Step (Kara song)

"Step" is a song by South Korean girl group Kara from their third Korean-language studio album (fourth overall) of the same name. It was released as the lead single from the album on September 6, 2011, via DSP Media. The song was both written and produced by Han Jae-ho and Kim Seung-soo of Sweetune, who had worked on many of the group's previous records. In Japan, the song was made available to digital platforms on February 22, 2012, although no physical single was released for the song.

"Step"
Japanese digital single cover
Single by Kara
from the album Step
ReleasedSeptember 6, 2011 (2011-09-06)
Recorded2011
Genre
Length3:21
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Han Jae-ho
  • Kim Seung-soo
Producer(s)Sweetune
Kara singles chronology
"Jumping"
(2010)		 "Step"
(2011)		 "Pandora"
(2012)
Music video
"Step'" on YouTube

Commercially, "Step" peaked at number two on both Gaon and the K-pop Hot 100, garnering over 2,780,000 downloads throughout 2011. In Japan, it also peaked at number two on the RIAJ digital chart and number 38 on the Japan Hot 100. The song has been positively received by critics—it was ranked at number 14 on Spin's list of 21 Greatest K-pop Songs of All Time[1] and number 17 on Billboard's list of Top 100 K-pop Songs of the 2010s.[2] An arranged version of "Step" was featured in the international arcade music games DJ Max Technika 3 and Pump It Up Fiesta 2.

Background and artwork

On August 22, "Step" was announced by DSP Media as the lead single for the group's third full-length album, titled "Step", slated for release on September 6.[3][4] The song was also included onto the limited edition of the group's second Japanese studio album, Super Girl. The Japanese version of the song was released on February 29, 2012, and is also included as a bonus track on the group's sixth Japanese single, "Speed Up / Girl's Power".

Critical reception

Jen Erenza from Ryan Seacrest Blog described the video as "colorful" with "out-of-this-world scenes" and asserted, "With their super cute styles and head-bopping music, there is no doubt their popularity will rise stupendously!".[5] Edge Media named it the 10th best K-pop song of 2011,[6] while Spin ranked it number 14 in their list of the 21 greatest K-pop songs of all time.[1] "Step" was ranked number 17 in Billboard's 2019 ranking of best K-pop songs of the decade, with the publication writing "In an industry defined by genre-blending and experimentalism, 'Step' holds nothing back while surging forward in confidence that it is one of the purest pop confections out of K-pop this decade."[7]

Music video
Kara as they appear in the music video

The full music video officially premiered on September 6. The video features the group dancing in front of microphones while dressed in deep blue clothes with colorful patterns. In the background, there are bright lighting signs that show the names of the group's past hit songs. In other scenes, the group can be seen individually in a bright room with colored walling dressed in colored neon clothing while jumping up. During the bridge of the song, the girls are seen dressed in glittering dresses and holding onto microphone stands in a plain white room.

Live performances

The group began performing the song on TV music programs starting in September 15, on Mnet's M! Countdown. They also performed "Date (My Boy)" and "With My Heart (Dear Kamilia)" as a part of the group's performance. Due to the group's commitments with their schedule in Japan, they only performed the song on a few music shows for a total of three weeks.[4]

Accolades
Music program awards
Program Date Ref.
M Countdown September 15, 2011 [8]
September 22, 2011
Music Bank September 16, 2011 [9]
September 23, 2011
Inkigayo September 25, 2011

Charts

Release history
Region Release date Format Label
South Korea September 6, 2011 Digital download DSP Media
Japan February 22, 2012 (Recochoku)
February 29, 2012 (iTunes)		 Universal Sigma

References
  1. David Bevan and Chuck Eddy (June 1, 2012). "The 21 Greatest K-Pop Songs of All Time". Spin. Archived from the original on May 29, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
  2. "Top 100 K-pop songs of all time revealed". Manila Bulletin. August 29, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  3. "카라, 9월 전격 컴백…소녀시대와 정면승부?" [Kara to make a comeback in September... Head-to-head with Girls' Generation?]. JoyNews24 (in Korean). Naver. July 15, 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
  4. "카라 '너무 바빠' 9월 국내 컴백 '3주만 활동'" [Kara's 'too busy' September domestic comeback 'only 3 weeks active']. Newsen (in Korean). Nate. August 5, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  5. "On Air with Ryan Seacrest - News & More from the Live Radio Show". On Air with Ryan Seacrest. Archived from the original on May 19, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  6. St. Amand, Jason (December 29, 2011). "What Runs the World? 2011's Top 10 K-Pop Songs". Edge Media Network. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  7. "The 100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of the 2010s: Staff List". Billboard. November 25, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  8. "카라 '2주연속 엠카운트다운 1위' 경사났네". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  9. 카라, '뮤직뱅크' 2주 연속 1위 등극. n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 11, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2021 – via Naver.
  10. "Kara Billboard Chart History – Japan Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  11. "RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue October 4, 2011" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Archived from the original on May 7, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  12. "Digital Chart – Week 38 of 2011". Circle Chart. September 11–17, 2011. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  13. "Korea K-Pop Hot 100 Music Chart". Billboard. September 8, 2011. Archived from the original on September 20, 2012. Retrieved September 15, 2011.
  14. "Digital Chart – Week 49 of 2022". Circle Chart. December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  15. "South Korea Songs". Billboard. December 13, 2022. Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  16. "Digital Chart – 2011". Circle Chart. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
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