Big Bang

Big Bang is a South Korean boy band who consists of five members: Taeyang, G-Dragon, TOP, Seung-Ri and Daesung under the agency YG Entertainment.

Some of the members were already active in the music business before they debuted as a group. Taeyang and G-Dragon were trainees in YGE and were actually scheduled to debut as GDYB, a rap duo. Member TOP was an underground rapper named Tempo. Big Bang debuted on August 19th, 2006 on YG Family Concert.

The first single was called “Big Bang” and it included 3 songs: “We belong together” featuring Park Bom of 2ne1, “A fool’s only tears” and “This Love”. Two more singles followed: “Big Bang is V.I.P” and “Big Bang 03″ and both of them reached very high sale rankings. Big Bang held their first concert “The Real” at the end of December 2006 while a month later their first album “Since 2007″ was released.

In 2007 the group relvealed their first live concert album “The First/Real concert” and held the “Want You” tour in 5 cities. In the same year their first mini album “Always” came out that brought a lot of changes for them but also to the korean music industry. G-Dragon wrote and composed most of the tracks on the album including the single “Lies” which became one of the most popular tracks in Kpop. Later this year “Hot Issue”, another mini album was released and its title track “Last Farewell” continued Big Bang’s success. The tickets for the concert “Big Bang is GREAT” were sold out in 10 minutes! YGE had to reprint and repackage Big Bang’s albums because of the high damand the fans had.

At the end of 2007, Big Bang started their promotions in Japan. Their first japanese mini album “For the world” was released in early 2008.

Back in Korea, the group released its third mini album “Stand Up” with the title song “Haru Haru” that topped various charts. Several other tracks of this album ranked high places on the charts. During the “Stand Up” promotions, Big Bang released the song “Number 1″ in Japan that was included in the album “Number 1″. They performed this song in japanese radio and TV shows.

The next korean album “Remeber” was released in the same year with two title tracks: “Sunset Glow” and “Strong Baby” a solo song of Seung-Ri.

In 2009 Big Bang returned after a break with the song “Lollipop” featuring labelmate 2ne1. It was a song that endorsed the LG Lollipop phone.

After that, Big Bang continued their japanese promotions with the album “Big Bang” which was released on August 2009 and had the two title tracks “Gara Gara Go” and “My Heaven” (a japanese version of their korean song “My Heaven”). Big Bang returned back to Korea and the members worked on their solo activities. G-Dragon released his debut album “Heartbreaker” and promoted it with a title track under the same name while Taeyang released the two digital singles “Where U AT” and “Wedding Dress”. TOP acted in the thriller “Iris” where he played the killer Vick. They gathered together again and recorded the song “Koe wo kikasete” for the japanese drama Ohitorisama.

In January 2010 Big Bang held their concert “Big Show 2010″ that consisted of 2 concerts and later this year they held their japanese tour “Electric Love Tour”. Two singles were released in 2010: “Lollipop 2″ as an endorsement song for LG and “Tell me goodbye” as the title song of the japanese version of “Iris”.

For the World Cup in 2010 Big Bang collaborated with ice skater Kim Yuna and rock band Transfixion for the song “Shouts of reds” to support the South Korean soccer team.

The following months were filled with the solo activities of the members. A sub unit with G-Dragon and TOP was formed called GD&TOP and Seung-Ri released his solo album VVIP. Shortly after that the group released the japanese single “Beautiful Hangover”.

After a hiatus of 2 years, Big Bang returned as a group in 2011 with the “Big Show 2011″ and the mini album “Tonight” which became a chart topper not only in Korea and Asia but also internationally. They promoted the single “Tonight” and “Love Song” which was included in a special edition of the album. They held the “Love & Hope Tour” in Japan to encourage the people after the incident in Fukushima and released the album “Big Bang 2″.

Later on Taeyang, G-Dragon, TOP and Seung-Ri went to New Zealand to shoot a MV for the brand “The North Face”.

Big Bang was nominated on the EMAs in the category of “Worldwide Act” representing Asia Pacific and won against Britney Spears and others. On the YG Family Concert 2011 they joined the stage as five again after Daesung’s car accident and G-Dragon’s marijuana case. Their fourth studio album “Best of Big Bang” was released on December 14th in Japan and topped the Oricon charts. Their comeback ist set for March 2012 and is one of the most anticipated acts.

