2NE1 [YG Entertainment]

Girl group 2NE1 has topped Japan's prestigious Oricon chart on the week of their debut.

Oricon's official website showed on Tuesday that the girls' debut mini-album "NOLZA," released on September 21, took first place on Oricon's chart ending the week of October 3 after selling 26,000 copies.

This is the first time for a female K-pop artist to top the weekly chart immediately following their debut and the third time for a foreign artist to achieve the feat after Russian female duo t.A.T.u. in 2003 and Korean male singer Jang Keun-suk in April of this year.

2NE1 had also topped Oricon's daily chart last week as well as topping iTunes Japan's pop albums chart.

"We're so happy that we still can't believe what has happened. We'll try hard to show a new side to us through the next project we pursue and we hope to make ourselves known to more Japanese people," CL was quoted as saying on Oricon's website.

2NE1 has been on tour in Japan since last week to promote their release composed of "I AM THE BEST," "UGLY," "LONELY," "HATE YOU" and "DON'T STOP THE MUSIC," the tracks to the girls' second mini-album in Korea.

They will release their first original Japanese single on November 16 which will be produced in two editions.

Formed of members Park Bom, CL, Sandara Park and Minzy, 2NE1 has been one of the most popular girl groups in Korea since making their debut in May 2009.

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10 아시아 Jessica Kim jesskim@
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