BigBang (South Korean band)

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BigBang
  • BigBang in 2012
  • L-R: G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesung
Background information
OriginSeoul, South Korea
Genres
Years active
  • 2006–2018
  • 2022
Labels
Spinoffs
Members
Past members
Websitewww.ygbigbang.com[dead link]

BigBang (Korean빅뱅; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean boy band formed by YG Entertainment. The group consists of three members: G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesung. Originally a five-piece band, Seungri retired from the entertainment industry in March 2019[2] and T.O.P left in May 2023.[3] Dubbed the "Kings of K-pop", they helped spread the Korean Wave internationally and are considered one of the most influential acts in K-pop.[4][5][6][7][8][9] They are known for their trendsetting musical experimentation, self-production, and stage presence.[10][11]

Although their debut album,

Alive (2012), and Made Series (2016)—all of which were certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan
(RIAJ).

After a two-year hiatus in South Korea, the quintet returned with their fourth

Made (2016), was preceded by several chart-topping singles and won the group Artist of the Year awards at the 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards for the third time and at the 2015 Melon Music Awards. Its supporting tour, the Made World Tour, attracted 1.5 million people and set a new record for the most-attended concert tour headlined by a Korean act in history at the time.[13][14]

Eleven of BigBang's singles have reached number one on South Korea's

most powerful celebrities in South Korea from 2009 to 2016 (placing 2nd in 2009, 2012 and 2014); and they were the first Korean artists to be included on the Forbes Celebrity 100 (2016) and 30 Under 30 list of most influential musicians in the world (2017).[15][16]

History

2000–2006: Formation and debut

Prior to the group's debut, a few of the members were already exposed to the entertainment industry. G-Dragon and Taeyang were the first ones to receive training under YG Entertainment at the age of eleven. After G-Dragon was approached by YG Entertainment for possible candidates to start a boy group, G-Dragon contacted T.O.P, his childhood friend, leading to the latter to audition.[17] At the time, T.O.P was an underground rapper under the stage name "Tempo".[18] One of his most popular tracks was "Buckwild" with NBK Gray.[19] Seungri first appeared on the reality television series Let's Cokeplay: Mnet Battle Shinhwa, a show in which idol group Shinhwa search for members to make up the "second-generation Shinhwa".[20][21] The original lineup consisted of six members: the aforementioned ones along with Daesung and Hyun-seung, who were both auditioned in. Their formation was documented on television; prior to their official debut, Hyun-seung was dropped.[22][23] The Internet broadcast of the documentary exceeded one million views.[24]

BigBang held their official debut on August 19, 2006, at

Bigbang 03, followed, with final sales nearing 40,000 copies.[27] The quintet received the award of New Artist of the Month for October in the 2006 Cyworld Digital Music Awards.[28] In December, the group held their first concert, The Real, at Olympic Gymnastics Arena for 12,000 fans.[29] The release of their debut album, BigBang Vol. 1 – Since 2007 (2006) followed. Debuting at no. 3, the album went on to sell over 110,000 copies.[30]

2007–2008: Mainstream popularity and Japanese debut

BigBang at MTV Fast Forward, Thailand, December 2007

On February 8, 2007, BigBang released their live concert album, The First / Real Live Concert, which sold 30,000 copies by the end of the year.

Lies".[33] The EP also saw the introduction of electronic music for BigBang. Receptions were fairly positive, most notably in regards to "Lies", which critics described as "through the roof".[34] Released as the lead single, it became their first number one hit and the album sold over 120,000 copies.[33] Topping music charts for six weeks,[35] "Lies" went to become the first song to win the Song of the Month award from the Cyworld Digital Music Awards for two consecutive months, as well as gathering the highest monthly sales in Cyworld's history, with over 200,000 copies sold in September.[28]

Their second EP,

Last Farewell", topped various charts, including the Melon chart for eight consecutive weeks, becoming the longest-running number one hit by a boy group.[35] It also garnered the Song of the Month (Digital Music) Award from Cyworld.[37] "Fool" and "But I Love U", other tracks from the EP, also ranked within the top 10.[38] The digital success lead Hot Issue's sales to be moved over 120,000 copies total in South Korea.[39] They also staged their BigBang is Great concert, with tickets selling out in 10 minutes.[40][41]

Due to over-performing and exhaustion, several members were hospitalized, halting promotional activities.

