Reasons for Big Bang's reign in Korean show business. Korean boy groups: Big Bang

T.O.P / Top - rapper, vocalist
G-Dragon / G-Dragon - rapper, vocalist
Taeyang / Taeyang - vocalist
Daesung / Daesung - vocalist
Seungri / Seungri - maknae, vocalist

TV show:

2007 - Idol World
2008 - Friendly notes
2008 - First Cafe Prince [parody]
2009 - Flowers after Berries [parody]
2009 - Beethoven Virus [parody]
2010 - Play with GD&TOP
2011 - Night after Night with T.O.P & G-Dradon
2011 - The Secret Garden parody
2011 - Strong Heart, ep. 123-124
2012 - Running Man, ep. 84-85
2012 - Go Show
2012 - You&Me with Big Bang
2012 - Big Bang Healing Camp
2012 - The Secret of the Star |

Albums:

2007 - Since 2007 - album
2007 - Hot Issue - mini-album
2008 - For The World - album
2008 - The Great - album
2008 - With U - album
2008 - Number 1 - album
2008 - Remember - album
2009 - BIG BANG - album
2011 - TONIGHT - mini-album
2012 - ALIVE - mini-album
2016 - MADE SERIES - album

Singles:

2006 - Big Bang
2006 - Big Bang is V.I.P
2006 - Big Bang 03
2007 - Always
2008 - Stand Up
2009 - So Fresh, So Cool
2009 - My Heaven
2009 - Gara Gara Go!!
2009 - Hallelujah
2009 - Koe Wo Kikasete
2010 - Tell Me Goodbye
2010 - BEAUTIFUL HANGOVER
2015 - M
2015 - A
2015 - D
2015 - E
|

BIOGRAPHY

|Big Bang is a five-member male music group. The history of the group's creation was shown on television from July to August 2006 in the form of a multi-part documentary called "Big Bang Documentary". The show was also shown on cable channels GomTV and MTV Korea. The group originally consisted of 6 members, one of whom, Jang Hyunseung, was eliminated during the broadcast of the show before the group's official debut.

Debut and the beginning of the journey

Even before the group's debut, some members had already entered the entertainment industry. Leader G-Dragon and lead vocalist Taeyang signed contracts when they were both 12 years old. T.O.P was an underground rapper who performed under the name Tempo. Seungri made his first appearance on Let's Cokeplay: Mnet Battle ShinhwaBig Bang debuted on August 19, 2006 at the Gymnastics Arena located in Seoul Olympic Park during a YG Family concert.

After the performance, the group released their first single, "Bigbang". It included the songs “We Belong Together,” which featured agency colleague Park Bom; "A Fool's Only Tears" and "This Love", an adaptation of a song by American rock band Maroon 5, written and performed by G-Dragon. The single sold almost 40,000 copies.

The second single, "BigBang Is V.I.P", was released in September and immediately sold 32,000 copies, and the third single, "Bigbang 03", which followed almost immediately after the first two, also reached 40,000 copies upon release. . At the end of December 2006, Big Bang held their first concert, "The Real". The following month saw the release of their debut album, Since 2007 (Bigbang Vol. 1), which had sold 48,009 copies by the end of February 2007.

Huge success and debut in Japan

On February 8, 2007, Big Bang released their live concert album, The First/Real Live Concert, which sold 30,000 copies by the end of the year. The group also held the "Want You" concert tour, visiting five cities: Incheon, Daegu, Changwon, Jeonju and Busan. Their first mini-album, Always, was also released in 2007 and marked several changes for the group. Although they had previously also written music and poetry, this time the group decided to increase their participation in writing the material. G-Dragon wrote most of the tracks included on the release of their first mini album, including the lead single "Lies". The mini-album also included an introduction (track “Intro”) to electronic music Big Bang. The album received a positive and enthusiastic response, especially for the song "Lies". Released as the lead single, it became their first No. 1 hit; the album itself sold 87,000 copies. Their second mini-album, "Hot Issue", released the same year, inherited the success of its predecessor, with the lead single "Last Farewell" reaching the top of many charts, including the Juke-On Chart, where it stayed at number one for eight consecutive weeks. The song was also awarded Digital Music Song of the Month by Cyworld. Tickets for their "Big Bang Is Great" concert sold out within 10 minutes.

At the end of 2007, as local media reported, the band members even ended up in the hospital due to overwork and exhaustion due to a busy performance schedule, which led to the suspension of their activities.

Also according to reports at the time, Big Bang's albums and singles were in high demand, leading to re-releases and reissues of the discs. Riding on the peak of success with the mini-album, the group was awarded several year-end awards, including Best Male Group and Song of the Year, which they won at the 2007 M.NET KM Music Festival. The group later won the title of "Artist of the Year" at the 17th Seoul Music Awards.

At the end of 2007, Big Bang headed to Japan. Their first Japanese mini-album "For the World", released in early 2008, peaked at number 10 on the Oricon chart and was accompanied by short promotions. The group also performed a concert at the JCB Hall of the Tokyo Dome. After their promotions ended, Big Bang returned to Korea. Although group activities were delayed due to the members' solo activities, they still released a third mini-album in 2008 entitled "Stand Up". Featuring Daishi Dance and Korean rock band No Brain, "Stand Up" reached 100,000 sales. "Day By Day", the title track of the album, topped several charts, where it stayed for 6 weeks straight. Following the success of the title track, the rest of the songs also placed in the Top 20: "Heaven" took the 2nd position, "Oh My Friend" - 9, "A Good Man" - 12, and "Lady" - 16. A total of 5 songs by the group appeared in the Top 20.

While releasing their Korean works, Big Bang also released a Japanese song called "Number 1" from their album of the same name, and performed it on Japanese radio and TV shows. The album peaked at number three on the Japanese Oricon Daily Albums Chart.

The release of the Japanese album was followed by the release of the second album "Remember" in 2008, whose single, "Sunset Glow" reached No. 1. The second single, "Strong Baby", was performed solo by Seungri. The album sold 200,000 copies. Big Bang won the Artist of the Year award for the second time in a row at the 2008 M.NET KM Music Festival. By the end of 2008, Big Bang had reportedly earned approximately 36 billion won (approximately US$24.5 million).

Solo activities

After taking a break from the group at the beginning of 2009, the members began solo activities. They later teamed up again to perform with fellow agency members 2NE1, who were dubbed "the female version of Big Bang", with the song "Lollipop". To promote this track, it was also filmed music video. Recorded and released to promote a mobile phone, the song "Lollipop" reached number 1 on several online charts.

The group's first full-length Japanese album, which was named after the group, was released with the support of Universal Music in August 2009 with two lead singles for promotion: "My Heaven" and "Gara Gara Go!!". "My Heaven", the Japanese version of the Korean single "Heaven" from the mini-album "Stand Up", was composed by Japanese composer Daishi Dance. The song peaked at number three on the Oricon charts, and "Gara Gara Go!" ranked fifth. The disc itself reached number three on the album chart. After returning to Korea, the members returned to solo activities.

On August 18, G-Dragon released his debut album “Heartbreaker”, the title track of the disc was of the same name. Taeyang presented two digital singles - "Where U At?" and "Wedding Dress" to promote their second album in 2010. T.O.P has joined the cast of action drama 'IRIS'.

The boys later teamed up again to record the song "Koe wo kikasete" specifically for the drama Ohitorisama. The song was later released as a single, which peaked at number four on the Oricon charts.

