Sugar Free (T-ara Song)
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"Sugar Free" () is a single recorded by South Korean girl group
T-ara T-ara (; ) is a South Korean girl group formed in 2009, currently consisting of four members: Qri, Hahm Eun-jung, Eunjung, Hyomin, and Park Ji-yeon, Jiyeon. T-ara's career is marked by Hook (music), hook-heavy dance-pop music, a result of their ...
. Released on September 11, 2014, it served as the lead track for the group's sixth
extended play An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...
, '' And & End''. Commercially, the song marked T-ara's highest career charting on ''Billboard''s
World Digital Song Sales The World Digital Song Sales chart (formerly World Digital Songs) is a weekly record chart compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by ''Billboard'' magazine. Established in 2010—its first issue was dated January 23—as one of 21 genre-speci ...
chart."Sugar Free": On September 24, a
limited edition The terms special edition, limited edition, and variants such as deluxe edition, collector's edition or expanded edition are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as b ...
remix album A remix album is an album consisting of remixes or rerecorded versions of an artist's earlier released material. The first act who employed the format was American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson ('' Aerial Pandemonium Ballet'', 1971). As of 200 ...
featuring eight remixes and original
demos Demos may refer to: Computing * DEMOS, a Soviet Unix-like operating system * DEMOS (ISP), the first internet service provider in the USSR * Demos Commander, an Orthodox File Manager for Unix-like systems * Plural for Demo (computer programming ...
was released. It also was the group's first and only song recorded in English. "Sugar Free" earned T-ara the Group of the Year award at 3rd V Chart Awards and was nominated for the main prize (
bonsang K-pop (; an abbreviation of "Korean popular music") is a form of popular music originating in South Korea. It emerged in the 1990s as a form of youth subculture, with Korean musicians taking influence from Western dance music, hip-hop, R&B a ...
) and the Hallyu Special Award at the
Seoul Music Awards The Seoul Music Awards (; SMA) is a major South Korean music awards show presented by the newspaper Seoul Shinmun, ''Sports Seoul''. The award winners are selected based on a combination of criteria, including music sales, popular votes, and exp ...
. The music video received the Best Dance Video award at the 4th MTV Best of the Best Awards.


Background and release

On August 6, 2014, it was announced that T-ara would be returning with a new album scheduled for release the following month. Their label,
MBK Entertainment MBK Entertainment () was a South Korean entertainment company established by Kim Kwang-soo. MBK Entertainment is known for managing multiple successful K-pop artists, such as T-ara, DIA, Davichi, SeeYa, F-ve Dolls, Shannon, Coed School, and S ...
, later confirmed a mid-September release date. "Sugar Free" was officially released on streaming platforms on September 11, 2014.


EDM Club Sugar Free Edition

A remix album, titled ''EDM Club Sugar Free Edition,'' was released on September 24, 2014, showcasing various remixed versions of "Sugar Free" in both Korean and English.' On October 9, a representative of T-ara revealed that the remix album was a
limited edition The terms special edition, limited edition, and variants such as deluxe edition, collector's edition or expanded edition are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as b ...
, with an initial print run of only 7,000 copies. Despite receiving over 20,000 pre-orders, the company decided to produce just 2,000 additional copies, keeping it highly exclusive. Additionally, "Sugar Free (Chuckie Remix)", was released on October 7, 2014, and included as part of the limited edition album.


Composition

"Sugar Free" is an EDM-inspired track in the Big Room genre characterized by its energetic beats and rap-style melody. The song was produced by
Shinsadong Tiger Lee Ho-yang (June 3, 1983 – February 23, 2024), known professionally as Shinsadong Tiger, was a South Korean music producer and songwriter. After debuting in 2001 at the age of 18, he still worked several odd jobs to fund his music career. H ...
, who previously collaborated with the group on hit tracks such as " Roly-Poly", " Lovey-Dovey", and " Number 9", alongside Beom & Nang. The ''EDM Club Sugar Free Edition'' album includes a total of 18 tracks, featuring remixes of "Sugar Free" in both Korean and English. The album also contains the original version of the song featuring, which features LE of
EXID EXID (; ; initialism for "Exceed in Dreaming") is a South Korean girl group formed in 2012. The group consists of five members: Solji, Elly, Hani, Hyelin, and Jeonghwa. EXID debuted in February 2012, with the single "Whoz That Girl". Thou ...
, and an additional remix by Dutch DJ Chuckie.


