BigBang (South Korean band) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BigBang (South Korean band) |
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| Origin | Seoul, South Korea |
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BigBang (Hangul: 빅뱅; styled in all caps) is a famous South Korean boy band formed by YG Entertainment. The group currently has three members: G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesung. They started as a five-member group. Seungri left the entertainment world in March 2019, and T.O.P left the group in May 2023.
BigBang is often called the "Kings of K-pop". They helped spread the Korean Wave (Hallyu) around the world. They are known for trying new things with their music, creating their own songs, and having amazing stage shows.
Their first album, BigBang Vol.1 (2006), didn't become a huge hit right away. But soon after, they released many popular songs like "Lies", "Last Farewell", "Haru Haru", and "Sunset Glow". "Lies" was number one on Korean music charts for six weeks! They won "Song of the Year" for "Lies" at the 2007 Mnet Km Music Festival.
After winning "Artist of the Year" at the 2008 Mnet Korean Music Festival, BigBang released four Japanese albums. These albums, including BigBang (2009) and Alive (2012), were all very successful in Japan.
After a break in South Korea, the group came back with their fourth EP called Tonight (2011). This EP helped them win the first-ever Best Worldwide Act Award at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards. Their fifth EP, Alive (2012), was the first Korean album to appear on the US Billboard 200 chart. Their third studio album, Made (2016), had many songs that reached number one. The tour for this album, the Made World Tour, brought in 1.5 million fans. This was a record for a Korean group's concert tour at the time.
BigBang has had eleven songs reach number one on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart. Their songs have stayed at the top of the Melon charts for a record 51 weeks in total. Forbes Korea named them one of the most powerful celebrities in South Korea for many years. They were also the first Korean artists to be on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list (2016) and the 30 Under 30 list of influential musicians (2017).
Contents
BigBang's Journey: From Debut to Global Stars
Early Days and First Hits (2000–2008)
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Before BigBang officially started, some members were already training. G-Dragon and Taeyang began training with YG Entertainment when they were just eleven years old. G-Dragon later asked his childhood friend, T.O.P, to audition. Seungri appeared on a TV show before joining. The original group had six members, including Daesung and Hyun-seung. However, Hyun-seung left before their official debut. Their journey was shown in a TV documentary that got over a million views online.
BigBang officially debuted on August 19, 2006, at the YG Family 10th Anniversary Concert in Seoul. Their first single, "Bigbang", was released soon after. It included songs like "We Belong Together". This single sold almost 40,000 copies. Their next singles, BigBang Is V.I.P and Bigbang 03, also sold well. In December, they held their first concert, "The Real," for 12,000 fans. Their first full album, BigBang Vol. 1 – Since 2007 (2006), sold over 110,000 copies.
In 2007, BigBang started to change their music style. Their first EP, Always (2007), showed them taking more control over their songs. G-Dragon wrote most of the tracks, including their first number one hit, "Lies". This song was incredibly popular, staying at the top of music charts for six weeks. It also helped the album sell over 120,000 copies.
Their second EP, Hot Issue (2007), also had all songs written by G-Dragon. Its main song, "Last Farewell", was number one on the Melon chart for eight weeks! BigBang became very popular and won many awards, including "Best Male Group" and "Song of The Year" for "Lies" at the 2007 Mnet Asian Music Awards.
In 2008, BigBang started promoting in Japan. Their first Japanese EP, For the World (2008), did well on the Oricon chart. They also held a concert in Tokyo. Back in Korea, their third EP, Stand Up, sold over 200,000 copies. The main song, "Haru Haru", was number one for seven weeks and became one of South Korea's most downloaded songs ever. Their second Korean album, Remember (2008), had the number one song "Sunset Glow". BigBang won their second "Artist of the Year" award at the 2008 Mnet Asian Music Awards.
Solo Work and Global Recognition (2009–2014)
In 2009, while the group took a break, members worked on their own projects. They also teamed up with 2NE1, another group from their company, for the song "Lollipop". Their second Japanese album, Big Bang, was released in August 2009.