For several days in a row in January 2010, Big Bang held their annual concert "2010 Big Bang Concert Big Show"at the Seoul Olympic Stadium, and the following month they performed a concert called "Electric Love tour" in Japan. Although no official albums were recorded, 2010 saw the release of several singles by the group with short promotion. In February, the single "Lollipop Part 2" (the second version of the song "Lollipop", performed together with 2NE1) was released specifically to promote the LG Cyon Lollipop phone. Like the previous version, the song immediately climbed to the top of one of the charts. Their next single, "Tell Me Goodbye", was recorded for the Japanese re-release of the drama "IRIS". The song proved its popularity by receiving several positive reviews from critics and winning the title of "Best Song" at the 52nd Japan Record Awards. Additionally, for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the group released the song “Shout of the Reds” together with the Korean rock band Transfixion and figure skater Kim Yuna.

The members spent most of the year promoting their own solo works and working solo, including on the releases of the duo's album GD&TOP and Seungri's first mini-album entitled "VVIP". Big Bang won several significant awards during this period, including the title of "One of the Top 5 New Artists" at the 24th Japan Gold Disc Awards. Towards the end of May, the group received awards for "Best Pop Video" and "Best New Artist" at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards Japan. On August 25, 2010, Big Bang released the Japanese single "Beautiful Hangover".

Scandals and hiatus

On the early morning of May 31, Daesung was crossing the Yanghwa Bridge over the Han River in northwestern Seoul in his car when he hit a motorcyclist lying on the road, who just minutes earlier had crashed into a lamppost and ended up on the roadway. The results of the forensic examination, published on June 24, showed that the death of the motorcyclist surnamed Hyun occurred after Daesung's car crashed into him and threw his body twenty meters away. A large dose of alcohol was found in the blood of the deceased; the singer was sober, but he exceeded the speed limit: instead of the permitted 60 km/h, he was driving at a speed of 80 km/h.

Daesung, accused of causing death by negligence, was threatened prison term up to five years. Daesung found himself in the very center of heated discussions and controversies. After lengthy legal proceedings, both sides reached a compromise. Regarding the compromise, Daesung's representative said in an interview with OSEN, "On July 19, Daesung and the victim's family reached an agreement. The family of the deceased stated that they would not press charges against Daesung, and also expressed their sympathy and sympathy for the guy. They also asked Daesung not to torture themselves more about this, and expressed hope to see him more active soon.”

It was reported that Daesung had been in a state of severe shock and depression since May 31, initially even refusing to leave his room. According to representatives of the artist’s company, Daesung began to often attend church, where he has long conversations with his pastor. According to some sources, Daesung continues to attend church. Daesung voluntarily paid up to 20 million won to the family of the deceased.

However, the group's dark streak did not end there. On October 5, 2011, it was reported that G-Dragon tested positive for marijuana use. A urine test was negative, but a faint presence of marijuana was detected after examining his hair. The tests were done in early June, and their results were received in July. He was charged, but since the results showed low levels of the drug and it was his first offense, G-Dragon was acquitted. According to unofficial information, he took a drag from a cigarette offered to him by a fan in Japan during a party in May. He was the only person present at the party who was later handed over to Korean authorities. He admitted that he had smoked the cigarette offered to him, but realizing that it was not an ordinary cigarette, he threw it away.

The scandal caused the suspension of his activities, and they issued a statement that G-Dragon would be given time to realize his mistake.

Due to these two incidents, the group's activities were stopped for some time.

Return from "Tonight" and MTV EMA

After a two-year hiatus, Big Bang returned to the Korean stage with their "Big Show" concerts, which took place from February 25-27, 2011. At these concerts, they also presented songs from their new fourth Korean mini-album “Tonight”, which immediately reached the top of the charts after its release. The disc also became the first Korean K-pop album to reach the top 10 on the US iTunes chart, and was the only non-English album in the top 100. The album's pre-sale numbers reached 10,000 copies on Cyworld, breaking TVXQ's 2008 record of 6,500 copies. All reviews about the album were only positive. A week after the release, news emerged that Big Bang had already earned 7 billion won (US$6.2 million) from album sales alone, with sales numbers surpassing 100,000 units sold. The title song reached number one on the Gaon Chart. The second single, "Love Song", included in the remastered special edition of the album, was also highly praised; The music video, uploaded to the band's official YouTube channel, was viewed by more than 2 million users within two days.

After completing Korean promotions, the group embarked on the Love & Hope Tour in Japan in May.

In August 2011, members of Big Bang, with the exception of Daesung, traveled to New Zealand to film a commercial for the North Face clothing brand. They also released a special promotional song for the brand.

Big Bang received the 2011 MTV EMA award for "Best International Artist" as representatives of the Asia-Pacific region. The awards ceremony was attended by all 5 members of the group, making it especially memorable as Daesung and G-Dragon made their first public appearance since Daesung's car accident and GD's marijuana scandal.

YG Entertainment celebrated its 15th anniversary with the YG Family Concert Tour 2011, the first concert of which took place on December 3 in Seoul, Korea.

On December 14, Big Bang released their Japanese studio album "Best of Big Bang". The CD immediately reached number one on the Oricon Daily chart and sold 14,000 copies on the day of release, proving the group's popularity.

"Alive" and first world tour

Beginning on January 20, 2012, teasers for Big Bang's fifth mini album Alive began to be released, which was released digitally and physically on February 29. Pre-orders for "Alive" totaled 260,000 copies in two weeks. The album's lead single, "Blue", was released a week before the album's release and peaked at number one on all major Korean music charts. The mini-album was very successful commercially, as it sold over 200,000 copies in its first month of release. Big Bang scored five spots in the top ten of Billboard K-pop's Hot 100 and number 150 on the Billboard 200, making them the first Korean artist to enter the chart with a Korean album. They also reached number 24 on the Billboard Social 50 chart. Since the release of "Alive", Big Bang have received recognition from such well-known publications as Rolling Stone, Ebony Magazine, Time Magazine, and their photo was published on the Grammy Awards home page.

The album's release coincided with the annual concert, "Big Show", held at the stadium in Seoul Olympic Park from March 2 to 4, 2012, which sold 40,000 tickets. These concerts marked the official start of the first world tour, the Big Bang Alive (Galaxy) Tour, in partnership with Live Nation. The show, choreographed by renowned choreographer Laurieann Gibson, has seen the group perform on five continents in 16 countries and 25 cities. Footage from the Big Show concert was broadcast in 160 countries on MTV's World Stage, promoting the upcoming world tour.

The Japanese version of "Alive" was released on March 28 in digital and physical formats with two additional Japanese language tracks. Additionally, the physical copy of the album included the Japanese version of the hit song "Haru Haru" in Japanese as a bonus track. The album sold over 23,000 copies on its first day of release and managed to peak at number two on the Oricon charts. It sold 66,000 units in the first month, and based on overall sales, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). Promotion in Japan began with a performance at the Springroove Festival 2012 on the same stage with leading American and Japanese hip-hop artists. Big Bang became the first Korean artists to be invited to this festival, along with women's group same agency, 2NE1.

Following their successful comeback, Big Bang released a remastered edition of their mini-album "Alive" titled "Still Alive" on June 3. It included Korean remakes of two additional tracks that were on the Japanese version of the album, as well as two new songs. The re-released album can also be called a success: more than 100,000 copies were sold in the first month. A special edition of the Japanese album “Alive” - “Alive-Monster Edition” was released after its Korean “brother”. The lead track of both albums was the song “Monster”.

