# T-ara (티아라)
**T-ara** (티아라) is a South Korean girl group formed as a second-generation K-pop act, debuting in 2009 with the song "좋은 사람 ver.1" from the OST of the MBC drama *Cinderella Man*.[1](https://www.stagepick.co.kr/artists/detail/jmf66Mogy7y76gj5) The group became known for a run of catchy dance hits in the early 2010s, most notably the retro-disco single "[Roly-Poly](https://www.edgepedia.org/roly-poly)" (롤리폴리), and later drew attention for its activities in China and Japan.[2](https://www.namu.moe/w/%EC%A1%B4%ED%8A%B8%EB%9D%BC%EB%B3%BC%ED%83%80%20%EC%9B%8C%EB%84%88%EB%B9%84) • [3](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20161114010200315) In recent years the group has consisted of four members, Eunjung, Hyomin, Jiyeon, and Qri.[4](https://marriedtothemusicreviews.com/2025/02/12/t-ara-deep-dive-1-2-the-music-behind-the-scandal/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Native name | 티아라 (T-ara) |
| Debut | 2009, with "좋은 사람 ver.1" from the MBC drama *Cinderella Man* OST[1](https://www.stagepick.co.kr/artists/detail/jmf66Mogy7y76gj5) |
| Generation | Second-generation K-pop girl group[5](https://kpop.openblog.com/generations) |
| Signature song | "Roly-Poly" (2011), a retro disco track by Shinsadong Tiger and Choi Kyu-sung[2](https://www.namu.moe/w/%EC%A1%B4%ED%8A%B8%EB%9D%BC%EB%B3%BC%ED%83%80%20%EC%9B%8C%EB%84%88%EB%B9%84) |
| Current members | Eunjung, Hyomin, Jiyeon, and Qri[4](https://marriedtothemusicreviews.com/2025/02/12/t-ara-deep-dive-1-2-the-music-behind-the-scandal/) |
| Last album under MBK | The 2017 EP *What's My Name?*[6](https://www.nme.com/reviews/t-ara-tiki-taka-all-kill-review-3099770) |
| 2011 album sales | 131,063 copies reported for 2011[7](https://bestsellingalbums.org/artist/12718) |
## Debut and early releases
The group entered the scene in 2009 through a soundtrack contribution rather than a conventional debut single, releasing "좋은 사람 ver.1" for the MBC drama *Cinderella Man*.[1](https://www.stagepick.co.kr/artists/detail/jmf66Mogy7y76gj5) An early signature song came with "Bo Peep Bo Peep", around the group's first full album.[8](https://kpopdiscover.com/en/groups/t-ara/) The debut single "Lies" was later recalled by reviewers as the reference point for the group's more melancholy pop side.[9](https://www.allkpop.com/article/2012/07/review-t-ara-day-by-day)
In late 2010 the group released its second mini album *Temptastic*, a six-track record that promoted "yayaya", produced by E-Tribe, and "왜 이러니", composed by the Kim Do-hoon and Lee Sang-ho team, as joint title tracks. "왜 이러니" was described as a pop dance song built on electric guitar and an addictive bass line with a retro feel, with lyrics contributed by the singer Yangpa (이은진).[10](https://www.melon.com/album/detail.htm?albumId=1087651)
## "Roly-Poly" and the retro era
**"Roly-Poly"** became the group's defining hit. The song's title refers to the roly-poly toy, a figure that rights itself however it is knocked over, and it was co-written and co-composed by Shinsadong Tiger and Choi Kyu-sung. The track layered modern elements onto 1980s disco, and T-ara adopted a singing style suited to the song's feel, one that drew comparisons to the [Bee Gees](https://www.edgepedia.org/bee-gees)' "Night Fever".[2](https://www.namu.moe/w/%EC%A1%B4%ED%8A%B8%EB%9D%BC%EB%B3%BC%ED%83%80%20%EC%9B%8C%EB%84%88%EB%B9%84)
The song's commercial standing became a point of discussion years later. On the program *Famous Singers* (유명가수전), the members named "Roly-Poly" as their biggest hit and said it had held the number-two position for eleven weeks without ever reaching number one; their third-ranked hit pick was "Bo Peep Bo Peep", footage of whose promotion thirteen years earlier left the members embarrassed at how young they looked.[11](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1566603)
In 2012 the group released the single "Day by Day", which reviewers noted went against the prevailing trend of upbeat Korean summer songs by taking a darker tone, backed by dramatic orchestration on tracks such as "Don't Leave".[9](https://www.allkpop.com/article/2012/07/review-t-ara-day-by-day)