BigBang started 2010 with a concert in Korea and then went on their "Electric Love Tour" in Japan. Their third Japanese album was Big Bang 2 (2011). Many members released solo music during this time, including the sub-unit GD & TOP. BigBang also won awards like "Best 5 New Artists" at the Japan Gold Disc Awards.
After almost two years, BigBang returned to South Korea in 2011 with their EP Tonight. The album was very popular, selling 100,000 copies in a week. The main song, "Tonight", was number one on the charts. They later released a special edition album with new songs like "Love Song". Their "Love and Hope" tour in Japan was completely sold out.
At the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards, BigBang won the "Best Worldwide Act" award. This was a huge moment for K-pop! "Love Song" also won "Best Music Video" at the 2011 Mnet Asian Music Awards.
In 2012, BigBang released their fifth Korean EP, Alive. It sold 260,000 copies before it even came out. Songs like "Blue", "Bad Boy", and "Fantastic Baby" were huge hits. "Fantastic Baby" became their most-watched music video on YouTube for a long time. Alive was the first Korean album to chart on the US Billboard 200. They also appeared on the Grammy Awards homepage.
The album release was followed by their "Big Show 2012" concert in Seoul. This concert kicked off their first world tour, the Alive Galaxy Tour. They visited 21 cities in 13 countries, performing for 800,000 people. This tour included their first concerts in the United States, Hong Kong, and Europe. They were also the first Korean artists to perform at three major Japanese dome venues.
In November 2012, BigBang won three awards at the Mnet Asian Music Awards, including "Best Male Group" and "Artist of the Year". After this, the members focused on solo activities for most of 2013 and 2014.
BigBang reunited in November 2013 for their Japan Dome Tour. They were the first foreign act to hold concerts in six different dome arenas in Japan. This tour brought in over 770,000 fans. In 2014, they performed at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea. They also had another Japanese dome tour, making them the first foreign act to perform in five Japanese dome arenas for two years in a row.
Made Album and 10th Anniversary (2015–2016)
In 2015, BigBang made a big comeback by releasing new songs every month for their album Made. The first songs, "Loser" and "Bae Bae", were number one and two on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart. This made them the first K-pop boy band to top this chart. "Loser" won "Song of the Year" at the Golden Disc Awards.
The next month, they released "Bang Bang Bang" and "We Like 2 Party", which also took the top two spots on the World Digital Chart. "Bang Bang Bang" won "Song of the Year" at the 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards and was the most popular song in South Korea in 2015. They continued to release hit songs like "Sober", "If You", "Zutter", and "Let's Not Fall in Love".
To promote these songs, BigBang went on their second world tour. It started in Seoul and brought together 1.5 million fans worldwide, making it the biggest tour by any Korean act at the time. By the end of 2015, BigBang had earned a lot of money from their music and tours.
In 2016, BigBang continued touring, visiting China, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States. They were the highest-earning artists in Mainland China from concert revenue that year. They also toured Japan for their "Fantastic Babys" tour.
To celebrate their 10th anniversary, BigBang released a documentary film called Big Bang Made, which showed their "Made Tour". They also held a huge 10th-anniversary concert tour, 0.TO.10, from July 2016 to January 2017. This tour included sold-out stadium shows in Japan and South Korea, with over a million fans attending. They also had an art exhibition called A TO Z to show their history.
After a delay, the full Made album was released in December 2016. It included new songs like "Fxxk It" and "Last Dance", which quickly topped the charts. The album also did very well internationally, charting on the US Billboard 200. Two final concerts were held in January 2017 to finish their 10th-anniversary celebrations.
Military Service and Recent Years (2017–Present)
Like all young men in South Korea, BigBang members had to complete mandatory military service. T.O.P was the first to enlist in February 2017. The other members continued performing without him, holding their "Last Dance Tour" in Japan and Seoul. In 2017, YG Entertainment released a reality show about the group called Run, Big Bang Scout! on YouTube Premium.
The remaining members began their military service in 2018: G-Dragon in February, Taeyang in March, and Daesung in March. A new song, "Flower Road", was released on March 13, 2018, as a special gift to their fans before they left. "Flower Road" broke records in China and topped charts in Korea and worldwide.
