ig Bang (Korean: ) is a South Korean boy band formed by YG Entertainment.

Consisting of
members G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, Daesung, and Seungri, the group officially debuted on
August 19, 2006. Predominantly a hip hop group, their debut was a moderate success, with their
first self-titled Korean album selling 48,000 copies. Their breakthrough came with the release of
their first extended play, Always (2007), which included the number one song "Lies" (Korean:
; Revised Romanization: Geojitmal). The song went on to top major Korean music charts
for a record-breaking seven consecutive weeks,[3] and won the group the Song of the Year award
at the 9th Mnet Korean Music Festival.[4]
Big Bangs followed-up releases furthered their success and popularity: Hot Issue (2007)
spawned the chart-topping song "Last Farewell," (Korean: ; Revised Romanization:
Majimak Insa), while Stand Up (2008) produced "Day By Day" (Korean: ; Revised
Romanization: Haru Haru). After receiving the Artist of the Year award from the 2008 Mnet
Korean Music Festival, the group expanded their endeavors to Japan, releasing both their second
Korean studio-album Remember and their first Japanese album, Number 1, in the same year, and
consequently winning three awards at the 9th MTV Video Music Awards Japan.[5][6] They would
go on to release three more Japanese studio albums: Big Bang (2009), Big Bang 2 (2011), and the
Japanese studio album Alive (2012). Amidst their Japanese promotions, the members branched
out to do solo activities: Taeyang and G-Dragon released solo albums, G-Dragon and T.O.P
formed a sub-unit, Seungri and Daesung acted in musicals and hosted variety shows, and T.O.P
went on to star in various films and television shows.
After a two-year hiatus in South Korea, Big Bang reunited in 2011 with their EP Tonight (2011).
Promotions were cut short when multiple members encountered legal issues. By the end of the
year, Big Bang emerged as the inaugural Best Worldwide Act winner at the 2011 MTV Europe
Music Awards.[7] Three months after their win in Europe, Big Bang released their most successful
physical album, the Korean EP Alive (2012), which won them their second Artist of the Year
Award at the 14th Mnet Asian Music Award. Alive became the first Korean album to chart on
Billboard 200, with the group embarking on their first ever world tour that concluded in early
2013. In 2015, after a three-year hiatus, Big Bang made their highly anticipated comeback to
their native country with the release of four singles, "M," "A," "D," and "E," to precede their
third Korean studio album Made. Their singles were met with critical and commercial success,
netting in sales of over 13.3 million copies throughout Asia[8] and winning the group their third
Artist of the Year Award at the 17th Mnet Asian Music Awards.
Labeled as the "Kings of K-pop"[9] and "Nation's Boy Band,"[10] the members involvement in
composing and producing their own music, most notably G-Dragon, has earned the group respect
and praise from the music industry.[11] Since the release of the Gaon Chart, Big Bang, including
their solo releases, has sold over 79 million records. With the previous releases including sales
from Music Industry Association of Korea (MIAK) and The Korea Music Content Industry
Association (KMCIA), they have sold over 100 million records, with over 94 million digital
singles, selling an average of 4.3 million downloads per title track and 1.5 million downloads per
non-title track, and over 6 million albums in Korea, Japan, and the rest of the Asian continent.[12]
[13][14]
They have won numerous awards and set several records, including the all-time best-selling
artist in Cyworld and most Artist of the Year Award wins at the Mnet Asian Music Awards.

Citing their global popularity and contribution to K-pop, the Hollywood Reporter have described
them as "the biggest boy band in the world."[15]

Contents

1 History
o 1.1 20002007: Formation and debut
o 1.2 20072008: Breakthrough success and Japanese debut
o 1.3 20092011: Solo endeavors, Japanese activities, and Tonight
o 1.4 20122014: Alive, first world tour, and solo activities
o 1.5 2015present: Made, second world tour and 10th Anniversary