The success of their special edition album increased the band's global recognition. The band toured for the rest of the year, visiting several countries and regions: Japan (May-June), China (July-August), Southeast Asia (September-October), and North and South America (November). The group then returned to Japan for the "Special Final in Dome Tour" which took place at some of Japan's biggest stadiums, including the Osaka Dome, Tokyo Dome and Fukuoka Dome. Big Bang also performed in Hong Kong and England in December 2012. The band ended the tour with concerts in Osaka. On November 30, 2012, Big Bang received a total of three awards at the 14th Mnet Asian Music Awards, including Best Male Group and Artist of the Year. G-Dragon also took home the award for Best Male Solo.

The following year, the members took a break from group activities to free up time for their solo careers.

"Made", second world tour and decade

In April 2015, they released a statement regarding the group's return with a new studio album, Made, which was originally scheduled to be released on September 1, 2015, but was delayed to allow the group to rest after 4 months of promotion. A special project was developed, according to which for four months, the first day of each month starting in May, the group will release one single from the upcoming album, and the album itself will be released on September 1. In addition, in support of their singles, the group went on the MADE World Tour. The tour attracted 1.5 million fans worldwide, making it the largest tour in the Korean music industry.

Despite the commercial success of the singles, the album's release date was delayed in order to add new songs to the album and also for the benefit of the band, who were resting after four months of promotions. At the 17th Mnet Asian Music Awards, Big Bang was one of the biggest winners, winning four awards including their third 'Artist of the Year'. Big Bang continued to tour in 2016, starting with the "2016 Big Bang MADE Tour" in China. The following month they headed to Japan for the "Fantastic Babies 2016 Tour". In celebration of their 10th debut anniversary, the group also announced that they will be holding special concerts.

Image and cultural influence

Big Bang's creativity and image have received both praise and criticism. Time magazine described them as one of the "most promising" South Korean acts to conquer the Japanese market, and the Korea Times called them "Korean pop icons." Bill Lam of About.com also included them in his list of "Top 10 Asian Boy Bands". Their involvement in producing their own music from the earliest stages of their career (mainly G-Dragon) has received positive reviews, however the group has also been criticized for the excessive use of electronic music in their materials.

Citing Korea's oldest boy band, Shinhwa, as their biggest influences and role models, Big Bang have also shown that their influence can extend beyond the music industry to shape major trends in the fashion industry. The style they formed gained many followers in Asia. At the time of their debut, the group was based on a "hip-hop" image. The release of the album Always in 2007 was accompanied by a change in image, which began to lean towards the punk style of high school bullies, including tight pants paired with Converse combat boots or high-top sneakers, which are still a fashion trend in South Korea. Additionally, it is often noted that they brought "old school" fashion back into the mainstream. Examples include high-top sneakers from Nike and Reebok. Often referred to as the "chief mod" of the group. G-Dragon introduced the fashion for triangular scarves, which were then nicknamed "Big Bang scarves." T.O.P also introduced his own fashion by wearing sunglasses on stage. The clothing worn by the members has become a cult favorite among fans and is sold in boutiques located in Dongdaemun Shopping Center. In 2011, Big Bang collaborated with Japanese clothing retailer, Uniqlo, to design T-shirts to promote a new Japanese album. Items with this design sold out within 15 minutes of the store opening.

In 2011, the group's concert, "Big Show", was chosen by the Korea National Tourism Organization as the basis of the "Visit Korea from 2010-2012" advertising campaign because "they had a great impact on the country's economy." ||

ON THE NETWORK:

Big Bang (in Korean: 빅뱅 ; in Russian: Big bang, often stylized to BIGBANG) - a male musical group from South Korea. The history of the group's creation was shown on television from July to August 2006 in the form of a multi-part documentary called "The Big Bang Documentary" ( Big Bang Documentary). The show was also shown on cable channels GomTV And MTV Korea. Initially the group consisted of 6 members, one of whom, Chan Hyun Seung(now band member B2ST), was eliminated during the show's broadcast before the group's official debut, which led to the group's current lineup.

Participants

Stage name		Real name		Date of birth	Position in the group
Basic	Another	In Russian	Hangul	Date of birth	Position in the group
	G.D.	Kwon Ji Young	권지용	August 18, 1988 (24 years old)	Leader, Lead Rapper, Vocalist, Composer
	Tempo	Choi Seung Hyun	최승현	*November 4, 1987* (25 years old)	Main Rapper, Composer
	SOL	Dong Young Bae	동영배	*May 18, 1988* (24 years old)	Main Vocalist, Main Dancer
	D-Lite	Kang Dae-sung	강대성	*April 26, 1989* (23 years old)	Lead Vocalist
	V.I.	Lee Seung Hyun	이승현	*December 12, 1990* (22 years old)	Vocalist, Manne, Lead Dancer

Having entered into a contract with YG Entertainment, Big Bang has released several successful singles and mini-albums. The group's first release was the mini-album " Always" (2007), which spawned the hit single " Lies"(in Korean: 거짓말 ; romanized: Geojismal ; in Russian: Lie ). Subsequent mini-albums " Hot Issue" And " Stand Up"were also successful. Having received the award and title “Artist of the Year” at Music Festival M.net KM Music Festival and at the Awards Ceremony Seoul Gayo Daesang Award, the group started active work in Japan, releasing several mini-albums and digital singles. The guys almost did not promote these works, but after the release of the first physical Japanese single " My Heaven A year later, they were already frequently attending various Japanese shows and music programs.

By the end of 2009, the name "Big Bang" began to lead search queries in South Korea. They also became the first foreign group in Japan to win an award for Best Newcomer» at the Awards Ceremony Japan Cable Broadcasting Award, and the first Korean artist to win the award Japan Records award. Over the years, the members have also branched out into solo activities, with Taeyang and G-Dragon releasing solo albums and singles, while T.O.P, Taesung and Seungri have branched out into acting.

Representing the Asia-Pacific region, Big Bang won the "Best International Artist" award at the Awards Ceremony. MTV Europe Music Awards 2011 ( EMA), which took place on November 6, 2011 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Except legendary group Queen, Big Bang were the only non-North American winners.

The official Big Bang fan club is called V.I.P., this name was assigned to him after the release of the single “ BigBang Is V.I.P«.

Story

2005–2006: Founding and Early Works

Even before the group's debut, some members had already entered the entertainment industry. Leader G-Dragon and lead vocalist Taeyang signed contracts with YG Entertainment when they were both 12 years old (13 years old in Korean calendar), then they were known as GD and YB. T.O.P was an underground rapper who performed under the pseudonym Tempo. Big Bang debuted on August 19, 2006 at the Gymnastics Arena located in Seoul Olympic Park during a concert YG Family.

After the performance, the group released their first single, " Bigbang". It included the songs “ We Belong Together“, in the recording of which an agency colleague took part Park Bom; « A Fool's Only Tears" (in Korean: 눈물뿐인 바보; romanized: Nunmulppunin Babo; in Russian: Tears of a Fool); And " This Love", an adaptation of a song by an American rock band Maroon 5, which was written and performed by G-Dragon. The single sold almost 40,000 copies.

Second single, " BigBang Is V.I.P", was released in September and immediately sold out 32,000 copies. And the third single, " Bigbang 03“, which followed almost immediately after the first two, also reached the sales mark of 40,000 copies upon release. At the end of December 2006, Big Bang held their first concert. « The Real« . Their debut album, " Since 2007» ( Bigbang Vol. 1), which sold 48,009 copies at the end of February 2007.

