A-Cha (song)

"A-Cha"
Single by Super Junior
from the album A-Cha
Language	Korean Japanese
Released	September 19, 2011 (2011-09-19)
Recorded	2011
Studio	SM Yellow Tail (Seoul)
Genre	Electrohouse[1] rock[1]
Length	3:18
Label	SM KMP
Composer(s)	Hitchhiker
Lyricist(s)	Kim Boo-min [ko] (KR) Leonn (JP)
Producer(s)	Hitchhiker
Super Junior singles chronology
"Mr. Simple" (2011) "A-Cha" (2011) "Santa U Are the One" (2011)
Music video
"A-Cha" on YouTube

"A-Cha" is a song recorded by South Korean boy band Super Junior that was released on September 19, 2011, by their label SM Entertainment and distributed by KMP Holdings as the lead single for their fourth reissue album A-Cha, a reissue of the group's fifth studio album, Mr. Simple. The Japanese version of the track is featured on the group's debut Japanese studio album, Hero which was released in 2013.

Background

Following the release of the Mr. Simple album in August 2011, Super Junior announced plans for album reissue called A-Cha along with its lead single of the same name on September 15.^[2] "A-Cha" was released on September 19, the same day as the reissue album's release.

Composition

"A-Cha" features the vocals of nine active members — Leeteuk, Heechul, Yesung, Sungmin, Shindong, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Ryeowook, and Kyuhyun. Kangin was away on mandatory military service.^[3]

The song is based on electrohouse and rock which separated it from the group's existing dance songs such as "Sorry, Sorry" and "Bonamana" that were dubbed as "SJ Funky."^[4] The song's melody was composed and arranged by Hitchiker. It was composed in the key of D major with the tempo of 125 beats per minute.^[5]

Its lyrics were penned by Kim Boo-min, narrating the song akin to Alonso Quijano of the Don Quixote novel, a character trying to hold on to his wavering lover.^[6]

Music video

The teaser for the music video was released on the evening of September 23 on SM Town's YouTube and Facebook pages.^[7] The full music video was released on the following day.

Commercial performance

In South Korea, "A-Cha" peaked at number 15 on Gaon Digital Chart for the 40th week of 2011, ranging from September 18 to September 24 and peaked at number 19 on the Korea K-Pop Hot 100.^[8][9] It sold 710,531 units.^[10][11]

In the United States, on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart, "A-Cha" peaked on number 2, spending 10 weeks on the chart.^[12]

Live performances

Super Junior debuted "A-Cha" live on MBC's Show! Music Core on September 23.^[13] The group performed the song during their appearances at KBS' Music Bank and SBS' Inkigayo on September 25.^[14]

The song is later included in the setlist of the group's debut world tour, Super Show 4.^[15]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2011)	Peak position
South Korea (Gaon)[8]	15
South Korea (K-pop Hot 100)[9]	19
US (World Digital Song Sales) (Billboard)[12]	2

Credits

Credits adapted from album's liner notes.^[16]

Studio

• SM Yellow Tail – recording, mixing
• Sonic Korea – mastering

Personnel

• SM Entertainment – executive producer
• Lee Soo-man – producer
• Super Junior – vocals
• Hitchiker – producer, composition, arrangement, vocal directing, background vocals, sound programming, guitar, synthesizer
• Kim Boo-min – Korean lyrics
• Leonn – Japanese lyrics
• Koo Jong-pil – mastering

Release history

Release history for "A-Cha"

Region	Date	Version	Format	Label
Various	September 19, 2011	Korean	Digital download streaming	SM KMP
	July 24, 2013	Japanese		Avex Trax

References

1. Kim, Ha-jin (September 24, 2011). "슈퍼주니어, 강렬해진 'A-CHA'로 돌풍예고" [Super Junior makes a splash with 'A-CHA']. Herald Corporation (in Korean). Retrieved November 14, 2024.
2. Kwon, Soo-bin (September 15, 2011). "슈주 5집 리패키지 발매, 후속곡 활동 돌입" [Shuju 5th album repackage released, follow-up activities begin]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved November 17, 2024.
3. Lee, Eun-jung (June 18, 2010). "슈주 강인, 7월5일 현역 입대" [Shuju Kang-in enlisted for active duty on July 5]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
4. Baek, Ji-eun (September 16, 2011). "슈퍼주니어, 19일 'A-CHA' 공개! 'SJ펑크' 아니다" [Super Junior will release 'A-CHA' on the 19th! It's not 'SJ Punk']. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved November 19, 2024.
5. "A-CHA Key & BPM". Tunebat. September 19, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
6. Yoon, Sung-yeol (September 15, 2011). "슈퍼주니어, 19일 '아차' 로 후속활동 돌입" [Super Junior begins follow-up activities with 'Oops' on the 19th]. Star News (in Korean). Retrieved November 19, 2024.
7. Lee, Eun-jung (September 23, 2011). "슈퍼주니어, 5집 리패키지 음반 활동" [Super Junior, 5th Repackage Album]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Seoul: Naver. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
8. "2011년 40주차 Digital Chart" [Week of 40 of 2011 Digital Chart]. Gaon (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 15, 2021.
9. "BILLBOARD KOREA K-POP HOT 100". Billboard. October 8, 2011. Archived from the original on September 12, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
10. "Gaon Download Chart – 2011 년" [Gaon Download Chart for September 2011]. Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on April 16, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
11. "Gaon Download Chart – 2011년 10월" [Gaon Download Chart for October 2011]. Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on March 23, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
12. "Super Junior World Digital Song Sales Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
13. Jung, Ji-won (September 20, 2011). "예성-빅토리아 "새로운 커플은 바로 나" 다정 셀카 화제" [Yesung-Victoria "The new couple is me" Affectionate selfie topic]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved November 19, 2024.
14. Choi, Bo-ran (September 23, 2011). "슈주, 'A-CHA' 티저영상 공개…후속활동 시동" [Shuju Releases Teaser Video for 'A-CHA'... Start a follow-up activity]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved November 19, 2024.
15. "SUPER JUNIOR WORLD TOUR SUPER SHOW4 LIVE in JAPAN". Super Junior Japan. Avex Trax. October 30, 2012. Archived from the original on February 5, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
16. Super Junior (2011). A-Cha (photobook). South Korea: SM Entertainment; KMP Holdings. Credits.