Taeyang facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Taeyang
Taeyang at the premiere of Big Bang Made on June 28, 2016
Born	Dong Young-bae (1988-05-18) May 18, 1988 (age 37) Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Occupation	Singer songwriter dancer
Spouse(s)	Min Hyo-rin ​ (m. 2018)​
Children	1
Musical career
Also known as	SOL
Genres	K-pop hip hop R&B EDM
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2006–present
Labels	YG YGEX The Black Label Interscope
Korean name
Hangul	동영배
Hanja	董詠培
Revised Romanization	Dong Yeongbae
McCune–Reischauer	Tong Yŏngbae
Stage name
Hangul	태양
Hanja	太陽
Revised Romanization	Taeyang
McCune–Reischauer	T'aeyang
Signature

Dong Young-bae (Hangul: 동영배; born May 18, 1988), known by his stage names Taeyang or SOL, is a famous South Korean singer. He first started his music journey in 2006. He became a member of the popular South Korean boy band BigBang. After releasing many albums with his group, Taeyang began his solo career in 2008.

His first solo music was an extended play (EP) called Hot. Critics really liked this EP. It even won an award for Best R&B & Soul Album. This was at the 6th Korean Music Awards. After Hot, he released his first full album, Solar, in 2010. It quickly became number one on the Gaon Album Chart.

Taeyang's second album, Rise (2014), reached number 112 on the US Billboard 200. This was the highest spot for a Korean solo artist at that time. The main song from the album, "Eyes, Nose, Lips", hit number one on the Billboard K-pop Hot 100. This song was super popular in South Korea in 2014. It won Song of the Year at the MAMA Awards, Melon Music Awards, and Golden Disc Awards.

His third album, White Night, came out in 2017. It debuted at number one on Billboard's World Digital Albums chart. It stayed there for two weeks. This made Taeyang only the second K-pop solo artist to achieve this. Music critics often praise Taeyang's singing skills. Many consider him one of the best singers in South Korea.

Taeyang's Journey in Music

Early Life and Big Bang Debut

Dong Young-bae grew up in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. He first loved music by playing the piano. He enjoyed classical music by famous composers. When his family faced money problems, Dong wanted to help. In sixth grade, he tried out for a music video. He got a part as "mini Sean" in Jinusean's video "A-yo." There, he discovered and loved hip hop music.

He met Yang Hyun-suk, the CEO of YG Entertainment. Dong asked him for a chance to become a singer. Yang gave him an audition, and Dong was successful. He joined the company as a trainee. He met another trainee, Kwon Ji-yong, who would become his bandmate. For a few years, Dong cleaned the studio and helped other artists.

In 2003, Dong sang a rap part in singer Wheesung's song "Player." Dong and Kwon were supposed to debut as a hip hop duo called GDYB. But the plan changed. Instead, they joined four other trainees to form the group BigBang. Their journey to debut was shown on TV. Before they officially started, one member left. BigBang became a five-member group.

Dong was not sure about being in a band at first. But he soon became close with the other members. He chose the stage name Taeyang, which means sun. He said, "the sun is the brightest star." Taeyang decided to focus on singing instead of rapping.

BigBang released several single albums. Their first album, Big Bang Vol. 1, did quite well. It included Taeyang's first solo song, "Ma Girl." The group became very famous with their song "Lies" in 2007. This was from their EP Always. More hit songs followed, like "Last Farewell" and "Haru Haru." Both of these songs also topped the music charts.

Solo Career and Solar Album

Taeyang performing on Big Bang's Alive World Tour in 2012

After working on another singer's album, Taeyang announced his solo album. It was planned for September, but it was delayed. Taeyang released his EP Hot in May 2008. Famous producers like 1TYM's Teddy Park and Kush helped him. Taeyang focused on R&B songs for this album. He said R&B was his "main focus."

He later said he was a bit disappointed with the album. He hadn't written any of the songs himself. He promised to write his own music in the future. This way, he could share his own thoughts and ideas. The EP had two singles: "Only Look at Me" and "Prayer." Both songs had music videos. To support his album, he held his first solo concert series. Taeyang won two awards for Hot at the 7th Korean Music Awards.