2007–2008: Huge Success

On February 8, 2007, Big Bang released an album of their live concert " The First/Real Live Concert“, which sold 30,000 copies by the end of the year. The group also conducted a concert tour " Want You“, visiting five cities: Incheon, Daegu, Changwon, Jeonju and Busan. Their first mini-album, Always, was also released in 2007 and marked several changes for the group. Although they had also previously written music and poetry, this time the group decided to take even more control over their music. G-Dragon wrote most of the tracks included on the release of their first mini album, including the lead single "Lies" (Korean: 거짓말; romanized: Geojitmal; in Russian: Lie). The mini-album also included an introduction (the track "Intro") to Big Bang's electronic music. The album received a positive and enthusiastic response, especially for the song "Lies", which critics described as "mind blowing". Released as the lead single, it became their first No. 1 hit; the album itself sold 300,000 copies. Their second mini-album " Hot Issue", released the same year, inherited the success of its predecessor: the lead single "Last Farewell" (Korean: 마지막인사; romanized: Majimak Insa; in Russian: Last Farewell) topped many charts, including the Juke-On chart, where it stayed at number 1 for eight consecutive weeks. The song was also awarded Cyworld's Song of the Month Digital Music Award. Tickets for their concert " Big Bang Is Great"were sold out within 10 minutes.

Also according to reports at the time, Big Bang's albums and singles were in high demand, leading to re-releases and reissues of the discs. Riding on the peak of success thanks to the mini-album, the group was awarded several year-end awards, including "Best Men's Group" and "Song of the Year", which they received at the 2007 M.NET Music Festival (KM Music Festival). The group later received the title of "Artist of the Year" at the 17th Seoul Music Awards.

Overall, the group earned 12 billion won (US$10.6 million) for the year.

At the end of 2007, Big Bang headed to Japan. Their first Japanese mini-album " For the World", released in early 2008, peaked at number 10 on the Oricon chart and was briefly promoted. The group also performed a concert at the JCB Hall of the Tokyo Dome. After their promotions ended, Big Bang returned to Korea. Although group activities were delayed due to the members' solo activities, they still released a third mini-album in 2008 entitled " Stand Up". Featuring Daishi Dance and Korean rock band No Brain, "Stand Up" reached the sales mark of 100,000 copies. "Day By Day" (Korean: 하루하루; romanized: Haru Haru; in Russian: Day after Day), the title song of the album, topped several charts, where it stayed for 6 weeks in a row. Following the success of the title track, the rest of the songs also placed in the Top 20: "Heaven" took the 2nd position, "Oh My Friend" - 9, "A Good Man" - 12, and "Lady" - 16 - a total of 5 songs by the group appeared in the Top 20.

The release of the Japanese album is followed by the release of the second album "Remember" in 2008, whose single, "Sunset Glow" (Korean: 붉은노을; romanized: Byulkeun Noeul; in Russian: Sunset Glow) became No. 1. The second single, “Strong Baby,” was performed solo by Seungri. The album sold 200,000 copies. Big Bang won the Artist of the Year award for the second time in a row at the 2008 M.NET Music Festival (KM Music Festival). By the end of 2008, Big Bang had reportedly earned approximately 36 billion won (approximately US$24.5 million).

2009–2010: Solo activities

After taking a break from the group at the beginning of 2009, the members began solo activities. They later teamed up again to perform with fellow agency members 2NE1, who were dubbed the "Female Version of Big Bang", with the song "Lollipop". A music video was also produced to promote the track. Recorded and released to promote a mobile phone, the song "Lollipop" reached number 1 on several online charts.

The group's first full-length Japanese album, which was named after the group, was released with the support of Universal Music in August 2009 with two lead singles for promotion: "My Heaven" and "Gara Gara Go!!" (ガラガラ GO!!). "My Heaven", Japanese version of the Korean single "Heaven" (Korean: 천국; romanized: Cheonguk; in Russian: Heaven) from the mini-album " Stand Up", was written by Japanese composer Daishi Danse. The song peaked at number 3 on the Oricon charts, and "Gara Gara Go!" ranked at 5. The disc itself reached number 3 on the album chart.

After returning to Korea, the members returned to solo activities.

G-Dragon released his debut album on August 18th "Heartbreaker"“, the title track of the disc bore the same name.

Taeyang presented two digital singles - “Where U At?” and "Wedding Dress" to promote their second album in 2010.

T.O.P joined cast action drama " Iris“, where he played the role of the killer Vic.

The boys later teamed up again to record the song "Koe o Kikasete" (Japanese: 声をきかせて; English: Let Me Hear Your Voice; in Russian: Let me hear your voice) especially for drama "Ohitorisama" (おひとりさま One Man). Even later, the song was released as a single, which peaked at number 4 on the Oricon chart.

For several days in a row in January 2010, Big Bang held their annual Big Show concert. (2010 Big Bang Concert Big Show) at the Seoul Olympic Stadium. And the next month the guys performed a concert called “ Electric Love tour" in Japan. Although no official albums were recorded, 2010 saw the release of several singles by the group with brief promotion. In February, the single "Lollipop Part 2" (the second version of the song "Lollipop", performed together with 2NE1) was released specifically to promote LG Cyon's Lollipop phone. Like its previous version, the song immediately climbed to the top of one of the charts. Their next single, "Tell Me Goodbye", was recorded for the Japanese re-release of the drama " Iris". The song proved its popularity by receiving several positive reviews from critics and winning the title of "Best Song" at the 52nd Japan Record Awards. Additionally, in conjunction with the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the group released the song “Shout of the Reds” together with the Korean rock band Transfixion and figure skater Kim Yuna.

The members spent most of the year individually promoting their own solo works and carrying out other solo activities, including the releases of the duo's album GD & TOP and Seungri's first mini-album "VVIP". Big Bang also won several significant awards during this period, including the title of "One of the Top 5 New Artists" at the 24th Japan Gold Disc Awards. Towards the end of May, the group received awards for 'Best Pop Video' and 'Best New Artist' at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards Japan. Big Bang released their latest Japanese single, "Beautiful Hangover", on August 25, 2010.

2011: Comeback with "Tonight" and MTV EMA

After a two-year break, Big Bang returned to the Korean stage with the Big Show concerts, which took place on February 25-27, 2011. At these concerts, they also premiered songs from their newest 4th Korean mini album " Tonight“, which immediately after its release was at the top of the charts. The disc also became the first Korean K-pop album to reach the top 10 on the US iTunes chart and was the only non-English album in the top 100. The album's pre-sale numbers reached 10,000 copies on Cyworld, breaking TVXQ's 2008 record of 6,500 copies. All reviews of the album were only positive, with Choi Jun from Asiae publishing house praising the group for the new direction in music, emphasizing that “the style and feeling of the music have become deeper.” A week after the release, news emerged that Big Bang had already earned 7 billion won (US$6.2 million) from album sales alone, with sales numbers surpassing 100,000 units sold. The title song of the same name reached number one on the Gaon Chart. The second single, "Love Song", included in the remastered special edition of the album, was also highly praised; The music video, uploaded to the band's official YouTube channel, was viewed by more than 2 million users within two days.

After completing Korean promotions, the group embarked on the Love & Hope Tour in Japan in May.

In August 2011, members of Big Bang, with the exception of Taesung, traveled to New Zealand to film a commercial for the North Face clothing brand. They also released a special promotional song for the brand.

Big Bang received an award MTV EMA 2011 in the category " Best International Artist"as representatives of the Asia-Pacific region. The Awards Ceremony was attended by all 5 members of the group, making it especially memorable as Taesung and G-Dragon made their first public appearance since Taesung's car accident and G-Dragon's marijuana scandal.

YG Entertainment celebrated its 15th anniversary with the YG Family Concert Tour 2011, the first concert of which took place on December 3 in Seoul, Korea. BIG BANG member Taesung made his first appearance on stage since a car accident in May 2011 that killed a motorcyclist.

