It was released for digital download on January 1, 2013, by SM Entertainment, and was made available for physical sales the following day by KT Music.

Musically, the album is characterized as combining elements from a wide range of genres including R&B, new wave, and EDM.

The second single, "I Got a Boy", was released on January 1, 2013, and was subjected to major attention from Western media outlets following its winning Video of the Year at the inaugural YouTube Music Awards.

"I Got a Boy" is an electronic dance song that mixes pop, retro, and urban genres.

The album also contains "Lost in Love (유리아이)", a duet by Taeyeon and Tiffany expresses the changes of heart that accepts the breakup with a lover as time passes.

The track "Promise" is a mid-tempo soul ballad composed and arranged by British songwriter Joseph Belmaati in his debut collaboration with the group.

David Jeffries from AllMusic called the album an "explosion," writing: "Fans will embrace it with open arms, while mega-fans should also clear some shelf space since the physical edition of the album was made available with ten different covers, one for each member of the group and then one with the whole crew.

Idology's Mimryo likewise complimented the musicality of the title track, although he expressed boredom with the remainder of the record.

[15] A week after the release of "Dancing Queen," the song was number one on the Gaon Single chart.

[19] Seven members appeared on Mnet's Wide Open Studio program prior to their comeback performance, Yuri and Hyoyeon were not present as they were preparing to emcee M!

[22] The group also performed five songs from the album on their MBC comeback special; Girls' Generation's Romantic Fantasy on January 1, 2013.

[25] On KBS Yoo Hee-Yeol's Sketchbook, the group performed "I Got a Boy", "Dancing Queen", and "Lost in Love".

The album was officially tour promoted on Girls' Generation World Tour Girls & Peace, began on June 8, 2013, in Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Seoul, South Korea, finished on February 15, 2014, in Cotai Arena, Macau.