2007 Mnet Asian Music Awards.[44] They later received the Artist of the Year and Digital Record of Year awards from the 17th Seoul Music Awards.[45] The group earned a total of 12 billion ($11.5 million) by year's end.[46]

As 2007 came to a close, BigBang ventured overseas to

JCB Hall in Tokyo Dome City. BigBang returned to South Korea after their promotions in Japan ended. Although group activities were delayed due to solo projects, their third Korean EP, Stand Up, was released. Featuring artists such as Daishi Dance and the Korean rock-band No Brain, Stand Up exceeded the 200,000 mark in sales.[49] "Haru Haru", the lead single, topped several online charts and held the number one position for seven consecutive weeks.[50][35] It also became one of the most successful singles of all-time in South Korea, selling over five million digital downloads in South Korea alone. The EP also included the top-five song "Heaven", (Template:Korean requires |hangul= parameter.천국; Revised Romanization: Cheonguk) the top-ten "Oh My Friend", and the top-twenty "A Good Man" and "Lady".[51]

During the release of their Korean materials, BigBang released the Japanese song, "Number 1", from their

Lee Moon-se, released in 1988.[52] "Strong Baby", performed solely by Seungri, was released as the second single. The album went on to sell over 200,000 copies.[51] BigBang received their second Artist of the Year Award from the 2008 Mnet Asian Music Awards.[53] At the end of 2008, it was reported that BigBang earned a total of 36 billion ($34.5 million).[46]

2009–2011: Solo endeavors, Japanese activities, and commercial success

While the group was on a break in early 2009, members pursued solo activities. They reunited to collaborate with

My Heaven" and "Gara Gara Go!! (ガラガラ Go!!)".[56][57] "My Heaven", a Japanese re-recording of their Korean single "Heaven" from Stand Up, debuted at number three on the Oricon Music Chart.[58] "Gara Gara Go!" charted at the fifth spot[59] and the album itself peaked at number three.[59]

Kicking off the new year with the

BigBang in February 2011

After nearly two-year hiatus as a full group, BigBang returned to South Korea with their

Love and Hope, kicked off in May in support of the album. All performances were sold out, and a total of 100,000 fans attended the tour.[85][86]

At the

Mnet Asian Music Awards. At the end of the year, BigBang participated in the YG Family 15th Anniversary concert tour.[88] This was followed by a release of their third Greatest Hits album The Best of Big Bang (2011) on December 14, which contained a Japanese version of "Haru Haru". The album topped the Oricon Daily chart on its first day of release and went on to sell over 14,000 copies in the first week. It was reported that BigBang earned ₩78 billion (US$69.4 million) in 2011 even though they had just promoted for half a year. The earnings included BigBang's revenue concert for SBS's BigBang Show, their 2011 Big Show Concert and their Love and Hope Tour in Japan.[89]

2012–2014: International breakthrough, first world tour, and hiatus

In January 2012, YG Entertainment began releasing teasers for BigBang's fifth Korean EP

Bad Boy" peaked at number two[92] and was the only K-Pop song to be included in Fuse's best songs of 2012 list;[93] while the last, "Fantastic Baby", rounded at number three.[94] The music video for the latter became the band's most popular, having received more than 310 million views on YouTube, the most watched video by a Korean group, until it was surpassed in 2018.[95] Internationally, BigBang obtained five spots out of the top-ten on Billboard K-pop's Hot 100 and charted at no. 150 on Billboard 200, making them the first Korean artist with a Korean album to do so.[96] Their popularity also boosted them onto the Billboard Social 50, entering at number twenty-four. They later received recognition from notable sites such as Time magazine,[97] and a photo of the group was featured on the Grammy Awards homepage.[98]

BigBang performing in March 2012

The album release coincided with their annual concert, Big Show 2012, held at Seoul Olympic Park Stadium from March 2–4 to a sold-out crowd of 40,000 fans.

