우기 그 자체…1인 7색 '보컬리스트' [퇴근길 신곡]" [(G)I-DLE's Yuqi, 'FREAK' is Yuqi herself... 7 colors per person ‘Vocalist’ [New song on the way home from work]]. Osen. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024 – via The Chosun Ilbo.
  9. ^ Ha, Na-young (April 23, 2024). "(여자)아이들 우기 그 자체…첫 솔로 'YUQ1'에 쏠리는 기대" [(G)I-DLE Yuqi herself... Expectations are focused on the first solo ‘YUQ1’]. Chosun Biz. Archived from the original on June 1, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  10. ^ Kim, Ju-yeon (April 29, 2024). "(G)I-DLE member Yuqi's debut EP breaks record, tops international iTunes charts". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on May 1, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Album Chart: 2024 Week 17". Circle Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 2, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  12. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2024-05-13" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  13. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Yuqi – Yuq1". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  14. ^ "Circle Album Chart – April 2024". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  15. ^ "South Korean album certifications – Song Yuqi – Yuq1" (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). Retrieved June 7, 2024.