2 Artistry
o 2.1 Music and lyrics
o 2.2 Stage

3 Legacy
o 3.1 Fandom

4 Accolades

5 Discography
o 5.1 Korean studio albums
o 5.2 Japanese studio albums

6 Tours

7 Publications

8 See also

9 References

10 External links

History
20002007: Formation and debut
Prior to the group's debut, a few of the members were already exposed to the entertainment
industry. G-Dragon and Taeyang were the first ones to receive training under YG Entertainment
at the age of eleven. T.O.P was an underground rapper[16] under the stage name "Tempo." One of
his most popular tracks was "Buckwild" with NBK Gray.[17] After G-Dragon was approached by
YG Entertainment for possible candidates to start a boy group, G-Dragon contacted T.O.P, his
childhood friend, leading to the latter to audition.[18] Seungri first appeared on the reality
television series Let's Cokeplay: Mnet Battle Shinhwa, a show in which idol group Shinhwa
search for members to make up the "second-generation Shinhwa." The original lineup consisted
of 6 members: the aforementioned ones along with Daesung and So-1, who were both auditioned
in. Their formation was documented on television; prior to their official debut, So-1 was
dropped.[19][20]
Big Bang held their official debut on August 19, 2006 at the Gymnastics Arena in Seoul Olympic
Park during the YG Family 10th Year Concert.[21] On September 23, 2006, the group had their
debut performance on television broadcast. Following the performance, the group's first single,
"Bigbang," was released. It contained the songs "We Belong Together," featuring label mate Park
Bom; "A Fool's Only Tears" (Korean: ; Revised Romanization: Nunmulppunin
Babo); and "This Love," an adaptation of the American rock band Maroon 5 song, rewritten and
performed by G-Dragon.[19][22] The single went on to sell nearly 40,000 copies.[23] The second
single, "BigBang Is V.I.P," was released in September, eventually topping 32,000 copies sold.[23]
Their last single, "Bigbang 03," followed, with final sales nearing 40,000 copies.[23] At the end of
December 2006, Big Bang held their very first concert, The Real. The following month, their
debut album, BigBang Vol. 1 Since 2007, was released, selling 48,000 copies by the end of
February 2007.[23]

20072008: Breakthrough success and Japanese debut

Big Bang at MTV Fast Forward, Thailand, December 2007

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.[24] The group also began their Want You tour,
visiting five cities: Incheon, Daegu, Changwon, Jeonju and Busan.[25] Their first extended play,
Always (2007), marked several changes for the group. Though the members had previously

involved themselves with writing and composing, the group took more creative control over their
music. G-Dragon composed and wrote most of the tracks included in their first EP, including
"Lies" (Korean: ; Revised Romanization: Geojitmal).[26] The EP also saw the introduction
of electronic music for Big Bang. Receptions were fairly positive, most notably in regards to the
song "Lies," which critics described as "through the roof."[27] Released as the lead single, it
became their first number one hit. The album itself sold 87,000 copies.[26]
Their second EP, Hot Issue, released that same year, followed its predecessor's success: the leadsingle, "Last Farewell," (Korean: ; Revised Romanization: Majimak Insa) topped
various charts, including the Juke-On's chart for eight consecutive weeks.[28] It also garnered the
Song of the Month (Digital Music) Award from Cyworld. Tickets for their Big Bang Is Great
concert were also reportedly sold out in 10 minutes.[29][30]
"Lies" (2007)
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Big Bang took a new direction with the release of their song "Lies" by incorporating
electronic music into their style. The song eventually became their break-out hit.
"Day by Day" (2008)
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"Day by Day," which continued the group's experimentation with electronic genre, went
on to become one of their strongest singles, topping the charts for six consecutive
weeks.[31]
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At the end of 2007, it was reported that members of the band were hospitalized from overperforming and exhaustion,[32] halting their promotional activities. Reports were later released
that Big Bang's albums and singles were in high demand, causing the record company to reprint
and repackage them for re-release.[33] Riding on the success of their EPs, the group collected
numerous awards, including Best Male Group and Song of The Year from the 2007 Mnet Asian
Music Awards.[34] They later received the Artist of the Year Award from the 17th Seoul Music
Awards.[35] The group earned a total of 12 billion ($11.5 million) by year's end.[36]
As 2007 came to a close, Big Bang ventured overseas to Japan. Their first Japanese EP, For the
World (2008),[37] charted at number 10 on the Oricon chart, despite little promotion.[38] The group
also held a concert at the JCB Hall in Tokyo Dome City. Big Bang returned to South Korea after
their promotions in Japan ended. Although group activities were delayed due to solo projects,
their third Korean EP, Stand Up, was released. Featuring Daishi Dance and the Korean rock-band
No Brain, Stand Up exceeded the 100,000 mark in sales. "Day By Day" (Korean: ;
Revised Romanization: Haru Haru), the lead single, topped several online charts and held the