Live Nation.[100] It was directed by renowned choreographer Laurieann Gibson, with BigBang performing at 21 cities in over 13 countries,[101] with a total attendance of 800,000 people.[102] Concert footage from Big Show was broadcast in 160 countries through MTV World Stage, which pushed the promotion for their world tour.[103] The Alive Galaxy Tour marked the group's first ever concerts in the United States, Hong Kong and Europe. Due to high demand, additional concerts were held in Los Angeles, New Jersey and London.[104][105][106] The quintet also performed at three Japanese dome venues for the first time, becoming the first Korean artist to perform at all three of these venues during its tour.[107] The group concluded the tour with concerts in Osaka in mid-January along with a three night stint at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul later that month.[106]

The Japanese version of

Monster", as well as Korean remakes of the two additional tracks in the Japanese version of Alive. The album sold over 100,000 copies in its first month of release.[110]
A special Monster edition of their Japanese Alive album was also released on June 20, following its Korean counterpart.

The success of their special edition album further boosted the group's global recognition, peaking at no. 11 on the Billboard Social 50.

After promotional activities wrapped up, the members pursued individual activities for the majority of 2013 and 2014.

BigBang reunited in November 2013 for their Japan Dome Tour, holding concerts in six different dome arenas in Japan, being the first foreign act to do so. Gathering over 770,000 fans, the tour's total revenue, including tickets sold and merchandising sales, totalled $94 million.[115][116] In October 2014, the group performed at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Asian Games held in Incheon, South Korea, wrapping up the Congratulatory Performance.[117][118] A month later, the quintet embarked on their second Japanese dome tour, which was the first time that any overseas artist performed in five dome arenas of Japan for two consecutive years.[119] By the end of 2014, BigBang was the Korean artist that attracted the most concertgoers in Japan for the year and the second act overall.[120]

2015–2016: Made, second world tour and tenth anniversary

BigBang performing in Dalian, China during their Made World Tour in 2015

BigBang was on hiatus for two years while G-Dragon experienced a "career slump" and was unable to find inspiration to write new music for the band, explaining that "In the past, even after coming back from a long, tiring day, I would write at least two songs at the dorm before I slept as if it were my duty. [In 2014], however, things just weren't working out for me so the album kept getting delayed."

Gaon Digital Chart, while "Sober" charted at number two in their home country.[130][131] The consecutive monthly releases concluded with E in August, with the songs "Zutter" featuring the sub-unit of GD & TOP, and "Let's Not Fall in Love"[132] The latter peaked at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart and on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart.[133][134]

To promote their singles, BigBang embarked on their second world tour which received positive reviews and was commercially successful. Kicking off with two shows in Seoul on April 25 and 26, the tour gathered 1.5 million fans around the world, making it the largest tour by any Korean act.[13][14] By the end of the year, BigBang had earned over ₩150 billion (US$120 million).[135] Despite the commercial success of the singles, the release of the full album was postponed to add new songs to the album and for the group to rest after four months of promotions.[136] BigBang continued touring into 2016 for their Made V.I.P Tour, visiting China, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States.[137] The group was the highest earning artist of 2016 in Mainland China based on concert revenue, by earning US$70.3 million, accounting for 70% of the entire total box office of South Korean artists in China for the year.[138][139][140] In April and May, they toured Japan for their Fantastic Babys Tour, meeting 280,000 fans.[140][141]

Several projects were launched to commemorate the group's 10th anniversary.

