Take Off (2PM song)

"Take Off"
Regular edition cover
Single by 2PM
from the album Republic of 2PM
B-side"Heartbeat (Japanese ver.)"
ReleasedMay 18, 2011 (2011-05-18) (Japan)
Recorded2011
Genre
Length3:23
LabelAriola Japan
Composers
Lyricists
  • J.Y. Park
  • Kenn Kato
  • KOMU
Producers
  • J.Y. Park
  • Super Changddai
  • Akihito Tanaka
2PM singles chronology
"I'll Be Back"
(2010)		 "Take Off"
(2011)		 "Hands Up"
(2011)
Music video
"Take Off" on YouTube

"Take Off" is the debut Japanese single by South Korean boy band 2PM, released on May 18, 2011. Prior to its release, the song was used as the ending song theme for the first 12 episodes of the first season of the Blue Exorcist anime series. "Take Off" set a new record for the highest first-week sales of a debut Japanese single by a Korean group.

Background

2PM had previously entered the Japanese market with several releases of their Korean music in the country, including their first studio album, 01:59PM.[1] On December 8, 2010, the group made their debut live performances in Japan titled 2PM 1st Contact in Japan, which saw a total audience of 25,000 fans.[2] On March 5, 2011, the group announced their debut Japanese single, "Take Off" at the 12th Tokyo Girls Collection.[3][4]

Prior to the single's official release, "Take Off" was used as the ending song theme for the first 12 episodes of the first season of the Blue Exorcist anime series, which began airing on April 17, 2011.[5][6] The song quickly topped various Japanese music charts, becoming the first debut song by a Korean artist to top the USEN J-pop Chart. A teaser video for the song's music video was also released on 2PM's official Japanese website.[6]

The song was first performed live at the group's first concert tour in Japan, also named Take Off,[7] which took place from May 6 to May 13, 2011.[8]

Composition and music video

"Take Off" is an upbeat pop song about falling in love and the start of a relationship. The song was purposely chosen to contrast with 2PM's recent releases in South Korea, which tended to focus on their "beast idol" image and be more moody and grittier than "refreshing".[9] These "localization changes" also extended to the group's image in the music video, in which the group wears white outfits in a bright and futuristic spaceship-like set, in contrast to their recent Korean music videos, in which the group tended to wear darker clothes that accentuated their muscular physiques.[9][10] The flight-themed choreography of the song features a dance move in which the arms are spread out to mimic an airplane.[10]

The single's B-side is a Japanese version of their Korean song "Heartbeat", the lead single of their first Korean album 01:59PM.[5] A ringtone version of the track was released on April 25, 2011.[11]

Commercial performance

"Take Off" was released on May 18, 2011. The song debuted at number 4 on the Oricon Singles Chart with a first-week sales total of over 59,000 copies, surpassing Girls' Generation's "Genie" to set a new record for the highest first-week sales of a debut single by a Korean group.[12][13][14] It charted on the Oricon Singles Chart for a total of 17 weeks.[15]

Promotion

In promotion of the release, a 2PM-themed pop-up cafe, store, and panel exhibition opened in Shibuya, Tokyo.[7] The group also made various appearances on Japanese television, such as the May 20 episode of Fuji TV's Waratte Iitomo! and the May 22 episode of NHK's Music Japan.[16][17] On May 21, 2011, the group held their first "Hi Touch" fan event at Pacifico Yokohama, which saw an attendance of 40,000 fans.[17][18]

On January 26, 2015, a Japanese free-to-play mobile simulation game with microtransactions titled 2PM Take Off & Story launched via I-SKY for IOS and Android systems, named after the group's debut single. The player plays as the manager of 2PM's dormitory, living and bonding with the members and playing mini-games to earn digital idol cards. Services for the game were shut down in 2022.[19]

Track listing

CD+DVD and CD-only track listing[20]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangerLength
1."Take Off"
  • J.Y. Park
  • Super Changddai
  • Akihito Tanaka
  • J.Y. Park "The Asiansoul"
  • Super Changddai
  • Akihito Tanaka
3:23
2."Heartbeat" (Japanese ver.)
J.Y. Park
3:16
3."Take Off" (without main vocal) 
  • J.Y. Park
  • Super Changddai
  • Akihito Tanaka
  • J.Y. Park
  • Super Changddai
  • Akihito Tanaka
3:24
4."Heartbeat" (Japanese ver.) (without main vocal) J.Y. Park
3:14
Total length:13:17
CD-only limited pressing track listing[20]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangerLength
1."Take Off"
  • J.Y. Park
  • Super Changddai
  • Akihito Tanaka
  • J.Y. Park "The Asiansoul"
  • Super Changddai
  • Akihito Tanaka
3:23
2."Heartbeat" (Japanese ver.)
J.Y. Park
3:16
3."Take Off" (TV size ver.)   1:35
4."Take Off" (without main vocal)   3:24
5."Heartbeat" (Japanese ver.) (without main vocal)   3:14
6."Take Off" (TV size ver.) (without main vocal)   1:34
Total length:16:26
DVD[20]
No.TitleLength
1."Take Off" (music video) 
2."Take Off" (music video - dance version) 

Charts

Oricon

Oricon Chart Peak Debut sales Sales total Ref.
Daily Singles Chart 3 59,059 73,210 [21][22]
Weekly Singles Chart 4
Monthly Singles Chart 11
Yearly Singles Chart 104