Creative direction

According to ''
Financial News ''Financial News'' is a weekly financial newspaper published in London and news website, founded in 1996. It is published by eFinancial News Limited, and provides news and opinions regarding the financial services sector, and information ab ...
'', T-ara took an innovative approach for their comeback by embracing the Big Room genre with "Sugar Free", a high-energy style of electronic dance music. The song draws a parallel between an empty romantic relationship and a
sugar-free A sugar substitute or artificial sweetener, is a food additive that provides a sweetness like that of sugar while containing significantly less food energy than sugar-based sweeteners, making it a zero-calorie () or low-calorie sweetener. Ar ...
drink. The group's signature choreography brings the lyrics to life, with dynamic movements highlighting the song's themes. Complemented by a flashy music video featuring vibrant visuals and stylish, on-trend outfits, the comeback captured attention for its modern and distinctive creative direction.


Music videos


Background and release

Three versions of the "Sugar Free" music video were simultaneously released on September 10, 2014, via
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
. The videos premiered on Core Content Media's official YouTube channel,
Genie Music Genie Music (), a subsidiary of KT Corporation, is a South Korean company that specializes in the production and distribution of music content. Its music streaming service is the second most used in South Korea with 2.5 million subscribers as ...
's channel, and T-ara's official
Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
page. However, the version uploaded to Genie Music's channel was later deleted and never re-uploaded.


Synopsis

The music video for "Sugar Free" showcases T-ara members in a vibrant club setting, performing symobolic choreography that reflects the song's lyrics. Enhanced by sophisticated lighting effects and trendy outfits. Meanwhile, the ''EDM Club'' version of the music video places the members in an actual nightclub, featuring the audio from the "Sugar Free" original version remix.


Critical reception

The Korean newspaper ''Sports Khan'' praised the music video for "Sugar Free", highlighting T-ara's members' dynamic performance and their ability to showcase a more mature and refined charm.. It received the Best Dance Video award at the ''4th MTV Best of The Best Awards.''


Commercial performance

According to ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'', "Sugar Free" was the third most watched K-pop video globally in September 2014, and the fourth most-watched in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, ranking second among girl groups on both charts. The song also achieved significant success in
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, topping
YinYueTai YinYueTai (), is a music video sharing website in China. Launched in 2009, the site became China's most visited music video website by 2015. As of December 2019, YinYueTai is rumored to have been closed down. The website first published charts r ...
's weekly chart, the country's largest video-streaming platform. By May 2016, "Sugar Free" had become the second most-watched music videos on
YinYueTai YinYueTai (), is a music video sharing website in China. Launched in 2009, the site became China's most visited music video website by 2015. As of December 2019, YinYueTai is rumored to have been closed down. The website first published charts r ...
, amassing nearly 123 million views, surpassing
PSY Park Jae-sang (; born December 31, 1977), better known by his stage name Psy ( ; ), is a South Korean rapper and singer-songwriter, known domestically for his humorous music videos and stage performances and internationally for his hit singl ...
's "
Gangnam Style "Gangnam Style" () is a K-pop song by South Korean singer Psy, released on July 15, 2012, by YG Entertainment as the lead single of his sixth studio album, ''Psy 6 (Six Rules), Part 1'' (''Ssai Yukgap Part 1''). The term "Gangnam Style" is a n ...
". T-ara's 2013 single " Number Nine" held the top spot with approximately 133 million views.