number one position for six consecutive weeks.[31] Following the lead single's success, other
songs also charted within the Top Twenty, with "Heaven" reaching the second spot, "Oh My
Friend" hitting the ninth spot, "A Good Man" at number twelve, and "Lady" peaking at number
sixteen a total of five songs in the Top Twenty for the group.[39]
During the release of their Korean materials, Big Bang released the Japanese song, "Number 1,"
from their album of the same name, performing the song on Japanese radio programs and TV
shows; the album peaked at number three on the Japan's Oricon daily album chart. Their second
Korean studio album, Remember (2008), yielded the number one single, "Sunset Glow" (Korean:
; Revised Romanization: Byulkeun Noeul). "Strong Baby," performed solely by
Seungri, was released as the second single. The album went on to sell over 200,000 copies.[39]
Big Bang received their second Artist of the Year Award from the 2008 Mnet Asian Music
Awards.[40] At the end of 2008, it was reported that Big Bang earned a total of 36 billion
($34.5 million).[36]

20092011: Solo endeavors, Japanese activities, and Tonight

Big Bang in 2011

While the group was on a break in early 2009, the members pursued solo activities. They
reunited to collaborate with 2NE1, their label's new girl group who had been dubbed as "The
Female Big Bang" at the time,[41] for "Lollipop," a song used to promote a cellphone by LG
Cyon. A music video was also filmed for promotion.[42] Big Bang also released their third
endorsement digital single "So Fresh, So Cool" to promote the beer brand "Hite," although
Seungri was not in the commercial due to the fact he was not of drinking age.[43] Their first selftitled full-length Japanese album was released under Universal Music in August 2009 and was
promoted with two singles: "My Heaven" and "Gara Gara Go!! ( GO!!?)."[44][45] "My
Heaven," a Japanese translation of their Korean single "Heaven" (Korean: ; Revised
Romanization: Cheonguk) from Stand Up, was composed by Japanese composer Daishi Dance[25]
and debuted at number three on the Oricon Music Chart.[46] "Gara Gara Go!" charted at the fifth
spot[47] and the album itself peaked at number three.[47]
After their return to Korea, the members went back to their solo activities. On August 18, GDragon released his debut album, Heartbreaker, promoting it with the album's title track. The
album went on to win the Album of the Year at the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards, selling over
210,000 units.[48] Taeyang released two digital singles, "Where U At?" and "Wedding Dress" to
promote his second album released in 2010.[49] T.O.P joined the cast of the Korean thriller drama
Iris, playing the assassin Vick.[50] Daesung and Seungri both pursued various individual activities