Other

Chart Peak Ref.
Japan (Billboard Japan Hot 100) 3 [23]
Japan (Billboard Japan Hot Animation) 1 [23]
Japan (RIAJ Digital Track) 16 [24]

References

  1. ↑ 윤, 보라 (September 23, 2010). "동방신기-빅뱅 이어 2PM도 일본 진출" [Following TVXQ and Big Bang, 2PM Also Enters Japan]. JTN뉴스 (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
  2. ↑ "2万5000人集結！2PM日本デビューライブで国技館熱狂" [25,000 people gathered! 2PM's Japanese debut concert electrified the Ryogoku Kokugikan arena.]. 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). December 9, 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  3. ↑ "2PM、日本デビューシングルで日本語曲に初挑戦！" [2PM takes on their first Japanese song with their Japanese debut single!]. Oricon. March 7, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  4. ↑ "2PM、デビュー・シングル"Take off"に"Heartbeat"日本語版収録" [2PM's debut single "Take off" includes a Japanese version of "Heartbeat".]. Tower (in Japanese). March 7, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  5. 1 2 "アニメ「青の祓魔師」テーマソングはUVERworld&2PM" [Anime Blue Exorcist Theme song by Uverworld & 2PM]. Natalie (in Japanese). March 9, 2011. Retrieved March 21, 2011.
  6. 1 2 "2PM、日本デビュー・シングル「Take off」が有線1位を獲得！" [2PM's Japanese debut single "Take off" tops the cable music charts!]. CDJournal ニュース (in Japanese). April 18, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  7. 1 2 "2PM、幕張メッセ熱狂" [2PM electrifies Makuhari Messe]. BARKS (in Japanese). May 13, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  8. ↑ "2PM、2011年Zeppツアー発表" [2PM announces 2011 Zepp tour.]. BARKS (in Japanese). December 9, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  9. 1 2 柴, 那典 (August 13, 2018). "SHINeeと2PM、韓国の音楽活動との違いは？ "日本ローカライズ"曲の魅力を考察" [What are the differences between SHINee and 2PM's music activities in Korea and their Japanese localized songs? An examination of the appeal of their "Japanese localized" songs.]. Real Sound｜リアルサウンド (in Japanese). Retrieved July 15, 2026.
  10. 1 2 西門香, 央里 (March 23, 2020). "2PM、爽やかなデビュー曲から"野獣アイドル"な楽曲まで 日本リリースシングルから振り返る音楽的変遷" [2PM: A Look Back at Their Musical Evolution Through Their Japanese Releases, from Their Refreshing Debut Song to Their "Beast Idol" Tracks]. Real Sound｜リアルサウンド (in Japanese). Retrieved July 15, 2026.
  11. ↑ utamapnews (April 25, 2011). "ASIA No,1野獣アイドル2PMの代表曲の日本語ver.テレビで初パフォーマンス決定!!着うた(R)配信スタートも!!". うたまっぷNEWS (in Japanese). Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  12. ↑ "2PM、韓国グループ歴代最高記録樹立" [2PM sets a new record as the highest-selling Korean group of all time.]. BARKS (in Japanese). May 24, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  13. ↑ "2PM、韓国グループ歴代最高のデビューシングル初週5.9万枚" [2PM achieves record-breaking debut single sales of 59,000 copies in its first week for a Korean group.]. Oricon (in Japanese). May 24, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  14. ↑ Loo, Egan (May 23, 2011). "Blue Exorcist Song by 2PM Sells 59,000 in 1st Week". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Take off | 2PM". Oricon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 19, 2025. Retrieved August 27, 2025.
  16. ↑ 박, 영웅 (May 19, 2011). "2PM, 日오리콘 4위..초도주문량 韓가수 역대 최고" [2PM Ranks 4th on Japan's Oricon... Highest Initial Orders Ever for a Korean Singer] (in Korean). 머니투데이 스타뉴스. Retrieved July 9, 2026 – via Daum.
  17. 1 2 박, 영웅 (May 22, 2011). "2PM, 日4만명과 팬미팅 "야수돌 애칭, 큰 영광"" [2PM Holds Fan Meeting with 40,000 in Japan: "Nickname 'Beast Idol' Is a Great Honor"]. 머니투데이 스타뉴스. Retrieved July 9, 2026 – via Daum.
  18. ↑ "2PM、初のハイタッチ会に4万人が集結 2キロに及ぶ長蛇の列" [40,000 people gathered for 2PM's first ever high-five event, forming a line stretching 2 kilometers.]. Oricon. May 21, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  19. ↑ "アジアNo.1野獣アイドル「2PM」がゲームに！" [Asia's No. 1 beast idol group, "2PM," is coming to a game!]. wowKorea（ワウコリア） (in Japanese). January 22, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  20. 1 2 3 . "2PM Japanese discography in Japanese official site. Retrieved June 23, 2011
  21. ↑ (in Japanese) 2011 年06月第1週の邦楽シングルランキング情報 Retrieved June 23, 2011
  22. ↑ "Take off(初回生産限定盤A/DVD付き) | 2PM". オリコンニュース（ORICON NEWS） (in Japanese). Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  23. 1 2 "2PM | Artist". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved July 15, 2026.
  24. ↑ "RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue May 24, 2011" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived from the original on October 9, 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2011.
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