On March 11, 2019, Seungri announced he was leaving the entertainment industry and BigBang. T.O.P finished his military service in July 2019, followed by G-Dragon in October, and Taeyang and Daesung in November.
In 2020, it was announced that BigBang would perform at the Coachella festival, but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All four members renewed their contracts with YG Entertainment and prepared for a comeback.
On February 7, 2022, YG Entertainment announced BigBang would release a new song. They also shared that T.O.P had ended his contract with YG but would still be part of group activities. The group released "Still Life" on April 5, their first new music in four years. "Still Life" became BigBang's 11th number-one song on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart, a record for any group. It also reached the top 10 on Billboard's Global 200 charts.
On December 27, 2022, Daesung also ended his contract with YG Entertainment. On May 31, 2023, T.O.P shared that he had "already withdrawn" from the group.
BigBang's Unique Style
Music That Breaks Boundaries
BigBang is known for their unique music that mixes pop with hip hop, R&B, and dance. They love to experiment and create a "dominating style of music that surpasses genre boundaries." When they first started, their music was mostly hip hop and pop rap, but they also included R&B songs.
Their first EP, Always (2007), changed their sound by adding electronic dance music. This helped set a new music trend in Korea. Songs like "Fool" from Hot Issue (2007) had a strong dance beat with a smooth disco feel. "Haru Haru" from Stand Up (2008) was praised for its changing tempos and emotional feel. They even worked with a Korean rock band, No Brain, on the rock song "Oh My Friend".
Their album Alive (2012) showed off their raw voices more. Songs like "Blue" used interesting electronic sounds, and "Bad Boy" was called a "perfect pop song" that everyone could enjoy.
On their important album Made (2016), BigBang mixed electronic music with soft rock. "Loser" brought a more mature style to their music. "Bang Bang Bang" was known for its modern EDM sound. "Bae Bae" helped make the trap genre popular in K-pop. "Let's Not Fall in Love" showed a softer side of the group.
Because each member also explored different music styles in their solo projects, the group's music is very diverse. For example, Taeyang's solo EP focused on R&B, while Daesung released a trot song. G-Dragon's solo album mixed dance, hip-hop, and R&B. BigBang has been called "artistic superheroes" because they are so good at many different things. Their constant experimenting and unique personalities are big reasons for their long-lasting popularity.
BigBang members often say their music is just "our music," not just "K-pop." They believe music shouldn't be divided by where the artists are from.
Creating Their Own Music
BigBang is known for being very involved in writing and producing their own music, which is different from many other K-pop groups. As the leader, G-Dragon has played a huge role in creating almost all of their songs for over ten years. He wrote many of their early hits like "Lies" and "Haru Haru". The song "Last Dance" was written by G-Dragon, T.O.P, and Taeyang together.
BigBang's songs often talk about love and relationships. But they also cover other topics, from fun party songs like "Fantastic Baby" and "Bang Bang Bang" to more personal ones. G-Dragon's work has been highly praised, with some calling him a "genius singer-songwriter." He says BigBang is a group that succeeded through hard work, not just natural talent.
Amazing Stage Shows and Fashion
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BigBang is famous for their live performances, stage presence, and cool dances. Early on, Seungri and choreographer Shaun Evaristo helped create their moves. They used to focus on street dancing but have since added other styles. One of their early dance moves, where they lifted their shirts, became very popular online. The "jump roping" move from "Last Farewell" also got a lot of attention. The dance for "Bang Bang Bang" was one of the most popular dances of 2015. They also use lots of cool props like fireworks, streamers, and LED lights in their shows.
Their unique stage fashion and hairstyles are also a big part of their image. Fuse TV said their outfits are "almost as entertaining as their performances." They started with a "hip-hop" look, but later changed to a more preppy-punk style. Their skinny jeans and Converse shoes became a trend in South Korea. G-Dragon was known for wearing triangular scarves, which were even called "BigBang scarves." T.O.P often wore sunglasses during performances.
Critics have praised BigBang's concerts. The New York Times said their concert in New Jersey was the "true wild heart of K-pop," noting their bright costumes, dances, and stage presence. Their "Alive Tour" show in New Jersey was ranked second on The New York Times' list of best concerts in 2012. The Los Angeles Times called their "Made World Tour" show an "incredibly significant moment for K-Pop," praising their diverse songs and performances.