Yanmar Stadium Nagai in Osaka, Japan and at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul, South Korea.[145][146][147] The tour drew 781,500 attendees from 16 concerts in Japan,[148][149] and made BigBang the act with the biggest concert mobilization power for the year in Japan, the first time a foreign act has topped the list.[150] Overall, they gathered a 1.1 million attendance for the tour.[151] The band also held an art exhibition, titled A TO Z, to showcase the history of the group as well as to celebrate a decade with their fans. The exhibition ran from August 5 to October 30 at the S-Factory in Seoul.[140][152] The exhibition travelled to Taipei, Taiwan from June 24 to August 22 in 2017.[153]

After a year of delay,

Gaon Albums chart.[161][162] Two final concerts were held at Gocheok Sky Dome in January 2017[163] to wrap up their 10th anniversary tour and Made's promotional activities.[163]

2017–2021: Touring, military service, and Seungri's retirement

As per South Korea's

Run, Big Bang Scout! through YouTube Red, which was the service's first original content to be produced in a country outside of the United States. The first episode of the program was free-released and has gathered over 12.7 million views on YouTube.[169] The following year, the remaining members began their enlistment: G-Dragon on February 27,[170] Taeyang on March 12,[171] and Daesung on March 13, 2018.[172] Seungri was initially announced to enlist on March 25, 2019.[173] The single, "Flower Road", was released on March 13, 2018, as a goodbye to their fans.[174] "Flower Road" set a record in China, reaching over a million sales in 3 days and 14 hours, the shortest amount of time for a Korean artist.[175] The song also topped Billboard's World Digital Songs Chart,[176] and the Gaon Digital Chart, where the song recorded the highest digital index of the year thus far.[177]

On March 11, 2019, Seungri announced his retirement from the entertainment industry due to

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which would have marked their first performance as a group in three years.[182] In March, despite reports suggesting otherwise,[183] all four members renewed their contracts with YG Entertainment and were preparing for a comeback[184] that was eventually delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[citation needed
]

2022–present: Return from hiatus, "Still Life", members' label changes and T.O.P's withdrawal

On February 7, 2022, YG Entertainment announced BigBang would return with a digital single in spring. They also announced that T.O.P had ended his exclusive contract with YG Entertainment, although he will still participate in group activities.

Global Excluding US charts, becoming the third Korean act to do so.[189] The single debuted at number one on the Hong Kong,[190] Malaysia,[191] Singapore,[192] Vietnam Singles Charts,[193] and number three on Taiwan Singles Chart and Australia Hitseekers Singles, becoming the group's first entry in these countries.[194][195] The single also debuted in the top 100 in multiple countries including Indonesia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Hungary, Japan, UK and Canada.[196][197][198] On December 27, 2022, it was confirmed by YG that Daesung had terminated his contract and was looking for a new start.[199]

On May 31, 2023, T.O.P revealed that he had "already withdrawn" from the group.[3] In June 2023, G-Dragon's official contract with YG expired, making him the last member of Bigbang to leave the label.[200][201] In January 2024, the group's artist profile was removed from YG, signifying the group's no longer under the label.[202][203]

Artistry

Musical style

BigBang have been praised for their musical individuality and ability to fuse a pop sound with rap, R&B and dance elements.

Usher vibes".[209]

The group's first EP

Monster" was praised for its mournful vocals and orchestral sound.[205]

On their "career-exemplifying"

Girlfriend" was a "mellow hip-hop throwback to the group's early days".[222]

Since members of the band have also experimented widely with other genres on solo projects, the group has been described as "rich in variety".

trot song, which drew criticism due to BigBang's image as "hip-hop artists".[224] On his debut album Heartbreaker, G-Dragon incorporated dance, hip-hop, and R&B.[225] Justin McCurry from The Guardian stated, "Each of the five members has his own individual look, and their musical range is equally eclectic, covering R&B, hip-hop, house, electro and pop."[226] BigBang have been described as "artistic superheroes" for their "versatility and success in whatever they do".[227] Their continued experimentation with a diverse range of musical styles and their distinct personalities have been highlighted as some of the main reasons for their popularity and longevity.[228] The Chosun Ilbo explained that their "strong lead among idol groups" was a result of the quality of their music, noting that "whenever Big Bang promotes new songs, they want to introduce something new and tell us new stories."[229] Internationally, however, BigBang is often referred to as a "K-pop" group, a label they do not appreciate.[230] G-Dragon commented, "We are Korean, so obviously they call our music K-pop. But we never thought of our music as K-pop. Our music is just our music." T.O.P also disagreed with the "K-pop" label, opining that "[y]ou don't divide pop music by who's doing it. We don't say, for instance, 'white pop' when white people make music."[227]