In 2009, Taeyang mostly worked with Big Bang. After their group activities, he went back to record new solo music. He released two digital songs: "Where U At" and "Wedding Dress." Both had music videos. "Wedding Dress" was very popular online.

Taeyang's first full album, Solar, came out in July 2010. It had two versions: a "Regular Edition" and a "Deluxe Edition." The deluxe version had more songs and was limited to 30,000 copies. It sold out on the first day! Two songs, "I Need a Girl" and "I'll Be There," were released to promote the album. Taeyang helped a lot with Solar. He helped compose and write four songs. He also wrote lyrics for one song. Taeyang won "Best Male Artist" at the 2010 Mnet Asian Music Awards. Both versions of Solar reached number one on the Gaon Album Chart.

Rise Album and World Tour

Taeyang spent two years working on new music. He also promoted Big Bang's EPs and albums. After group activities, he focused on his second solo album. The song "Ringa Linga" was released in November 2013. This was before his second album, Rise (2014). He worked with Teddy Park, G-Dragon, and Choice37. Taeyang also helped produce six songs on the album.

Rise became one of the highest-charting K-pop albums. It was also the highest-charting K-pop album by a solo artist on the Billboard charts. It reached number 112 on the Billboard Hot 200. It also topped the Billboard World Albums Chart. In Japan, the album reached number two. Taeyang released two more songs from the album: "Eyes, Nose, Lips" and "1AM." "Eyes, Nose, Lips" became his first song to top the Gaon Digital Chart.

The dance for "Ringa Linga" became very popular online. Many people copied it on YouTube. "Eyes Nose Lips" was covered by many famous people. This included other K-pop artists and even Canadian pop star Michael Bublé. A comedian also made a funny version of the song. "Eyes, Nose, Lips" was the second best-selling song in South Korea in 2014.

Taeyang then went on his Rise World Tour to support the album. He visited 9 countries and 16 cities in Asia. The tour ended in early 2015. Over 100,000 fans attended his concerts. At the 2014 Mnet Asian Music Awards, Taeyang won several awards. These included Best Male Artist and Song of the Year for "Eyes, Nose, Lips."

In November 2014, Taeyang worked with G-Dragon. They released the song "Good Boy" for a new hip hop project. The song was very well-liked. Fuse even called it one of the best songs of the year. It reached number one on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart. This was the third time a Korean act topped this list. The music video for "Good Boy" has over 300 million views on YouTube.

From 2015 to 2016, Taeyang toured a lot with Big Bang. They promoted their album Made. They performed for over 3.6 million fans. In 2015, Taeyang also took part in a music festival. He teamed up with G-Dragon and another singer. They released the song "Mapsosa," which reached number two on the Gaon Digital Chart. That same year, he appeared on Show Me The Money. He was a featured singer on a song called "Fear." This song became one of the best-selling songs of the year.

White Night and Military Service

In January 2017, it was announced that Taeyang was working on a new album. He also planned solo concerts. Taeyang started his second world tour, White Night. He had big stadium concerts in Japan. The first two shows had 50,000 people attending. The tour was planned to visit 19 cities around the world. This included cities in North America.

Taeyang's third album, White Night, came out on August 16, 2017. It had two main songs: "Darling" and "Wake Me Up." "Darling" became a Top 10 hit. "Wake Me Up" reached number five on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart. The album also debuted at number one on Billboard's World Digital Albums chart. It stayed there for two weeks. This made Taeyang the second K-Pop solo artist to do this. In South Korea, the album reached number three.

In September, Taeyang was announced as a judge on a TV show called Mix Nine. He also joined a new TV show called Livin' the Double Life. Taeyang started his mandatory military service on March 12, 2018. He served as an active duty soldier. He finished his service on November 10, 2019. Another BigBang member, Daesung, was discharged at the same time.