 

Members

Taeyang (see “Taeyang”)

 

G-Dragon:

 

 

Stage name: G-Dragon

Real Name: Kwon Jiyong

Birthday: August 18th, 1988

Star Sign: virgo

Position: leader, lead rapper, composer, vocalist

Height: 1,77m

Blood Type: A

Lucky Charm: a basketball cap (his favourite style of cap) on top of a star meaning “to become a big star in the music industry”

Skills: rapping, composing, beatboxing, dancing

Spoken Languages: korean, english, japanese and a bit of chinese

Education: Seoul Korean Traditional Arts Middle and High School

Hobbies: listening to music, drawing pictures

Likes: fashion, acting, cooking, crispy donuts, dogs, cars, the drawing “Is it like stars or skeleton”, books (poems, mangas, and magazines), watching cartoons, and himself

Religion: christian

Family: Parents and an older sister Dami

 

TOP

 

Stage name: TOP

Real name: Choi Seunghyun

Birthday: November 4th, 1987

Star sign: scorpion

Position: rapper, composer

Height: 1,81m

Blood type: B

Lucky Charm: a hand holding a megaphone which means:”to inspire people with his voice and become famous”

Skills: rapping, beatboxing, composing

Spoken languages: korean, english, japanese

Education: Seoul Art College, Dangook University in Theater & Film

Hobbies: reading and swimming

Likes: theater pieces and parodies (his own and other ones), musicals, fashion

Favourite musicians: Usher, Omarion, Jay-Z, B2K

Family: Parents and older sister

 

Daesung

 

Stages names: Daesung, D-lite

Real name: Kang Daesung

Birthday: April 26th, 1989

Star sign: taurus

Position: vocalist

Height: 1,78m

Blood Type: O

Lucky charm: A pair of headphones surrounding the globe of the world meaning “to let the world listen to your music”

Skills: singing

Spoken languages: korean, japanese

Education: Kyeongin High School

Likes: rap, beatboxing, cooling, Doraemon

Religion: christian

Favourite musicians: Brian McKnight, Usher, Omarion, Wheesung, NeYo

Family: Parents and older sister Bora

 

Seung-Ri

 

Stage names: Seung-Ri, V.I
Real name: Lee Seunghyun
Birthday: December 12th, 1990
Star sign: sagittarian
Position: vocalist, choreographer
Height: 1,76m
Blood type: A
Lucky Charm: a planet surrounded by rings (Saturn) meaning “a new style of music set on the music industry”
Skills: singing, dancing
Spoken languages: korean, a little bit of english and japanese
Hobbies: singing, dancing
Likes: foreign languages

Favourite musicians: Justin Timberlake

Family: Parents and younger silbings

 

Facts

• Big Bang is called “rich in variety” because they produce a lot of music genres
• the “Times” called them “the icons of korean pop music”
• of “The First/Real Concert” DVD were 30 000 copied sold at the end of 2007
• G-Dragon is very neat and clean
• G-Dragon and TOP used to be neighbours
• G-Dragon used to be a trainee in SM
• G-Dragon wants to be like YG one day and help people living their dreams
• Seung-Ri doesn’t call TOP “hyung” when he is not around
• Seung-Ri and G-Dragon are Big Bang’s Tom and Jerry
• Daesung has an obsession with Doraemon
• YG’s suggested name for TOP was “Mark” but Se7en suggested “TOP” and he liked the last name more
• because Seung-Ri and TOP have the same name, they are also known as “big Seunghyun” and “little Seunghyun”
• TOP chose Taeyang as the member he would date if he was a girl and he also stated he wanted to take away his innocence
• TOP doesn’t like being touched
• TOP has a good sense of humour
• TOP likes pink and his room is pink,too
• TOP wear a lot of clothes for sleeping
• Seung-Ri accidentally wore G-Dragon’s underwear
• G-Dragon always hated and still hates to take medicine
• TOP’s room is full of toys
• Seung-Ri has a lot of secrets
• TOP’s nickname in school was “sleepy baby”
• Daesung doesn’t move when he sleeps
• Daesung picked TOP as the member he would date if he was a girl
• Daesung doesn’t know how to swim
• G-Dragon picked Seung-Ri as the member he would date if he was a girl
• Seung-Ri picked G-Dragon as the member he would date if he was a girl