Big Bang's return music scene South Korea with a new album scheduled for early 2012.

Big Bang released their Japanese studio album "Best of Big Bang" on December 14th. The disc immediately reached number 1 on the Oricon Daily chart and sold 14,000 copies on the day of release, proving the group's popularity.

2012-present: Alive album and first world tour

Beginning on January 20, 2012, YG Entertainment began releasing teasers for Big Bang's fifth mini album "Alive", which was released digitally and physically on February 29. Pre-orders for "Alive" reached 260,000 copies in two weeks. The album's lead single, "Blue", was released a week before the album's release and peaked at number one on all major Korean music charts. The mini-album was very successful commercially, with sales exceeding 200,000 copies in its first month. release. If we talk about foreign music portals, Big Bang ranked 5 in the top ten of Billboard K-pop's Hot 100 and 150 on the Billboard 200, making them the first Korean artist to enter the chart with a Korean album. Their popularity also earned them the number 24 spot on the Billboard Social 50 chart. Since the release of "Alive", Big Bang have received recognition from such well-known publications as Rolling Stone, Ebony Magazine, Time Magazine, and their photo was published on the Grammy Awards home page.

The album's release coincided with the annual concert, "Big Show", held at the stadium in Seoul Olympic Park from March 2 to 4, 2012, which sold 40,000 tickets. These concerts were the official start of the first world tour "Big Bang Alive (Galaxy ) Tour" in partnership with Live Nation. The show, choreographed by acclaimed choreographer Laurieann Gibson, will take the group to five continents in 16 countries and 25 cities. "Big Show" footage was broadcast in 160 countries on MTV's "World Stage" , helping promote the upcoming world tour.

Following their successful comeback, Big Bang released a repackaged mini-album entitled "Still Alive" on June 3, 2012. It included Korean remakes of two additional tracks that were on the Japanese version of the album, as well as two new songs. The re-released album can also be called a success: more than 100,000 copies were sold in the first month. A special edition of the Japanese album “Alive” - “Alive -Monster Edition” was released after its Korean “brother”. The lead track of both albums was the song “Monster”.

Musical styles

At the beginning of their career, Big Bang's musical style was mainly hip-hop and rap, although their albums also included R&B songs. Author of Yahoo! Japan once compared their early work to US hip-hop acts such as the Black Eyed Peas, claiming that they were characterized by "strong vocals, [...] raps and personalities." Big Bang has always attracted attention by changing musical directions compared to previous albums, as the group experimented with electronic dance music, and over time became a trendsetter in the new musical direction in Korea. G-Dragon subsequently stated that they hoped to "attract more fans" by taking a new direction. In 2008, they recorded the rock song "Oh My Friend" in collaboration with Korean rock band No Brain. In addition, in an interview the group expressed interest in such musical genre, like a trot.

The group members also tested their strengths in the musical styles that interested them in the framework of solo projects, which gave reason to designate the group as “diverse.” Taeyang's mini-album, "Hot", was a collection of R-style songs, which the singer himself stated was "focused" on that genre. Taesung's first digital single (Hangul: 날봐, 귀순), was in the trot genre, which caused criticism, as it violated the image of Big Bang as “hip-hop artists.” In his debut album “Heartbreaker”, G-Dragon included songs of different styles: dance, hip-hop and R&B.

After the release of the album "Always", G-Dragon began to take part in the production of the group's materials, writing the lyrics and music for the songs "Lies", "Last Farewell" and "Haru Haru". His participation earned him praise from the Korea Times, which called him a "brilliant singer-songwriter." G-Dragon himself described Big Bang as “an idol group that achieved success not through talent, but through hard work.” Author of Yahoo! Japan praised the group's involvement in the music's creation, stating that "perhaps through [each member's] contribution to the creation of their own materials, they not only achieved excellent compatibility with each other, but also showcased themselves as individuals."

Big Bang is typically choreographed by Sean Evaristo. Although they once relied heavily on street dance styles, Big Bang's move towards more professionally choreographed choreography has become noticeable over time. Dance movements are often the subject of copying and imitation. One of the movements, in which participants lifted their T-shirts to expose their bellies, quickly gained popularity on the Internet and was included in the list of the most frequently searched queries on search engines. Another dance move that incorporated elements of "jumping rope" also caught the interest of fans.

Their latest album, Alive, attracted attention for its combination of different musical styles. "Bad Boy" is described as a "nostalgic" track, "Fantastic Baby" has a distinct electro-pop sound, while "Ain't No Fun" is a mix of Eurotrance and disco genres popular in the 1990s. Taesung's solo song, "Wings", incorporates elements of trot and rock, while the title track, "Blue", is defined as "an electronic ballad that begins with gentle piano and guitar chords that form a beautiful combination."

Image and cultural influence

Big Bang's creativity and image have received both praise and criticism. Time magazine described them as one of the "most promising" South Korean acts to conquer the Japanese market, and the Korea Times called them "Korean pop icons." Bill Lam of About.com also included them in his list of "Top 10 Asian Boy Bands". Their involvement in creating their own music from the earliest stages of their careers (mainly G-Dragon) has received positive reviews; for example, singer Baek Ji Young stated that she "likes idol artists as long as they are like Big Bang." However, the band has also been criticized for the excessive use of electronic music in their material.

Citing Korea's oldest boy band, Shinhwa, as their biggest influences and role models, Big Bang also showed that their influence can extend beyond the music industry to shape major trends in the fashion industry. Their own style, called “BigBang style,” gained many followers in Asia. At the time of their debut, the group was based on a "hip-hop" image. The release of Always in 2007 was accompanied by a change in image, which began to lean towards the punk style of high school bullies, including tight pants paired with Converse combat boots or high-top sneakers, which are still a fashion trend in South Korea. Taeyang also changed his hair style from braids to a mohawk. In addition to branded items such as Bape, 10 deep, Louis Vuitton, Jeremy Scott and Phenomenon, Big Bang members often wore custom printed hoodies during performances and in music videos. Additionally, it is often noted that they brought "old school" fashion back into the mainstream. Examples include high-top sneakers from Nike and Reebok. Often referred to as the group's "chief fashionista," G-Dragon pioneered the trend of triangular scarves, which were then nicknamed "Big Bang scarves." T.O.P also introduced his own fashion by wearing sunglasses on stage. The clothing worn by the members has become a cult favorite among fans and is sold in boutiques located in Dongdaemun Shopping Center. In 2011, Big Bang collaborated with Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo to design T-shirts to promote a new Japanese album. Items featuring this design "sold out within 15 minutes of the store opening."

Big Bang has been a huge influence on the Chinese boy band OkBang, which has "a lot in common with Big Bang in terms of musical style, image and hairstyles." In 2011, the group's concert, "Big Show", was chosen by the Korea National Tourism Organization as the basis of the "Visit Korea from 2010-2012" advertising campaign because "they had a great impact on the country's economy."

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translation from English: kodra, alteen-a @

Recently on the site ChosunWeekly An article was published in which the key to incredible success golden guys agency YG Entertainment.

Fans of the group languished in anticipation for 2 years and 3 months, and now the moment has come when they have the opportunity to enjoy again unique music Big Bang. At the beginning of 2011, the guys released their 4th mini-album "Tonight", which topped all Korean music charts upon release, sold over 100,000 copies within a week, serving as a lucky sign for the group's promotions. As an integral part of the return to state television (for this group), a special concert was successfully held "The Big Bang Show", where fans could spend a full 1.5 hours enjoying the angelic voices and dance moves they had sorely missed, while also being able to immerse themselves in the extraordinary performances of these 5 divine guys.

