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"Like the First Time" (Korean: 처음처럼; RR: Cheoeum cheoleom) is a song recorded by South Korean girl group T-ara, released on November 27, 2009, as part of their first Korean studio album, Absolute First Album. The song peaked at number ten on the newly launched Gaon Chart, marking T-ara's sixth top-ten entry. It was ranked as one of the best-selling singles of 2010, with nearly 1.9 million downloads.

Background and release

The promotion of Absolute First Album emphasized dual concepts designed to showcase T-ara's versatility. While the title track, "Bo Peep Bo Peep" highlighted a "charismatic" image, the B-side track "Like the First Time" was presented as "colorful yet classic," reflecting the group's intent to appeal through contrasting charms.

Upon the album's release, Core Contents Media conducted an online poll in order to determine the lead single. Nearly 9,000 respondents from Melon, Cyworld, and Soribada, among others, were given the choice between "Bo Peep Bo Peep" and "Like the First Time", the latter of which won the poll by 53 percent. However, management chose "Bo Peep Bo Peep" as the label intended to present a "180-degree transformation" of T-ara's image.

The song was re-released on Absolute First Album's re-issue Breaking Heart on February 23, 2010. On October 10, 2012, "Like the First Time" was featured on T-ara's first greatest hits album, T-ara's Best of Best 2009–2012: Korean ver along with its music video on the DVD set. It was also recorded in Japanese and released on August 7, 2013, on the group's second Japanese album Treasure Box.

Music video

Release and synopsis

On November 27, 2009, a 45-seconds teaser for the music video was released online. The music video for "Like the First Time" premiered on November 27, 2009, on South Korean media player GOMTV. It wasn't until November 30, 2013, that the music video was officially released on YouTube, licensed by 1thek. The video humorously depicts a country girl's makeover into a polished, sophisticated woman to impress her blind date.

Critical reception

In a review published on November 27, 2009, an editor for Chosun highlighted T-ara's transformation from the "cute sexy bunny girl" concept of "Bo Peep Bo Peep" to "retro girls," embracing 70s and 80s disco-inspired hairstyles and fashion. The review particularly praised Hyomin, dubbed the "goddess pose," for her expressive performance, including scenes where she dons black horn-rimmed glasses and pigtails, which added charm to the narrative.

Promotion and live performances

"Like the First Time" was scheduled to be promoted in January 2010, yet their appearances quickly ceased as main vocalist So-yeon contracted H1N1, as did promotions for Absolute First Album as a whole. Jiyeon, was also absent due to filming for the drama Master of Study.

Reception

Commercial performance

"Like the First Time debuted at number ten on Gaon weekly singles chart. It was also one of the best-selling singles of 2010 nearly 1.9 million downloads. It also ranked as the 8th biggest song of the year by streaming service Bugs!, based on streams and downloads from November 5, 2009 to November 3, 2010.

Critical reception

"Like the First Time" received mainly positive reviews. In 2010, Park Chan-ki of Helco Media praised T-ara's shift to a mature, sexy concept as a strong step toward maturity, highlighting the one-shoulder mini dresses, tube tops, and thigh-high boots which exuded confidence, while the retro glam waves in their hair completed the bold look. The reporter also noted T-ara's choice of subtle, mini-sized jewelry, setting them apart from other girl groups like 4Minute and 2NE1, with their understated, clean approach that showcased their natural charm. Director Lee Kot-nim of Jun Oh Hair also noted, “While the glam look is central, the makeup emphasizes femininity with soft cat-eye accents and a pink lip color, balancing the bold outfits and showing both elegance and sexiness.”

In September 2013, an editor for Bugs!, selected the song as one of the best songs from 2010. In 2017, Jacques Peterson of SBS PopAsia "Like the First Time" as among the group's best singles. Members Qri, Hyomin, and Eun-jung have named the song as their all-time favorite track. In 2024, NME ranked side-track the song at number four on its list of T-ara's best songs to date describing it as an understated cut from their debut album.

Release history

References

1. 스타뉴스 (2009-11-27). "티아라 신곡, '처음처럼' vs '보핍보핍' 실시간 1위 다툼" [T-ara's new song, 'Like the First Time' vs. 'Bo Peep Bo Peep' fight for real-time 1st place]. 스타뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-12-20.
2. ^ Positions on the Gaon Digital Chart:
   • "Bo Peep Bo Peep", "Like the First Time", "TTL (Time To Love)". January 2, 2010. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013.
3. ^ Cumulative sales for "Like the First Time":
   • "Download Chart (Domestic) – 2010 (see #50)". KMCIA. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
4. Lee, Jae-hwan (November 24, 2009). "티아라 첫 정규앨범 발표 컴백" [T-ara's first full-length album release comesback]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 27, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
5. (in Korean) 티아라 ‘처음처럼’VS‘보핍보핍’ 1위경쟁 후끈...타이틀곡은? (처음처럼 vs. Bo Peep Bo Peep) Archived April 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Newsen. November 27, 2009.
6. Kim, Ji-yeon (December 2, 2009). 티아라,'처음처럼' 타이틀곡 결정 53% 지지. Star News (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
7. "티아라 '보핍보핍' 뮤비, 청소년용-성인용 두가지 버전으로 공개!" [T-ara's 'Bo Peep Bo Peep' music video released in two versions: youth and adult!]. pickcon.co.kr. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
8. 조선일보 (2020-08-03). "티아라 '보핍보핍' 뮤비, 정지아 파격 러브신 눈길" [T-ara's 'Bo Peep Bo Peep' music video, Jung Ji-ah's shocking love scene catches the eye]. 조선일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-12-20.
9. "티아라 소연 '공신' 촬영 중 실신 응급실行 '신종플루 의심판정'" [T-ara Soyeon faints during filming of 'Gongshin', goes to emergency room 'Suspected of having new flu']. newsen (in Korean). 2010-01-28. Archived from the original on 2024-10-01. Retrieved 2024-12-19.
10. 프라임경제. "티아라, '처음처럼' 첫 무대" [T-ara Like the First Time first stage]. 프라임경제 (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-12-20.
11. "2AM '죽어도 못보내', 2010 벅스뮤직 종합차트 1위 기염" [2AM 'I Can't Let You Go Even If I Die', 2010 Bugs Music Comprehensive Chart #1]. 아시아경제 (in Korean). 2010-11-26. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
12. Bugs PD (November 23, 2010). "2010 벅스 연말 종합 Top 100" [2010 Bugs Year-End Comprehensive Top 100]. Bugs!. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
13. Park, Chan-ki (2010-01-16). "CF로 9억원 벌어들인 티아라, '男心' 사로잡은 매력 포인트는 무엇?" [T-ara earned 900 million won through CFs, what is the charm that captured men's hearts?]. Helco Media (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-12-20.
14. "2010년 베스트 가요 콜렉션 / 연도별가요" [Best Song Collection of 2010]. 벅스! (in Korean). September 29, 2013. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
15. ^ Peterson, Jacques (June 13, 2017). "9 of the best T-ara singles". SBS PopAsia. Special Broadcasting Service. Archived from the original on June 17, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
16. Chin, Carmen (2024-07-29). "The 10 best T-ARA songs". NME. Retrieved 2024-08-29.