## Japan, China, and later career
T-ara expanded abroad during the period when K-pop's main markets were Korea, Japan, and China. In a 2016 interview with the [Yonhap News Agency](https://www.edgepedia.org/yonhap-news-agency), the members described their opportunities in China as having come "in a natural flow", comparing their timing to having caught "the last train for the global popularity of K-pop culture" when they entered the Japanese music scene.[3](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20161114010200315)
The 2017 EP *What's My Name?* was the group's final release under its former agency [MBK Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/mbk-entertainment).[6](https://www.nme.com/reviews/t-ara-tiki-taka-all-kill-review-3099770) In 2021 the group returned with the project "Re:T-ARA", releasing "TIKI TAKA", which reviewers received as a comeback that did not fully stand out despite the changed K-pop landscape around it.[6](https://www.nme.com/reviews/t-ara-tiki-taka-all-kill-review-3099770) That same year the group held the fan party "T-ARA 2021 FAN PARTY 〈Hi Queen's - Return of the Queen〉" at Universal Arts Center in Seoul.[1](https://www.stagepick.co.kr/artists/detail/jmf66Mogy7y76gj5)
In August 2026 the four members reunited to celebrate the group's seventeenth anniversary.[12](https://www.allkpop.com/artisttag/t-ara)
## Legacy and influence
T-ara's retro and dance material has continued to circulate among later generations of idols. The girl group [Rocket Punch](https://www.edgepedia.org/rocket-punch) said it studied T-ara's "Roly-Poly" stage performances while preparing its own newtro (newly retro) concept, saying there was much to learn from them.[13](https://www.mk.co.kr/news/musics/9875744) Commentators on the group's 2021 comeback noted that its older classics were still covered by younger-generation idols.[14](https://hallyureviews.wordpress.com/2021/11/15/t-ara-save-the-k-pop-industry-with-their-tiki-taka/) The group is also cataloged among the representative second-generation girl groups in K-pop generation references, alongside acts such as [Wonder Girls](https://www.edgepedia.org/wonder-girls), KARA, and 2NE1.[5](https://kpop.openblog.com/generations)
## References
1. [티아라 - 프로필, 공연 정보, 스테이지픽](https://www.stagepick.co.kr/artists/detail/jmf66Mogy7y76gj5)
2. [존트라볼타 워너비, 나무위키](https://www.namu.moe/w/%EC%A1%B4%ED%8A%B8%EB%9D%BC%EB%B3%BC%ED%83%80%20%EC%9B%8C%EB%84%88%EB%B9%84)
3. [(Yonhap Interview) T-ara cherishes lessons from past, thanks opportunities in China, Yonhap News Agency](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20161114010200315)
4. [T-ara Deep Dive #1/2: The Music Behind The Scandal, Married To The Music](https://marriedtothemusicreviews.com/2025/02/12/t-ara-deep-dive-1-2-the-music-behind-the-scandal/)
5. [K-POP 세대 구분 · K-POP 아카이브](https://kpop.openblog.com/generations)
6. [T-ARA shine on much-wanted comeback project 'Re:T-ARA', but fail to stand out, NME](https://www.nme.com/reviews/t-ara-tiki-taka-all-kill-review-3099770)
7. [T-ARA (티아라) album sales and chart history, Best Selling Albums](https://bestsellingalbums.org/artist/12718)
8. [T-ARA profile in English, KPOP DISCOVER](https://kpopdiscover.com/en/groups/t-ara/)
9. [[Review] T-ara 'Day by Day', allkpop](https://www.allkpop.com/article/2012/07/review-t-ara-day-by-day)
10. [앨범 정보 > 멜론: VOL TWO TEMPTASTIC](https://www.melon.com/album/detail.htm?albumId=1087651)
11. [티아라 "롤리폴리, 11주 동안 2위"…1위 누구길래? (유명가수전2), 엑스포츠뉴스](https://www.xportsnews.com/article/1566603)
12. [Artist Tag - T-ara, allkpop](https://www.allkpop.com/artisttag/t-ara)
13. [로켓펀치 "티아라 '롤리폴리' 영상 보며 뉴트로 공부", 매일경제 스타투데이](https://www.mk.co.kr/news/musics/9875744)
14. [T-ARA Save The K-POP Industry With Their TIKI TAKA, hallyureviews](https://hallyureviews.wordpress.com/2021/11/15/t-ara-save-the-k-pop-industry-with-their-tiki-taka/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music scenes › East and Southeast Asian pop scenes*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license