But influence and fame Big Bang have already gone far beyond Asia. Hit "Tonight" reached number 3 on the charts Billboard World Album Chart, 6th place in iTunes Album Chart US, although the group hasn't even officially debuted in the US yet. This joyful fact proves that the “Korean Wave” is covering almost the entire world, and our excellent representatives are our Big Bang.

Even though more and more new idol groups are emerging every day, Big Bang remain one of the leaders in the Korean music industry. Their music is widely known among the public. The creative works of the children also receive high marks and praise from prestigious music critics and producers. 5 guys, 5 personalities, 5 characters in one friendly group. They have many special features that make them different Big Bang from all other show business groups.

Below we will try to name some factors that cause the reign Big Bang throughout Asia.

Great and true friendship between the participants, growing stronger over time

The creation of the group was the idea of the CEO of YG Entertainment Yang Hyun Suk. At that time, Gummy and Big Mama satisfied all the desires and ambitions of the director, thanks to their singing talent, but this Yang Hyun Suk was still not very happy, realizing that there was no group yet, each member of which was a unique, original personality that could fill the gaps in the entertainment industry. That's how the group was created Big Bang which immediately made a big splash in the history of Korean show business.

We must say that Big Bang did not immediately gain success after their debut, although 4 singles were released within 4 months. Initially, the guys with the hip-hop style combined with R&B could not attract much attention from the public, who at that time gravitated toward singers with a bright, perfect appearance, which these guys did not have. It is very rare that a group that has also taken on the role of producer can achieve success.

The guys later said that they were upset when people, not paying attention to the music, judged them only by their appearance. But the boys endured it without giving up their dream. Finally, happiness smiled on them. The world turned upside down a year later along with the release of the first mini-album "Always". The title song "Lie" became an immediate hit. Big Bang began to storm all the music charts in Korea. This became a turning point in the group’s work and promised high growth in the future.

Indeed, in the blink of an eye all the music pages were filled with beautiful songs Big Bang. They even began to say that if you don’t listen to “Last Farewell”, “Sunset Glow”, “Haru Haru” and this year “Tonight”, you think that Big Bang is just a cosmic theory of the beginning expansion of the Universe, then others will think of you that you were born in the last century or live in the dense wilderness.

In Korean showbiz, it's strange that there is such a fatal deadline for idol groups. They say that any group most often cannot exist for more than 5 years. But Big Bang prove the opposite. April 4th, being guests of the program "Come and play"(Come to Play) for the first time the guys openly shared their opinions about the rumors about the breakup of the group. Daesung, while talking on the phone, explained: “To be honest, we have been on the brink of breaking up more than once, especially recently when we were working on a new mini-album together. They quarreled and fought, preparing for the aforementioned album and for their comeback. Our opinions differed because for too long we focused our attention, energy and time on solo or duet activities. That is why the most important task before us was to find again common language. Thank God we found him!”

Tae Yang continued: “Over the past 4 years, it would be a lie to say that we haven't thought about our own plans. Each member was busy with their own solo activities, wanting to go their own way. We met less and less often, and it seemed to me as if we had become distant, strangers to each other. Our director sensed this, saying that we are not the same as before. I wondered if we had lost our original goal by going astray.”

T.O.P. said: “We were very upset by the rumors that people themselves made up. Sometimes a person does not realize how painfully these evil words can hurt another. We also suffered because people sometimes only looked at us from one side.”

Answering the question of how they overcame all these obstacles and preserved their long-term friendship, the participants sincerely shared that they work together not for income or fame, but for their holy faith, hope, dream, and of course, most importantly, for their endless passion to music.

Excellent songwriting ability is a key factor

Big Bang are well known for their natural talent in songwriting, which secures them the crown in the music market. All the songs that the guys perform were written by them themselves. Since 2007, the group began working on electronic music, influenced by hip-hop rhythm. Although electronic music was popular in Korea several years ago, before Big Bang, few people successfully used it in their songs. The compositions they composed, combined with electronic sounds and hip-hop rhythms, brought the group closer to the youth. This explains why the songs Big Bang began to be so warmly welcomed by young people. Electronic music is the key to the group's continued success in the Korean and Japanese markets. Leader G-Dragon is a brilliant composer and producer of the group. All hits Big Bang, some of the members' solo songs were written by this gifted artist. The leader worked on the newest album as the main producer. All these facts explain why the public listened to the 4th album with such pleasure. Presenting any song, Big Bang They certainly make every effort not to repeat themselves and show the public something new. Each product of the group reflects their tireless efforts and a lot of work. Big Bang never leaves fans disappointed.

As for music critics, they, highlighting Big Bang from other idol groups, view the group as a performer and composer, appreciate and respect them creative works. After all, the most important factor, the decisive success of a singer and composer is high quality their works. And these guys certainly have it.

Great Impressive Dressing Style

Big Bang became a legendary symbol of Korean music not only thanks to their creative work, but also to their unique fashion style. The following expression has become popular: dressing “with the taste of Big Bang” or “in the style of Big Bang.” The group's unique fashion style has changed fans' perception that idols are just dolls who can only wear what the management company's stylists give them.

Artistic style Big Bang assessed as a cultural phenomenon. In the success of the group during the promotion of their songs plays important role stage wardrobe. Every time the 5 guys perform on stage, no one can take their eyes off them. They always surprise the public with their new fresh image. The clothes that the guys wear are not found anywhere; most often they are custom-made items or purchased abroad. If a clothing store sells things similar to what guys wear, they sell out very quickly, literally flying off the shelves. Undoubtedly Big Bang- precisely those who have the power to shape fashion trends in clothing for modern Korean youth. Fashion trends Big Bang is a mix and match of hip-hop street style and stylish practicality. The ability to combine colors made clothes Big Bang original. Before them, there was not a single group whose image almost all of Korea is trying to imitate.

The craze for cute guys and their unique style isn't limited to South Korea. Recently the most prestigious clothing brand Uniqlo In Japan, he released a new model of “Big Bang t-shirt” T-shirts, which were completely sold out in both countries in one delivery.

Despite Big Bang's absence from the scene, each member is supporting the group's celebrity with their solo projects.

The most important reason for fame and popularity in Korea, even when not on stage, is each member's successful solo projects. Since the music industry has gone digital, an artist's popularity is measured by their chart position. Although Big Bang have not released their products for a long time, the solo projects of the members maintain the status of the group. One acts in films and dramas, the other in variety television shows, all of which allows the group to appear in public as often as possible for as many as 365 days a year.

That is why for 2 years and 3 months, when the participants did not perform on stage as Big Bang, the audience did not forget them and did not feel that the group had disappeared somewhere. During this time, they managed to show their individuality to the public by presenting solo projects. Tae Yang released a couple of solo albums, collaborating with GD, Daesung participated in entertainment television programs, T.O.P. starred in films Seung Ri played in a play, starred in a film and released a couple of solo albums. A duet was created GD&TOP, which is a subgroup of Big Bang. Moreover, the company began preparing for the group’s return in advance, back in December last year with the release of a duet album GD&TOP, later with Seungri's solo album in January. So the return Big Bang in February of this year it was already in the center of the audience.

After releasing 3 singles, 4 mini albums and 2 full albums, Big Bang have achieved the most prestigious and significant position among Korean groups. They showed that in the future they will continue to demonstrate how their music conquers the whole world. With the success achieved in the Japanese market, we have the right to hope for the future triumph of the group around the world. We are sure that Big Bang will be able to endure any test, overcome any difficulty, because these guys are excellent representatives of the young, brilliant artistic generation of South Korea.

