BIGBANG

Fusing pop with a rap and dance edge, Big Bang were one of the most popular groups to emerge from South Korea in the 2000s, becoming global icons and influencing the next generation of K-pop hitmakers. With dozens of chart-topping albums, EPs, and singles to their name — including 2008′s award-winning Remember, 2012′s Billboard 200 record-breaker Alive, 2016′s MADE, which topped charts in Korea, Japan, and the U.S. — they ruled the scene for a decade before enlisting in mandatory military service. That hiatus extended until the early 2020s, with their much-anticipated comeback partially delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2022, they made their official return with the single “Still Life.”
The size and membership of the R&B-influenced outfit — the brainchild of the YG Entertainment Group — was laid out by an 11-part documentary television series that made its debut in 2006. For the most part, the bandmembers had previous experience in the pop music world; for example, members G-Dragon and Taeyang were signed to YG at the age of 12 and had been performing together for some time. After vying for the final five spots in Big Bang during the television show, the band roster was determined — G-Dragon, Taeyang, T.O.P., Dae Sung, and Seungri — and the group released a series of singles in 2006, which were followed by an album, Big Bang, Vol. 1, in December of that year.
The group expanded its performance schedule in 2007 and 2008 to include a national tour, and released a live album (1st Concert: Live Album) and a series of three EPs. 2007′s Always featured the single “Lies,” their first chart-topping single. Months later, they released Hot Issue and the single “Last Farewell,” which broke a record for consecutive weeks atop the charts for a boy band. In early 2008, they broke into the Japanese market with For the World. Another Korean EP, Stand Up, was home to “Haru Haru,” a smash hit that sold millions of copies.
Riding that wave of popularity, they released their full-length sophomore album, Remember, featuring the singles “Strong Baby” and “Sunset Glow,” that November. The set went on to win Record of the Year at the 2009 Seoul Music Awards. That year, individual members pursued solo endeavors and they released another Japanese album. 2010 kicked off with a Japanese tour and another Japanese effort (Big Bang 2).
In 2011, Big Bang staged a big comeback with the release of the EP Tonight. The title track and “Love Song” topped the Korean charts and they launched another sell-out tour. The following year, the band released its fifth EP, Alive, which included the singles “Bad Boy,” “Blue,” and “Fantastic Baby.” Making history once again, the effort became the first K-pop album to chart on the Billboard 200. As international fervor continued to rise, they mounted their first world tour with stops in Asia, North America, South America, and Europe, keeping them on the road into 2013. After a brief respite, they toured Japan late in the year.
After an extended hiatus, Big Bang made a return in 2015 with a series of singles titled M, A, D, and E. Another world tour followed, keeping them on the road into 2016. The journey was documented by the film Big Bang Made, which coincided with a tenth anniversary tour. The MADE series compilation, their first Korean album in eight years, was released in Korea in late 2016. In addition to the previously released singles, the LP also included three additional tracks (“Fxxk It,” “Last Dance,” and “Girlfriend”). On MADE, the band’s trademark mix of dance-pop and R&B was blended with contemporary tropical and trap influences. Featuring production by Teddy Park, G-Dragon, T.O.P., and Taeyang, it topped the charts in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and the United States, claiming the top spots on the Billboard independent and world charts.
In 2017, the Big Bang members started to come of age to serve their mandatory military service, with T.O.P. enlisting first. Tours and promotions continued with the remaining foursome, but soon it was time for G-Dragon, Taeyang, Daesung, and Seungri to perform their national duty. “Flower Road” was released as a goodbye-for-now to fans, topping charts in the U.S. and Korea and breaking records in mainland China. During this time, Seungri parted ways with the group and, once the remaining four were discharged from service at the end of 2019, Big Bang continued as a quartet. A major comeback was planned — including a Coachella appearance — but activities were halted by COVID-19 until 2022. That February, the group released the single “Still Life.” ~ Neil Z. Yeung