in acting and hosting. They later reunited to record the song "Koe wo Kikasete" for the Japanese
drama Ohitorisama ( One Person?).[25][51][52] The song was later released as a
single, peaking at #4.[53]
For several days in January 2010, Big Bang performed their 2010 Big Bang Concert Big Show[54]
at the Seoul Olympic Stadium.[55] The following month, they embarked on their Electric Love
Tour in Japan.[56] Although no official albums were recorded, 2010 saw the release of several
singles for the group with promotional ties. The release of "Lollipop Part 2" in February, the
follow-up to their single "Lollipop"' with 2NE1, was used to coincide with promotions for LG
Cyon's Lollipop phone.[57] The single also reached number one on digital charts.[58] Their next
single, "Tell Me Goodbye," was recorded for the Japanese re-release of Korean drama Iris.[59]
The song proved to be popular and gained favorable reviews,[59] winning Song of the Year at the
52nd Japan Record Awards.[60] Additionally, tying in with the 2010 World Cup, the group
released the song "Shout of the Reds" featuring the Korean rock band Transfixion and figure
skater Kim Yuna.[61]
For most of the year, the members individually promoted their own work,[62] including the release
of the GD & TOP unit with their collaboration album and the release of Seungri's first EP
entitled VVIP.[63] Big Bang also won several notable awards, including the Best 5 New Artists
award from the 24th Japan Gold Disc Awards[64] as well as the Best New Artist award.[65] Near the
end of May, the group received the awards for Best Pop Video and Best New Artist from the
MTV Video Music Awards Japan 2010.[66] They released their latest Japanese single "Beautiful
Hangover" on August 25, 2010.[67]
After nearly two-year hiatus as a full group, Big Bang returned to South Korea with their 2011
Big Show concert.[68] They also showcased songs from their latest EP Tonight.[69] The album had
a pre-sale order of 10,000 copies in Cyworld, beating the record set by TVXQ's 6,500 copies
back in 2008,[70] and selling 100,000 copies in a week.[71] Reception for the album was positive,
with Choi Jun of Asiae complimenting the group's new direction in their music, acknowledging
that during the two years hiatus, the group's "style and musical sensibility [had] deepened."[72]
Seven days after the album's release, it was reported that Big Bang had already earned
7 billion (USD$6.6 million).[73] Its lead-single of the same name became a chart-topper on the
Gaon Chart.[74] After promotions for Tonight was finished, Big Bang released a special edition
album with two new tracks: "Love Song" and "Stupid Liar." "Love Song"'s music video on
YouTube gained 2 million views within just two days.[75] The group kicked off their Love &
Hope Tour in May of the same year.[76]
Big Bang won the 2011 MTV EMA's Best Worldwide Act award as representatives of the AsiaPacific region with over 58 million votes.[77] "Love Song" also won Best Music Video at the 2011
Mnet Asian Music Awards. Big Bang later celebrated YG Entertainment's 15th anniversary by
participating in the 2011 YG Family Concert Tour. This was followed by a release their third
Greatest Hits album The Best of Big Bang on December 14, which contained a Japanese version
of their number one hit "Day by Day." The album topped the Oricon Daily chart on its first day
of release and went on to sell over 14,000 copies in the first week. It was reported that Big Bang
earned 88 billion (USD$84.5 million) in 2011 even though they had just promoted for half a

year. The earnings included Big Bang's revenue concert for SBS's Big Bang Show, their 2011
Big Show Concert and their Love and Hope Tour in Japan.

20122014: Alive, first world tour, and solo activities

Big Bang performing in 2012

Starting on January 20, 2012, YG Entertainment began releasing teasers for Big Bang's fifth
Korean EP Alive, which was released in both digital and physical formats on February 29.
Preorders for Alive amounted to 260,000 copies in two weeks.[78] Its lead single, "Blue," was
released a week prior to the album's release and reached the number one position on all major
domestic charts.[79] The EP was a commercial success, selling in excess of 200,000 copies in its
first month of release.[80] Internationally, Big Bang obtained five spots out of the Top Ten on
Billboard K-pop's Hot 100 and charted at 150 on Billboard 200, making them the first Korean
artist with a Korean album to do so.[81] Their popularity also boosted them onto the Billboard
Social 50, entering at number twenty-four. They later received recognition from notable sites
such as Time magazine,[82] and a photo of the group was featured on the Grammy Awards
homepage.[83]
The album release coincided with their annual concert, Big Show 2012, held at Seoul Olympic
Park Stadium from March 24 to a sold-out crowd of 40,000 fans.[84] This marked the official
kick off of their first world tour Big Bang Alive Galaxy Tour 2012, in partnership with Live
Nation.[85] It was directed by renowned choreographer Laurieann Gibson, with Big Bang
performing at 21 cities in over 13 countries.[84] Concert footage from Big Show was broadcast in
160 countries through MTV World Stage, which pushed the promotion for their world tour. On
March 6, 2012, the music video for "Fantastic Baby" was released on YouTube. This is currently
the band's most popular song, having received more than two hundred and fifteen million views
on YouTube.[86]
The Japanese version of Alive was released on March 28 both digitally and physically, with two
additional Japanese tracks. Included with the physical copy of their album was a bonus Japanese
version of their hit song "Day by Day."[87] It sold over 23,000 copies on its first day of release
and peaked at number two on the Oricon charts,[88] eventually selling over 200,000 copies total[89]
and certified gold by the RIAJ.[88] Japanese promotions began with a performance at 2012's
Springroove Festival alongside top American and Japanese hip hop artists. Big Bang was the first
Korean act to be invited along with label-mates 2NE1.[90] Following the success of their
comeback, Big Bang released a special edition album titled Still Alive on June 3. It featured four