Songwriting and lyrical themes

BigBang are known for maintaining tight control over their music,

Last Farewell", and "Haru Haru".[34] The single "Last Dance" was written collaboratively by G-Dragon, T.O.P, and Taeyang and co-produced by G-Dragon.[156]

Recurring concepts in BigBang's lyrics are love and relationships. In "Bingle Bingle", the protagonist pleads to his lover to take the next step in their relationship. In contrast, "Let's Not Fall in Love" halts the growth of a new relationship, depicting hesitation toward opening up to someone.[232] BigBang's songs have covered other themes as well, ranging from mature to personal. "Fantastic Baby" and "Bang Bang Bang" are often categorized as club music due to their lyrical content, the former described as having an "anarchistic" theme, and the latter being dubbed the "party anthem of 2015".[219] The use of vulgarity in "Fxxk It" was seen as evidence of the members' growth,[216] and the lyrics of "Bae Bae" were also noted for their sexual metaphors.[233][234] On the other hand, their song "Loser" attempted to "humanize the group" by discussing their flaws,[235] "Sober" talks about chasing one's dream,[236] and "Last Dance" is an ode to the band's time together.[222]

G-Dragon's contributions to the group's musical output were praised by The Korea Times, who described him as a "genius singer-songwriter".[237] The rapper himself describes BigBang as "an idol group not born of talent but through effort."[238] A writer for Yahoo! Japan complimented the group for their involvement in their own work, stating that "perhaps by contributing to their own materials, not only do they become in sync with one another, but each person's personality stands out."[207]

Stage and aesthetic

BigBang performing at their Big Show concert in 2011

BigBang have been praised for their live performances, stage presence, and choreographies. Early in their career, the group was

Bang Bang Bang" by Parris Goebel was one of the most popular dances of 2015.[242] The group's use of props during performances—including "an abundance of pyrotechnics, streamers[,] confetti",[243] LED lights,[244] fog,[245] as well as digitalized "fire-breathing dragons and a rotor-spinning helicopter"[246]—has been well received by critics.[247][248]

Their unique stage fashion and hairstyles has also been highlighted.

Bape, 10 deep, Louis Vuitton, Jeremy Scott, and Phenomenon.[18] The group was also credited for bringing back "old school" fashion into the mainstream, popularizing high-top sneakers from brands such as Nike and Reebok.[251] Described as the "most fashionable" one in the group,[252] G-Dragon famously wore triangular scarves that were later nicknamed "BigBang scarves" during promotions for the single "Lies".[18] T.O.P also became known for wearing sunglasses during performances.[18]

In a review of their world tour,

Mall of Asia Arena concerts,[254] and their concert in Lima was named the best in South America for the year.[255] When compared to western artists such as Justin Bieber and One Direction, BigBang's performances were noted for having their "edges [...] crisper, the sound louder, the dancing sharper".[256] Their Alive Tour show at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey was ranked second on the New York Times' list of the best concerts in 2012.[257] In March 2012, Krista Mahr from Time magazine praised the group's concert at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul, describing them as "K-pop gods" for their stage presence.[97] BigBang's Made World Tour in 2015 was also a critical and commercial success, the Los Angeles Times calling their Anaheim show an "incredibly significant moment for K-Pop", praising the diversity of their songs and performances and noting how the concert "escalated the craft of live K-Pop — which sometimes doesn't live up to the overwhelming enthusiasm of its fans — into a sleeker and more adventurous kind of arena spectacular."[10] Including the group in their list of best concerts of the year for the second time, The New York Times noted how the "electric, sleek and dizzyingly busy concert by one of South Korea's most vital K-pop acts made even its biggest American counterparts look like rank amateurs."[258]

