''Take Off'' is the third

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

by South Korean boy band

iKon iKon (; stylized as iKON) is a South Korean boy band formed in 2015 by YG Entertainment. The lineup consists of six members: Jay, Song, Bobby, DK, Ju-ne, and Chan. Originally a seven-piece band, B.I departed from the group in June 2019. ...

. It was released on May 4, 2023, by 143 Entertainment, the first release following the expiration of their exclusive contract with

YG Entertainment YG Entertainment () is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational entertainment agency established in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and conce ...

in December 2022. The album comprises ten tracks, among which "U" serves as the lead single, while "Tantara" was pre-released on April 25, 2023. Nine out of the ten songs were either written or co-written, and co-composed by members

Bobby Bobby or Bobbie may refer to: People *Bobby (given name), a list of names * Bobby (surname), a list of surnames * Bobby (actress), from Bangladesh * Bobby (rapper) (born 1995), from South Korea * Bobby (screenwriter) (born 1983), Indian screenwrit ...

, DK, and Ju-ne. The last three tracks of the album are solo songs by Song, DK, and Ju-ne, respectively.

Release and promotion

After signing with 143 Entertainment on January 1, 2023, iKon announced their intention to release a new album in April. Then in early March, iKon announced their Take Off World Tour across Asia, Europe, and North America. On April 4, iKon's label teased their upcoming album, and on April 17, the group officially announced that their third studio album, named ''Take Off'', would be released on May 4, 2023. On April 25, 2023, the first single from the album, "Tantara", and a dance performance video was released. The performance was choreographed by Aiki and the dance team Hook, who also appeared in the video. On May 3, iKon appeared on the variety show ''

Weekly Idol ''Weekly Idol'' () is a South Korean variety show that began in 2011 and aired on Wednesdays at 6:20 PM KST on MBC M, and 12:00 AM KST on MBC Every1. It is one of the longest-running variety shows to air on satellite TV in Japan. The show wa ...

'' for the first time in five years, and performed "Tantara", as well as some of their previous songs. On the same day, they uploaded the music video teaser for their lead single "U". ''Take Off'' was released to

digital music Digital audio is a representation of sound recorded in, or converted into, digital form. In digital audio, the sound wave of the audio signal is typically encoded as numerical samples in a continuous sequence. For example, in CD audio, samp ...

and

streaming Streaming media refers to multimedia delivered through a network for playback using a media player. Media is transferred in a ''stream'' of packets from a server to a client and is rendered in real-time; this contrasts with file downl ...

platforms on May 4, 2023, accompanied by a bright and upbeat music video for "U". iKon appeared on

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 ...

'' on the same day as the album's release. The album's CD's were available for pre-order in two versions: U and Tantara, and were officially released on May 13. iKon kicked off their 2023 Take Off World Tour with a two-day concert in Seoul on May 5–6.

Track listing

Notes * "" (''ttanttara'') is an old-fashioned Korean slang term that is used in a derogatory way to mock or criticize celebrities and individuals who are seen as lacking cultural sophistication or having poor taste. * "" (''yeonghwacheoreom'') is a Korean expression that means "like in a movie", often used to describe a situation or experience that feels like it is straight out of a movie. * "" (''ijeobolge'') is a Korean phrase that means "I'll try to forget" or "I'll try to put it behind me". It is often used when one wants to move on from a past experience or memory and suggests a willingness to let go and move forward. * "" (''yeogikkajingabwa'') is a Korean expression that roughly translates to "I guess this is as far as it goes" or "I think we've reached the end of the line." * "" (''eurachacha'') is a Korean expression that is often used to cheer someone on or to encourage them to do their best. It can be translated to something like "Go, go!" or "Fight, fight!" and is similar in meaning to the English expressions "Hooray!" or "Let's go!"

Release and promotion

Track listing

Charts

Weekly charts

Monthly charts

Release history

References