THE BIG BANG THEORY
In 2006, as Korean superstar Rain, struggled to make it outside his home country, a hip hop group was born under YG Entertainment. Formed through a reality show, the member consists of already-known music personalities. Leader G-Dragon and Taeyang had been with YG Entertainment for six years before joining underground rapper T.O.P, Seungri, and Daesung who were already familiar faces on TV.
Despite the pre-Big Bang fame of these five good looking guys, what brought the band into the radar was their success to conquer Japan, the rest of Asia and eventually the world! Winning the 2011 MTV European Music Award for Best Asia and Pacific Act as well as Best Worldwide Act was really saying something about this band.
Rising Into Fame
Releasing an EP in 2007, Big Bang received two “Artist of The Year” awards the following year. Then, they’re reaching out to neighboring Japan through mini-album and singles. They enjoyed quite a success in Japan the following year, especially after their song “Let Me Hear Your Voice” was selected as J-Dorama titled Ohitorisama. Time Magazine named Big Bang as the most promising South Korean artist to draw success in Japan.
G-Dragon shares the reason behind their expansion to Japan. “Having a market which is several times larger than that of Korea and earning more money are the reasons of why artists [are crosing to] Japan. In Korea, there are many situations that the power of the entertainment companies and TV stations surpasses us, but in Japan everything is made for the artists. This is the greatest blessing that an artist can ever have, the kind that we can’t buy with money.”
Surely, after many similar groups, the crowd is looking for something different. Aside from singing slightly different tune adding hip hop and electronic to their songs, it’s the personalities that makes Big Bang unique. “The things each member like or is good at are so different from one another. There are five people with five different colors, we can make our own world so entertaining,” Taeyang shares in Big Bang’s Electric Love Photobook.
But T.O.P says tha what makes the VIP (their fans) adore them is “the fact that we enjoy ourselves so much on stage, we’ve always thought it’s important to have fun with our fans while we sing and dance.”
Struggle Stories
Fame often came with consequences. Big Bang is no exception. The most famous incidents came from its leader, G-Dragon, whose cases range from his solo concert’s age restriction, marijuana smoking in late 2011 and Daesung’s car accident.
While the other member’s struggle hasn’t become public’s consumption, each, at one point, had shared their personal fight through interviews and variety shows. In 2010, Taeyang recalls his personal dilemma about pursuing career in the entertainment industry. “It has been three years now and I was starting to feel my limit. From time to time I have been overwhelmed thinking “How should I get through this?!” However one day I started to think that’s not the thing that I should be afraid of.”
Other member, Daesung, was faced with stage fright. “When Big Bang debuted, we wanted to break the stereotypical idol image and that was our concept, but I lacked in skills so I got scolded a lot. Truthfully, they didn’t scold me that much. I was the one who kept on digging my own grave. That’s when I had stage fright,” he tells GQ.
In the end, what matters is how they react to all the problems and news out there. “I had been wondering whether I should insist on what I was doing or just gave it up and it ended up with the thought of being a singer lingering in my mind. Hence, I knew my choice then,” G-Dragon says.
Comeback Plan
It’s been three years since the band realeased a full album, so surely the VIP is excited about this. So what should we expect from their comeback? “I think from now on, we just have to do our best like we are doing right now. Then there must be some great results in the future,” Taeyang shares.
One thing VIP shouldn’t be worried about is Big Bang will stay the same, even after all the solo projects and infamous incidents in the past years. “[Big Bang is] another family. We go to each other for advice for lots things, not only work. I’m father, SOL is mother, T.O.P is youngest (me: I think it’s oldest, not youngest, since T.O.P is the hyung) brother, D-LITE is oldest (me: youngest?) brother and V.I is a friend with youngest brother,” G-Dragon says with a laugh. Get ready for another Big Bang!
In the beginning, I thought we just had to appeal to the Korean public. But now, I think we have to make it suitable for the entire world. – G-Dragon
GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS
G-Dragon: I like mysterious-looking girl, but she has to be able to build relationship, has some wit, and good sense. We have to understand each other.
T.O.P: Someone who can grow together with me. The kind with whom I can be at peace because I can trust her.
Taeyang: There’s no reason behind attraction beacuse it’s instant. That’s why it’s hard for me to describe my ideal woman, so there are things I always say in formal interviews. Like, basically, someone who will understand me. You know, the obvious stuff. Someone I can learn a lot from.
Daesung: Someone who will only love me and has a pretty smile.
Seungri: Someone who has a cute phone voice. I also look a lot at physical appearance. If I was really busy and we wouldn’t have time to see each other much, it would make me happy to hear her bright voice on the phone. Since it always cheers you up when you hear the voice of someone you like.
BIG BANG FACTS
- On tour, G-Dragon shares room with Seungri while Taeyang shares room with Daesung. T.O.P prefers to be alone that’s why he always has his own room.
- There’s a sweet reason behind Seungri’s ever energetic performances. “There are many people who traveled from a far place to see the concert, and in reality, it’s a rare chance for many people to see Big Bang up close so I tend to move around a lot for those people.”
- Whenever he gets nervous, Taeyang will hide in the bathroom and listen to music. “The waiting room is so crowded all the time, so I go to a bathroom. It’s not because of the stomachache from being too nervous.”
- When it comes to food, Seungri hates ginger while Daesung hates eggplant.
- One thing Daesung remembers about landing in Japan for the first time was the cars. “I was really shocked and surprised because the cars were moving by themselves without anyone driving! It turned out that the driver’s seat is on the other side.”
(High End Teen Magazine - Indonesia / February 2012 edition)