Cultural impact and legacy

"The name Big Bang alone carries significant weight in K-pop. It took about a decade for Big Bang to evolve from a young idol group into a quintet of cultural icons. [...] The fashion-conscious, song-and-dance-loving artists became trendsetters, producing a variety of hip-hop tracks. Everything from their outfits to their hairstyles immediately became the standard. It was not just in Korea either. Big Bang reached beyond Asia, and the members have grown to be truly global stars. [...] Big Bang's first 10 years have been overwhelming and left an indelible mark on Korean pop music history." — Beyond Magazine[259]

BigBang is responsible for more than half of all albums sold by the label in Korea from 2014 to 2017, before their hiatus due to military enlistment.

MTV Europe Music Award for Best Worldwide Act,[265] Google announced that its subsidiary YouTube would launch its own channel for K-pop music in recognition of its popularity and success.[266] British newspaper The Guardian also discussed how the win had "shed light on the rise of Korean music across Europe".[267] Jacques Peterson from The Sydney Morning Herald attributed BigBang's success to giving a "idiosyncratic twist" on genres that breaks the mould of the idol group formula.[268] Suk Park, the president of DramaFever, hailed them as the vanguard of K-pop.[11] The Michigan Daily have described BigBang as a rare group that "both innovates and defines the direction a genre takes", affirming that the group and its members "have left a musical imprint that has affected the global music market."[269] Seoul-based entertainment journalist Mark James Russell praised the group for defying categorization, stating how "[o]f all the mainstream acts, they're doing the most to push boundaries of what is considered K-pop."[227] Anna Fifield from The Washington Post claimed that they "have defined and redefined South Korean pop music. They've defied the idea that so-called K-Pop is inevitably sugarcoated and factory-produced, and that boy bands are all about pretty faces and lip-synching."[227] Los Angeles Times praised BigBang's constant sonic and image reinvention, calling the group as "one of the most inventive, aesthetically visionary acts in its genre."[10] In an article commemorating BigBang's tenth anniversary, Billboard stated that "no act has enthralled the Korean music world in the past decade quite like BigBang"[206] and later adding that they have "shaped the Korean music industry" and were enabled to "surpass international boundaries and shirk off the limitations of K-pop's youth-focused industry."[222]

In recognition of their global popularity, BigBang are a prominent face of South Korean tourism.

M! Countdown in 2014[284] and voted the "Top Male Idol Song in the Past 20 Years" in a Dong-a Ilbo survey that also ranked "Bae Bae", "Fantastic Baby" and "Haru Haru" at fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.[277] "Fantastic Baby" was included in "The 100 Greatest Music Videos of the 2010s" by Billboard, which deemed the song one of K-pop's most impactful videos of all time.[285] "Bad Boy", "Bae Bae" and "Fantastic Baby" were listed at eighth, 40th and 65th, respectively on Billboard's "The 100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of the 2010s".[220]

BigBang performing on their Alive Tour in September 2012

BigBang's music has influenced numerous artists, including

BewhY, the winner of Show Me the Money 5, revealed that he started rapping after listening to BigBang,[314] while IU started gaining domestic popularity after covering songs by the group.[315]

BigBang's influence extends beyond the music industry, having shaped major fashion international trends.[316][317] Dubbed "Big Bang fashion", their style has been followed extensively throughout Asia[18] and made them into a cultural phenomenon in South Korea.[229] The clothes that members wore on stage were often copied and sold at Dongdaemun Market.[46] In 2011, BigBang collaborated with Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo to create a line of T-shirts that quickly sold out.[318] The Chicago Sun-Times called the members "the most daring, dapper dressers in the world" and praised their style as "bold, innovative and trend-setting".[319] Their impact on the Korean fashion industry was highlighted in Vogue Korea's exhibition in Seoul.[320]

Accolades and achievements