Clips:
BigBang - Love Song
BigBang - Lollipop 2
BigBang - Tell Me Goodbye
BigBang - Tonight (MV TV ver.)

BigBang - A Fool's Only Tears
BigBang - Good Bye Baby
BigBang - Beautiful Hangover

BigBang - Gara Gara Go!
BigBang - Sunset Glow
BigBang - Number 1
BigBang - La La La
BigBang - Oh My Friend
BigBang - With U
BigBang - How Gee
BigBang - Always
BigBang - My heaven
BigBang - Last Farewell
BigBang - We Belong Together
BigBang - Lies
BigBang - Dirty Cash

G-Dragon - She's Gone
G-Dragon - A Boy
G-Dragon - Heartbreaker
G-Dragon - Butterfly
G-Dragon - Breathe
G-Dragon - Rain Is Fallin
G-Dragon - This Love
Tae Yang, Lyle Beniga, Shaun Evaristo - Where U At
Tae Yang feat.Teddy - Prayer
Tae Yang feat. G-Dragon - I Need A Girl

Tae Yang - Wedding dress
Tae Yang - Look Only at Me
Tae Yang - My girl
Seung Ri feat. T.O.P - 19
Seung Ri feat. G-Dragon - Strong Baby
Seung Ri - V.V.I.P.
Seung Ri - What Can I Do
T.O.P - Turn It Up

BIG BANG(빅뱅) is a Korean boy band singing in the R’n’B/Hip-Hop style (YG Entertainment agency). For the first time, the group members were presented to the general public in a 10-episode documentary show, which aired from July 15 to August 13. It was a project by Yang Hyun Suk, a popular Korean rapper, to create a new group. As a result, Big Bang initially consisted of 2 people, later they were joined by three more members from YG Entertainment.

YG Entertainment has decided to organize new group and for this he selected six people: G-Dragon, Tae Yang, T.O.P, Dae Sung, Seung Ri and SO-1. But the group doesn’t even have time to debut, and SO-1 is already leaving it. The guys officially appeared on August 19, 2006, at a concert dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the YG Entertainment label “YG Family” held in the Olympic Park in Seoul. True, the young men were not new to the music scene. G-Dragon and Tae Yang were noticed by their label YG Entertainment when the boys were still 12 years old and took them under their wing. G-Dragon took part in the recording of Perry's album "The Storm". And Tae Yang is in one Wheesung album and two Se7en albums. Seung Ri participated in the show "Battle Shinhwa"
On August 16, their two songs “We Belong Together” and “Nunmulbburin Babo” appeared freely on the Internet and could be listened to on the sites: SKT, Melon, KTF and Dosirak. And very quickly they became very popular. The music video for “We Belong Together” will be released on August 19 and can be viewed on the YG Entertainment website.
The first official single will be released on August 29, it includes the two previous songs and as a prologue, G-Dragon performed the song “This Love” (which was once performed by Maroon 5). This single was also accompanied by a DVD with a recording of exactly how the creation of the Big Bang group took place. The same film was subsequently shown on MTV Korea.
Their first concert "Big Bang V.I.P." took place on September 15 at Seoul AX and attracted approximately 2,000 fans. This concert was also shown on September 23 on the GOMTV channel.
Their second single was released on September 28 and sold 15,000 copies on the first day; on the second day, 5,000 were already sold. The third single was released on November 22 of the same year.
Big Bang is taking part in YG Entertainment's anniversary round-the-world concert, where they will perform alongside other famous artists: Se7en, Big Mama, 1TYM, Lexy, Gummy and Stormy Shurch. Two concerts were given in Japan (September 8 in Osaka, September 10 in Tokyo) and three concerts in the USA (18 in Washington, 19 in New York and 21 in L.A.).
The guys end 2006 by releasing their first album “Since 2007” on December 22 and giving a concert “The Rela” on December 30. On February 8, 2007, they released their first live album, and on February 14, 2007, its DVD version.
Big Bang also collaborates with other groups. On April 4, they take part in a joint concert with Gummy, on April 7 with Se7en, and on May 14 with Lee Seung Hwan. On May 5th, the boys are participating in a joint concert with many famous Korean artists and groups in L.A. at the Hollywood Bowl. And from May 27, Big Bang goes on a concert tour in Korea. Guys also often starred in commercials and took part in promotions. And since May 2007, their own brand of perfume goes on sale.
Members of the group also engage in solo projects. Taeyang released the single HOT, which quickly became popular, and TOP starred in the drama “I AM SAM.”
In addition to solo projects, Big Bang released the mini-album “ALWAYS” on August 19, 2007. It was well received by fans, especially the song composed by the group's leader, G-Dragon (LIE). The song was the group's first hit, becoming number one on music shows such as MBC'S MUSIC CORE, KBS'S MUSIC BANK, MNET COUNTDOWN, and topping the online and offline charts (JUKE-ON, SOOMPI, MELON) for many weeks. They received the SBS POPULAR SONGS SHOW award on September 9, 2007.
The ALWAYS MV was filmed in Hawaii and aired on television in November. This mini-album was very successful and Big Bang received several year-end awards, including "Best Male Group of 2007" and "Best Male Group of the Year 2007". Best Song 2007" at the M.NET/KM music festival.
Further, in 2008, Big Bang received the very prestigious DAESANG award at the 17 SEOUL MUSIC AWARDS. Big Bang also noted that they wanted to build on their success with the release of a new album in November, but they released another mini-album called “HOT ISSUE.” The main song of the mini-album “LAST FAREWALL”, just like “LIE”, literally drove the Korean public crazy. The group performed on many music shows with this song. This mini-album and the song "LAST FAREWALL" cemented Big Bang's success as one of the best music groups in South Korea.

T.O.P (Tempo)– rap, vocals
Real name: Choi Seung-hyun
Birthday: November 4, 1987
Height, Weight: 181cm, 65kg
Education: Seoul Arts College

Seung Ri– vocals,
Real name: Lee Seung-hyun
Birthday: December 12, 1990
Height, Weight: 176cm, 60kg

Tae Yang– vocals, rap
Real name: Dong Young-bae
Birthday: May 18, 1988
Height, Weight: 174cm, 56kg
Hobbies: playing basketball, listening to music, watching TV

Dae Sung– vocals
Real name: Kang Dae-sung
Birthday: April 26, 1989
Height, Weight: 178cm, 62kg
Education: graduate School Kyung-in

G-Dragon– rap, vocals
Real name: Kwon Ji-yong
Birthday: August 18, 1988
Height, Weight: 177cm, 54kg
Education: Traditional Arts Middle school
Hobbies: driving, listening to music

Watch Big Bang videos online:

BigBang Clips:

BigBang - Love Song

BigBang - Lollipop 2

BigBang - Tell Me Goodbye

BigBang - Tonight (MV TV ver.)

BigBang - Tonight (Original Version)

Big Bang - A Fool's Only Tears

BigBang - Good Bye Baby

BigBang - Beautiful Hangover

BigBang - Let Me Hear Your Voice

BigBang - Gara Gara Go!