BigBang's Influence and Legacy
BigBang has had a huge impact on the music world. They were the first mainstream hip hop idols in Korea and helped make the genre popular across Asia. The Korea Times called them "the icons of Korean pop [music]." G-Dragon's success as a songwriter has inspired many young artists.
In 2011, the BBC said that "K-pop bands, including Big Bang, are making their mark around the world." After BigBang won the 2011 MTV Europe Music Award for Best Worldwide Act, Google's YouTube launched a special channel for K-pop music because of its growing popularity. The Guardian newspaper also noted how this win showed the rise of Korean music in Europe.
BigBang is also a major face for South Korean tourism. Their "Big Show" concerts were promoted by the South Korean government because of their positive impact on the country's economy. In 2014, Korea Post even released official postage stamps featuring the group. In 2016, they were chosen as ambassadors for the "Creative Korea" tourism campaign. That same year, Forbes listed BigBang at number 54 on their annual Celebrity 100 list, making them the first Korean act to appear on it.
BigBang has been named one of the most influential artists of the Hallyu Wave. They are seen as one of the groups that best represent K-pop. Many artists, including BTS, Got7, Blackpink, and iKon, have said BigBang influenced them. Rapper BewhY started rapping after listening to BigBang.
BigBang's influence goes beyond music. Their fashion style, known as "Big Bang fashion," has been widely copied across Asia and became a cultural trend in South Korea. The clothes they wore on stage were often sold at markets. In 2011, BigBang worked with the Japanese clothing store Uniqlo to create T-shirts that sold out very quickly. The Chicago Sun-Times called the members "the most daring, dapper dressers in the world."
Awards and Achievements
BigBang has released many hit songs. The Gaon Chart says that people trust the group's music quality, calling them a "phenomenon" because their songs are enjoyed by all ages. BigBang has won many "Song of the Year" awards, including for "Bae Bae" and "Loser". They were named "Artist of the Year" at the Seoul Music Awards in 2008 and the Melon Music Awards in 2015. They were also the first artist to win more than one "Artist of the Year Award" from the Mnet Asian Music Awards (in 2008, 2012, and 2015).
Their albums Hot Issue (2007), Stand Up (2008), Remember (2008), Tonight (2011), and Alive (2012) are some of the most successful digital albums ever. In 2014, BigBang was the act with the second-most digital number one songs in South Korea's history. By 2015, they became the first to have the most. Their hit song "Lies" was the first song to spend over 50 weeks on the Melon Chart. "Last Farewell" was number one on Melon for eight weeks, tying a record. In 2011, BigBang became the best-selling artist of all time on Cyworld's chart.
Tonight was the first K-pop album to reach the Top 10 on the US iTunes chart. In 2015, they were the first act to have three songs in the top five of the Gaon Digital Year End Chart. Their album Made (2016) was certified Diamond by the Chinese music service QQ Music, becoming one of the best-selling albums of all time in China. "Fantastic Baby" was the first music video by a K-pop group to get over 300 million views on YouTube.
Their first world tour set records for ticket sales in Taiwan. Their London shows had the largest crowd for a K-pop concert in the UK. Their Japan Dome Tour in 2013 was the highest-earning tour by a foreign act in Japan. The Made World Tour was the most attended tour by a Korean act in history. It broke many records, including being the most viewed online K-pop concert ever. Their tenth anniversary concert in Seoul had 65,000 people, the biggest audience for a single headlining act in South Korea. With their Last Dance Tour in 2017, BigBang became the first foreign act to hold a Japanese dome tour for five years in a row.
BigBang Members
- Current
- Former
- T.O.P – rap (2006–2023)
- Seungri – vocals (2006–2019)
Member Timeline
BigBang's Music and Videos
Albums
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Korean albums
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Japanese albums
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Film and Tours
- Big Bang Made (2016)
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Concert tours
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Fan meeting tours
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YG Family tours
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Images for kids
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BigBang performing on their Alive Tour in September 2012
See also
In Spanish: Big Bang (grupo musical) para niños