Promotion and live performances

"Sugar Free" was promoted on major South Korean music shows including
Mnet M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...
's ''
M Countdown ''M Countdown'' () is a South Korean music program broadcast by Mnet from the CJ E&M Center Studio in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul. It features appearances by popular music artists who also perform live on stage. First hosted by Leeteuk ...
'', SBS's ''
Inkigayo ''Inkigayo'' (; English title: ''The Music Trend'', previously ''Popular Song'') is a South Korean music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday. The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform on stage. ...
'', KBS's ''Music Bank'' and MBC's ''
Show! Music Core ''Show! Music Core'' (), or simply ''Music Core'' is a South Korean music television program broadcast by MBC. It airs live every Saturday at 15:30 (KST). The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform live on stage. I ...
''. The live performances received praise for their
funky Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the mi ...
outfit choices, particularly the ripped jeans that exuded off a sense of freedom. The group was commended for delivering an attractive performance without resorting to excessive gestures. In a positive review by ''E Today'', T-ara's ''Show! Music Core'' live stage was described as a "splendid performance", with the outlet praising their engaging choreography and stylish, form-fitting black and white
jumpsuits A jumpsuit is a one-piece garment with sleeves and legs and typically without integral coverings for feet, hands or head. The original jump suit is the functional one-piece garment used by parachutists. The original skydivers' jumpsuits were ...
. On September 11, 2014, T-ara debuted "Sugar Free" at the ''
2014 Asian Games The 2014 Asian Games (), officially known as the 17th Asian Games () and also known as Incheon 2014 (), were a pan-Asian multi-sport event held from 19 September to 4 October 2014 in Incheon, South Korea. On 17 April 2007, Incheon was awarded ...
''. Organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the event was attended by former government officials and several high-profile figures, including, former
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
Chung Hong-won Jung Hong-won (; born 9 October 1944) is a South Korean politician who served as the prime minister of South Korea from 2013 to 2015 under President Park Geun-hye. Jung is a former member of the Saenuri Party. Early life and education Jung gr ...
, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Kim Jong-duck Kim Jong-duck (; born 4 June 1961) is a South Korean professional golfer. Kim played on the Asia Golf Circuit in the mid-1990s, winning for the first time at the Maekyung Open in 1994. Victory in the Japan Golf Tour co-sanctioned Kirin Open in ...
, President of the Korea Sports & Olympics Council Kim Jeong-haeng, heads of each sports organization, and heads of provincial and municipal sports associations. The song was also performed at the ''
Daegu Daegu (; ), formerly spelled Taegu and officially Daegu Metropolitan City (), is a city in southeastern South Korea. It is the third-largest urban agglomeration in South Korea after Seoul and Busan; the fourth-largest List of provincial-level ci ...
International Fashion Culture Festival'' and the ''Incheon Hallyu Tourism'' .Concert.


Reception


Commercial performance

"Sugar Free" peaked at number 36 on Gaon's weekly chart and number 61 on its monthly chart. It debuted at number 4 on ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'''s Digital song sales chart, marking T-ara's highest-ranking song on the chart to date."Sugar Free": By the end of October 2014, the song had sold nearly 122,000 digital copies. The ''EDM Club Sugar Free Edition'' remix album debuted at number 8 on Gaon' weekly album chart and at number 14 on the monthly chart. In
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
, the album entered
Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that ...
's weekly album chart at number 181. Although it received 20,000 pre-orders, only 9,500 copies were produced due to its initial conception as a limited edition release.


Critical reception

"Sugar Free" received generally positive reviews from critics. Scott Interrante of ''
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...
'' praised the song's use of
synths A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis an ...
, describing the "saccharine and overly processed" vocals as fitting perfectly with the song's overall vibe, concluding that "Sugar Free is as good as one could hope it to be.". The song was also ranked at No. 7 on ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...
'''s list of the best T-ara songs, with the publication highlighting its success in becoming a staple track in clubs across Asia..


Usage in media

On February 5, 2016, "Sugar Free" (Big Room Ver.) was added to the playlist of the Japanese game ''Neon FM.'' he song had also been included in ''Pump It Up Prime 2'''s song list in 2014 and was featured again in 2016.


Accolades


Listicles

In 2014, ''Kenh14'', a
Vietnamese Vietnamese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia * Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam ** Overseas Vietnamese, Vietnamese people living outside Vietna ...
website, ranked "Sugar Free" at No. 12 among the best K-pop girl group girl-crush songs. In 2017, '' SBS's PopAsia'' Jeff Benjamen placed the song at No.8 his list of T-ara's best singles. Most recently, In 2024, "Sugar Free" was selected as the seventh-best T-ara song by UK magazine ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...
''.


Charts


Weekly charts


Monthly charts


Sales


Release history


References

{{T-ara T-ara songs 2014 songs 2014 singles Electronic dance music songs