Big Bang - Sunset Glow

BigBang - Number 1

BigBang - La La La

BigBang - Oh My Friend

BigBang - With U

BigBang - How Gee

BigBang - Always

BigBang - My heaven

BigBang - Last Farewell

BIG BANG - We Belong Together

BigBang - Lies

BigBang - Dirty Cash

Solo clips of G-Dragon, T.O.P, Tae Yang, Seung Ri

G-Dragon feat. T.O.P - High High

G-Dragon feat. T.O.P - Knock Out

G-Dragon feat. T.O.P - Baby Good Night

G-Dragon feat. T.O.P feat. Park Bom - Forever with you

G-Dragon - She's Gone

G-Dragon - A Boy

G-Dragon - Heartbreaker

G-Dragon - butterfly

G-Dragon - Breathe

G-Dragon - Rain Is Fallin

G-Dragon - This Love

Tae Yang, Lyle Beniga, Shaun Evaristo - Where U At

Tae Yang feat.Teddy - Prayer

Tae Yang feat. G-Dragon - I Need A Girl

Tae Yang - I'll Be There (KOR.)

Tae Yang - I"ll Be There (English Version)

Tae Yang - Wedding dress

Tae Yang - Look Only at Me

Tae Yang - my girl

Seung Ri feat. T.O.P - 19

Seung Ri Feat. G-Dragon - Strong Baby

Seung Ri - V.V.I.P.

Seung Ri - What Can I Do

Participants

Stage name		Real name		Date of birth	Position in the group
Basic	Another	In Russian	Hangul	Date of birth	Position in the group
	G.D.	Kwon Ji Young	권지용	August 18, 1988 (24 years old)	Leader, Lead Rapper, Vocalist, Composer
	Tempo	Choi Seung Hyun	최승현	*November 4, 1987* (25 years old)	Main Rapper, Composer
	SOL	Dong Young Bae	동영배	*May 18, 1988* (24 years old)	Main Vocalist, Main Dancer
	D-Lite	Kang Dae-sung	강대성	*April 26, 1989* (23 years old)	Lead Vocalist
	V.I.	Lee Seung Hyun	이승현	*December 12, 1990* (22 years old)	Vocalist, Manne, Lead Dancer

Having entered into a contract with YG Entertainment, Big Bang has released several successful singles and mini-albums. The group's first release was the mini-album " Always" (2007), which spawned the hit single " Lies"(in Korean: 거짓말 ; romanized: Geojismal ; in Russian: Lie ). Subsequent mini-albums " Hot Issue" And " Stand Up"were also successful. Having received the award and title “Artist of the Year” at the Music Festival M.net KM Music Festival and at the Awards Ceremony Seoul Gayo Daesang Award, the group began active activities in Japan, releasing several mini-albums and digital singles. The guys almost did not promote these works, but after the release of the first physical Japanese single " My Heaven A year later, they were already frequently attending various Japanese shows and music programs.

By the end of 2009, the name "Big Bang" began to lead search queries in South Korea. They also became the first foreign group in Japan to win the "Best Newcomer" award at the Awards Ceremony. Japan Cable Broadcasting Award, and the first Korean artist to win the award Japan Records award. Over the years, the members have also branched out into solo activities, with Taeyang and G-Dragon releasing solo albums and singles, while T.O.P, Taesung and Seungri have branched out into acting.

Representing the Asia-Pacific region, Big Bang won the "Best International Artist" award at the Awards Ceremony. MTV Europe Music Awards 2011 ( EMA), which took place on November 6, 2011 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In addition to the legendary group Queen, Big Bang were the only non-North American winners.

The official Big Bang fan club is called V.I.P., this name was assigned to him after the release of the single “ BigBang Is V.I.P«.

Story

2005–2006: Founding and Early Works

2007–2008: Huge Success

Also according to reports at the time, Big Bang's albums and singles were in high demand, leading to re-releases and reissues of the discs. Riding on the success of the mini-album, the group was awarded several year-end awards, including Best Male Group and Song of the Year at the 2007 KM Music Festival. . The group later received the title of "Artist of the Year" at the 17th Seoul Music Awards.

Overall, the group earned 12 billion won (US$10.6 million) for the year.

2009–2010: Solo activities

After taking a break from the group at the beginning of 2009, the members began solo activities. They later teamed up again to perform with fellow agency members 2NE1, who were dubbed the "Female Version of Big Bang", with the song "Lollipop". A music video was also produced to promote the track. Recorded and released to promote a mobile phone, the song "Lollipop" reached number 1 on several online charts.

The group's first full-length Japanese album, which was named after the group, was released with the support of Universal Music in August 2009 with two lead singles for promotion: "My Heaven" and "Gara Gara Go!!" (ガラガラ GO!!). "My Heaven", Japanese version of the Korean single "Heaven" (Korean: 천국; romanized: Cheonguk; in Russian: Heaven) from the mini-album " Stand Up", was written by Japanese composer Daishi Danse. The song peaked at number 3 on the Oricon charts, and "Gara Gara Go!" ranked at 5. The disc itself reached number 3 on the album chart.

After returning to Korea, the members returned to solo activities.

G-Dragon released his debut album on August 18th "Heartbreaker"“, the title track of the disc bore the same name.

Taeyang presented two digital singles - “Where U At?” and "Wedding Dress" to promote their second album in 2010.

T.O.P Joins the Cast of Action Drama ' Iris“, where he played the role of the killer Vic.

2011: Comeback with "Tonight" and MTV EMA

After completing Korean promotions, the group embarked on the Love & Hope Tour in Japan in May.

Big Bang's return to the South Korean music scene with a new album is scheduled for early 2012.

2012-present: Alive album and first world tour

Beginning on January 20, 2012, YG Entertainment began releasing teasers for Big Bang's fifth mini album "Alive", which was released digitally and physically on February 29. Pre-orders for "Alive" reached 260,000 copies in two weeks. The album's lead single, "Blue", was released a week before the album's release and peaked at number one on all major Korean music charts. The mini-album was very successful commercially, with sales exceeding 200,000 copies in its first month. release. Speaking of foreign music portals, Big Bang took 5 places in the top ten of the Billboard K-pop's Hot 100 and 150 place on the Billboard 200 chart, which allowed them to receive the title of the first Korean artists to enter this chart with Korean album. Their popularity also earned them the number 24 spot on the Billboard Social 50 chart. Since the release of "Alive", Big Bang have received recognition from such well-known publications as Rolling Stone, Ebony Magazine, Time Magazine, and their photo was published on the Grammy Awards home page.

Musical styles

At the beginning of their career, Big Bang's musical style was mainly hip-hop and rap, although their albums also included R&B songs. Author of Yahoo! Japan once compared their early work to US hip-hop acts such as the Black Eyed Peas, claiming that they were characterized by "strong vocals, [...] raps and personalities." Big Bang has always attracted attention by changing musical directions compared to previous albums, as the group experimented with electronic dance music, and over time became the trendsetter of a new musical direction in Korea. G-Dragon subsequently stated that they hoped to "attract more fans" by taking a new direction. In 2008, they recorded the rock song "Oh My Friend" in collaboration with Korean rock band No Brain. In addition, in an interview the group expressed interest in such a musical genre as trot.

Image and cultural influence

Big Bang's creativity and image have received both praise and criticism. Time magazine described them as one of the "most promising" South Korean acts to conquer the Japanese market, and the Korea Times called them "Korean pop icons." Bill Lam of About.com also included them in his list of "Top 10 Asian Boy Bands". Their involvement in creating their own music from the earliest stages of their careers (mainly G-Dragon) has received positive reviews; for example, singer Baek Ji Young stated that she "likes idol artists as long as they are like Big Bang." However, the band has also been criticized for the excessive use of electronic music in their material.

Big Bang has been a huge influence on the Chinese boy band OkBang, which has "much in common with Big Bang in terms of musical style, image and hairstyles." In 2011, the group's concert, "Big Show", was selected by the Korea National Tourism Organization as the basis of the "Visit Korea from 2010-2012" advertising campaign, as "they had a great impact on the country's economy."

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translation from English: kodra, alteen-a @