New Music and Down to Earth

In December 2022, Taeyang signed with The Black Label. This is a company connected to YG Entertainment. He also signed with Interscope Records for music outside of Asia. On January 13, 2023, he released a song called "Vibe." It featured Jimin from BTS. In March, his new company said Taeyang would release more music in April. On April 12, Taeyang announced his second EP, Down to Earth. It was released on April 25. The main song was "Seed," and it also had "Shoong!" featuring Lisa from Blackpink.

Taeyang's Music Style

Taeyang is known for how serious he is about his music. He stands out from other K-pop artists. He first heard pop music, especially Michael Jackson, when he was six. Since then, he has been inspired by soul and R&B music. He is mainly an R&B singer and dancer. But he also mixes hip-hop, soul, and EDM into his solo albums.

Dazed magazine said his music takes "style influences from punk to rap." They also said it mixes "current underground R&B to his native, hyper-sonic pop music." Allmusic described his songs as "smart, hip-hop-flavored pop." Billboard called him one of South Korea's "rare R&B stars." For his album Rise (2014), Taeyang said it had R&B and hip-hop. But it also included electronic, ballad, and rock music. He wanted to blend different music styles. Taeyang looks up to artists like Miguel, Frank Ocean, The Weeknd, and Michael Jackson. He especially likes Michael Jackson's album Xscape. He is known for singing "love songs." His first song, "Only Look at Me," is about a selfish relationship. In "I Need A Girl," he describes his perfect partner.

Many people praise Taeyang's voice. A Korean critic said his voice is "luxurious." They noted that he has a "warm and full emotional range." In 2015, music experts voted Taeyang the third best K-Pop male singer. The New York Times described him as a powerful live performer.

Other Activities

Endorsements and Fashion

In 2017, Taeyang started working with the car company Lexus. He became their Korean ambassador for a new car model. He wrote a promotional song for them called "So Good." Taeyang also partnered with the Italian fashion brand Fendi. They created a special clothing line called "Fendi for Taeyang." This collection included T-shirts, hoodies, jackets, and sneakers. They featured Taeyang's special daisy designs and positive words like "Faith" and "Passion." The collection was released in Hong Kong. In 2023, Taeyang became a global brand ambassador for the French fashion house Givenchy.

Helping Others

In 2010, some of Taeyang's earnings from albums, tickets, and music sales went to charity. This was part of a campaign by YG Entertainment. On May 15, 2014, Taeyang's fans donated money in his name. This was to celebrate his birthday. The next year, his fans donated water wells. These wells helped provide clean water to communities in Cambodia and Myanmar. They have been donating "Taeyang's water" for three years. This is through the charity organization Worldshare.

Personal Life

Taeyang is a Christian. He has tattoos that show his faith. He has been in a relationship with actress Min Hyo-rin since 2013. In December 2017, their agencies confirmed they planned to marry. On February 3, 2018, Taeyang and Min got married. It was a private ceremony with family and friends. On September 27, 2021, it was reported that his wife, Min Hyo-rin, was expecting their first child. Her agency confirmed she was pregnant and happy. On December 6, 2021, news outlets said Min had recently given birth. YG Entertainment confirmed that Min had a healthy baby.

Achievements and Awards

Taeyang has won many awards. These include two Golden Disc Awards, three Korean Music Awards, three Melon Music Awards, and four MAMA Awards. His first full album, Solar, was special. It was the first K-Pop music released worldwide on iTunes as both an audio and video album. His second album Rise (2014) reached number 112 on the Billboard 200 chart. This was the highest spot for a Korean solo artist at that time.

His song "Eyes, Nose, Lips," released in 2014, won Song of the Year. It won at all major Korean awards. This made him the first male solo artist to do so. In 2017, Taeyang became an honorary ambassador for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. His job was to promote South Korea to the world. He was named GQ Korea's Man of the Year three times. He was also voted the fifth best role model by other K-pop idols in 2014.

Music Albums

• Solar (2010)
• Rise (2014)
• White Night (2017)

Concert Tours

• Rise World Tour (2014–15)
• White Night World Tour (2017)
• The Light Year Tour (2024)

Filmography

Television Shows

See also

In Spanish: Taeyang para niños