Discography

1. 1st Single Big Bang (2006)
2. 2nd Single Big Bang is V.I.P (2006)
3. 3rd Single B I G B A N G (2006)
4. Album SINCE 2007 (2006)
5. Mini-album Always (2007)
6. Mini-album Hot Issue (2007)
7. Japanese mini-album For the World (2007)
8. Stylish (the FILA) (2008)
9. Japanese mini-album With U (2008)
10. Mini-album Stand Up (2008)
11. Japanese album Number 1 (2008)
12. Album Remember (2008)
13. Big Bang ft. 2ne1 Lollipop (2008)
14. Japanese single My Heaven (2009)
15. Japanese single Gara Gara Go (2009)
16. Big Bang Lollipop 2 (2010)
17. 4th japanese single Tell me goodbye (2010)
18. 4th mini album Tonight (2011) 
19. Special Edition of Tonight (2011)
20. Second full japanese album Big Bang 2 (2011)
21. Best of Big Bang (2011)
22. ALIVE (2012)
23. Still Alive (special edition of Alive, 2012)
24. Alive Monster Edition (japanese special edition of Alive, 2012)

Concerts & Tours

1. The REAL concert (2006)
2. Want you (2007)
3. Big Bang is G.R.E.A.T (2007)
4. Global Warning (2008)
5. Stand up tour (2008)
6. Big Show (2009)
7. Big Show (2010)
8. Electric Love Tour (2010)
9. YG Family Concert ( 2010)
10. Big Show (2011)
11. Love & Hope Tour (2011)
12. YG Family Concert (2011)
13. Big Show (2012)
14. Alive Worldtour (2012)

DVDs

• 1st live concert – The REAL
• 2nd live concert – GREAT
• Stand Up Tour
• Global Warning Tour
• 2009 live concert – Big show 2009
• 2010 live concert – Big show 2010
• Electric Love Tour 2010
• YG Family Concert 2010 DVD
• Big Show 2011 DVD
• Love & Hope Tour DVD
  YG Family Concert 2011
  Extraordinairy 20s DVD

Book

Shouting out to the world

 

 

Awards

-Cyworld awards Rookie of the Month (2006)
-Netizen Award Viewer’s Choice Award (Lies) (2007)
-Cyworld Song of the Month (Lies) (2007)
-Cyworld Song of the Month (Lies) (2007)
-MNET/KM Music Festival Song of the Year (Lies) (2007)
-MNET/KM Music Festival Best Male Group (2007)
-22nd Annual Golden Disk Awards Bonsang (Dirty Cash) (2007)
-SBS Inkigayo Golden Award Number 1 Song of the Year (Lies) (2007)
-Asian Music Extreme Awards Best Asian Newcomer of the Year (2007)
-Asian Music Extreme Awards Best Asian Hip Hop Album of the Year (Always) (2007)
-Cyworld Song of the Month (Last Farewell) (2007)
-Cyworld Song of the Month (Haru Haru) (2008)
-Cyworld Song of the Month (Sunset Glow) (2008)
-5th Annual Korean People’s Music Choice Award Netizen Award Dance & Electronic (2008)
-17th Seoul Music Awards Digital Music Award (2008)
-17th Seoul Music Awards Top Artist Award (2008)
-17th Seoul Music Awards Artist of the Year (2008)
-MNET / KM Music Festival Artist of the Year (2008)
-MNET / KM Music Festival Best Boygroup of the Year (2008)
-MNET / KM Music Festival Digital Music Award (2008)
-MNET / KM Music Festival Music Portal MNET Award (2008)
-18th Seoul Music Awards High1 Award (2009)
-18th Seoul Music Awards Best Album (2009)
-18th Seoul Music Awards Award for mobile Popularity (2009)
-18th Seoul Music Awards Bonsang (2009)
-21st Korea PD Awards Best Male Group (2009)
-Japan Record Awards Best Newcomer of the Year (2010)
-Japan Record Awards Best new Artist video (2010)
-Japan Record Awards Best Pop video (2010)

-Europe Music Awards: Worldwide Act (2011)

-Melon Awards: Top 10 Artists of the year (2011)

-Mnet Asian Music Awards Best Video (Love Song) (2011)

-Mnet Asian Music Awards Best Male Group (2012)

-Mnet Asian Music Awards Worldwide performer Guardian Angels (2012)

-Mnet Asian Music Awards Daesang Artist of the Year (2012)

 

Social Networks & Sites

Big Bang’s official page: YG Big Bang

Big Bang’s official japanese page: YG Big Bang JP

Big Bang’s official Youtube Channel: BIG BANG

Daesung’s official me2day: bbdaesung

Seung-Ri’s official me2day: viofbb

Seungri's Twitter: @ForvictoRi

TOP’s official me2day: topofbb

G-Dragon’s official me2day: g-dragon

G-Dragon's Twitter: @ibgdrgn

G-Dragon's instagram: xxxibgdrgn