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"U-Go-Girl" is a song by South Korean recording artist Lee Hyori, featuring rapper Nassun. It was first made available to digital outlets in South Korea a three days prior to the release of her third studio album, It's Hyorish, on July 12, 2008. A dance-pop number with hip hop influences, "U-Go-Girl" was written and produced by songwriting duo E-Tribe, who would later compose Girls' Generation's "Gee" (2009) and Miss A's "Hush" (2013). "U-Go-Girl" was made available via Mnet.com along with the second title track "Hey, Mr. Big" as one of the pre-releases.

Background

Lee's third studio album along with its two title tracks were unveiled on July 9, 2008, and was originally intended to be released a week later on July 16. The album marked Lee's first album since Dark Angel in 2006. Mnet Media initially planned to pre-release five of the upcoming album's songs, including "U-Go-Girl" and "Hey, Mr. Big", on July 14. After several of the album's songs were illegally leaked to YouTube, however, Mnet Media pushed up the release of "U-Go-Girl" to July 12, 2008. The full album was released a day earlier than intended, on July 15.

Composition and promotion

"U-Go-Girl" is a hip-hop dance number with its lyrical content directed towards her female fans, featuring lyrics that loosely translate to "don't be shy, show yourself boldly". Lee appeared and promoted the single on several South Korean music programs, including Music Bank, Show! Music Core, and Inkigayo. In December 2008, Lee performed the song at her first solo concert titled Lee Hyori the Invincible at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium.

Accolades

Music video

The music video for "U-Go-Girl" was shot during the first week of July 2008. An official from Mnet said that the video's concept would be "fit for the summer mood." Upon the video's release, however, it was met with controversy as Lee, who wore a nurse outfit in the video, was accused of representing nurses as a sexual object. Several scenes in the video was also criticized for resembling Christina Aguilera's work. The music video was soon re-uploaded and the controversial scenes were deleted.

Covers

The song has been covered various times by other K-pop artists. Girls' Generation covered "U-Go-Girl" on the 200th episode special of Show Music Core on February 20, 2010. In 2015, the song was performed by Nayeon, Chaeryeong, Mina, and Jeongyeon during the girl group survival show Sixteen; while the show's final lineup, who formed the girl group Twice, performed the same song at the 2016 MBC Korean Music Festival on December 31, 2016. Seventeen also performed a cover of the song at the 2016 SBS Gayo Daejeon, while (G)I-dle covered it on a Show! Music Core special stage on August 11, 2018. Everglow performed a cover of the song for CON:nected Live in 2020, while Itzy's Yuna performed the song at the 2022 KBS Song Festival on December 16.

References

1. 이효리, 14일 3집 수록곡 중 5곡 선공개 [Lee Hyori, pre-release of 5 songs from her 3rd album on the 14th]. Star News (in Korean). July 11, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2021 – via Naver.
2. 이효리, 3집 제목은 '잇츠 효리시(Hyorish)' [Lee Hyori, 3rd album titled 'It's Hyorish']. Yonhap News (in Korean). July 9, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2021 – via Naver.
3. '음원유출' 이효리, 음반 15일로 앞당겨 발매 [Lee Hyori songs leaked, the album will be released earlier on the 15th]. Star News (in Korean). July 14, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2021 – via Naver.
4. "Lee Hyo Ri Vol. 3 - It's Hyorish CD". YesAsia. July 18, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
5. 이효리 3집, '악재' 불구 온라인 장악 [Lee Hyori's 3rd album takes over online despite 'controversy']. Segye Ilbo (in Korean). July 16, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2021 – via Naver.
6. "이효리, '핫팬츠 섹시 퍼포먼스 8000명 만원관중 홀렸다'" [Hyori Lee, 'hot pants sexy performance captivated 8,000 people']. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Naver. December 19, 2008. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
7. "2008 M.net Korean Music Festival Winners list" Archived December 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. MAMA. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
8. "2008 Mnet KM Music Festival Part1" Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. MAMA. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
9. 이효리, 두번째 '인기가요'서 정상 등극 [Lee Hyori ranks top of 'Inkigayo']. Edaily (in Korean). July 27, 2008 – via Daum.
10. 이효리, '인기가요' 2주 연속 뮤티즌송 [Lee Hyori, 'Inkigayo' Mutizen Song for 2 weeks in a row]. Star News (in Korean). August 3, 2008 – via Daum.
11. 이효리 '유-고-걸', '인기가요' 뮤티즌송 3관왕 [Lee Hyori wins 3 Mutizen Songs for 'U-Go-Girl']. My Daily (in Korean). August 10, 2008 – via Daum.
12. Lee, Jung-hyuk (August 3, 2008). 섹시퀸 이효리, 음반 판매 6만장 육박 등 '거침없는 인기' [Sexy Queen Lee Hyori, 'unstoppable popularity' with nearly 60,000 album sales]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021 – via Naver.
13. 이효리, 브레이크 없는 인기 질주..음악 순위 프로 4관왕 [Lee Hyori, sprinting in popularity without a break.. 4 wins in music rankings]. My Daily (in Korean). August 3, 2008 – via Daum.
14. 이효리, 뮤직뱅크 'K-차트' 2주 연속 1위 [Lee Hyori topped Music Bank's 'K-Chart' for 2 weeks in a row]. Star News (in Korean). August 8, 2008 – via Daum.
15. 이효리, 극비리 섹시미 물씬 풍기는 뮤비 촬영 [Lee Hyori, secretly filming a sexy MV]. Star News (in Korean). July 7, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2021 – via Naver.
16. 이효리, 간호사 비하 논란 뮤비 '유고걸' 일부 장면 삭제 [Lee Hyori deletes some scenes from 'You Go Girl' in controversy over nurses]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). July 15, 2008 – via Naver.
17. "소녀시대, 청순버전 '유고걸' 무대 '男心흔들'" [Girls' Generation, innocent version of 'You Go Girl' stage 'shakes men's hearts']. Newsen (in Korean). February 20, 2010. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
18. "'식스틴' 모모, 세 번째 탈락자 됐다 '눈물'" ['Sixteen' Momo becomes the third eliminated, 'tears']. Xports News (in Korean). June 9, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
19. "[2016 SBS 가요대전] 세븐틴, 'S.E.S부터 소녀시대까지 걸그룹 따라잡기'...못하는 게 뭐야?" [ Seventeen, ‘Catching up with girl groups from SES to Girls’ Generation’... What can’t they do?]. Sedaily (in Korean). December 26, 2016. Retrieved February 16, 2024.

• 2008 singles
• 2008 songs
• Lee Hyori songs