new tracks including two new Korean tracks of which their lead single was titled "Monster," as
well as Korean remakes of the two additional tracks in the Japanese version of Alive. The album
sold over 100,000 copies in its first month of release.[89] A special Monster edition of their
Japanese Alive album was also released on June 20, following its Korean counterpart.
The success of their special edition album further boosted the group's global recognition, peaking
at #11 on the Billboard Social 50.[91] The group toured extensively throughout the rest of the year,
spanning several countries and regions: Japan (May to June), China (July to August), Southeast
Asia (September to October), and the Americas (November). After touring the Americas, the
group went back to Japan for their "Special Final in Dome Tour," stopping at some of the largest
stadiums in Japan including Osaka Dome, Tokyo Dome and Fukuoka Dome. Big Bang also
performed in Hong Kong and England in December 2012. One concert was scheduled in
London, England but another date was added to their tour due to popular demand. The group
concluded the tour with concerts in Osaka in mid-January along with a three night stint at the
Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul later that month. 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 Best Male Solo award at the event.[92]
They also received the Best Fan category award at the Italian TRL Awards.[93]
The following year, the members took a break from group activities to release and promote their
own materials, including Daesung's first album D'scover, Seungri's second EP Let's Talk About
Love, and G-Dragon's second album Coup D'Etat. T.O.P involved himself with the film The
Commitment and also released the song "Doom Dada," while Taeyang returned as a solo artist
with the release of his album Rise.

2015present: Made, second world tour and 10th Anniversary

Big Bang performing during their MADE Tour in 2015

After a three-year hiatus, Big Bang made their comeback by releasing special "project singles"
for their album Made: "M," "A," "D," and "E."[94] The first single, "M" (May 2015), included the
two songs "Loser" and "Bae Bae", with the former charting at No. 1 and the latter at No. 2 on
Billboard's World Digital Songs chart, the second Korean act to do so after label-mate Psy for his
songs "Gangnam Style" and "Gentleman".[95] At the 13th Korean Music Awards, "Bae Bae" won
Best Pop Song and Song of the Year.[96] The following month saw the release of "A" (June 2015).
Its two songs, "Bang Bang Bang" and "We Like 2 Party," also went on to occupy the number one
and two positions on Billboard's World Digital Chart.[97] On the music video charts of QQ Music,

"Bang Bang Bang" and "We Like 2 Party" held the No. 1 and No. 2, while "Loser" and "Bae
Bae" occupied the No. 3 and 6 positions.[98] On June 25, the special project exceeded 100 million
views on YouTube.[99] "Bang Bang Bang" later won International Song of The Summer on MTV
IGGY.[100] "D" (July 2015) contained "If You" and "Sober." On the music video charts of QQ
Music, "Sober" took the number one position surpassing "Bang Bang Bang." (The group did not
release a music video for "If You.") "If You" and "Sober" landed on Billboard's World Digital
Chart with "If You" at number two and "Sober" at number three.[101] That same month, Big Bang
broke 200 million views for the "M," "A," and "D" music videos.[102] The strings of singles
concluded with "E" (August 2015), with the songs "Zutter" (featuring the subunit of GD&TOP)
and "Lets Not Fall In Love."[103] The latter debuted at number one on the Gaon Singles Chart as
well as peaked at number one on Billboard World Digital Songs chart.[104] The combined sales of
the singles have accumulated to over 13.3 million copies throughout Asia.[8] To promote their
singles, the group embarked on the critically acclaim and commercially successful MADE World
Tour. Kicking off with two shows in Seoul on April 25 and 26, the tour gathered 1.5 million fans
around the world, making it the largest tour by any Korean act.[105][106] At the end of the year, Big
Bang earned over 140 billion (USD$120 million) in 2015.[8]
Despite the commercial success of the singles, the release date of the album was postponed to
add new songs to the album and for the group to rest after four months of promotions.[107] At the
17th Mnet Asian Music Awards, Big Bang emerged as one of the biggest winners of the night,
winning four awards including their third Artist of the Year Award.[108] Big Bang continued
touring into 2016, kicking off with their 2016 Big Bang MADE [V.I.P] Tour, the first leg was in
March in China, visiting eight cities and meeting 182,000 fans, the tour expanded through June
till September, to travel nine more cities in China with six shows in Hong Kong and Taiwan.[109]
[110]
In April and March, they travelled to Japan for the Fantastic Babys 2016 Tour, gathering
280,000 fans.[110][111] To celebrate the 10th anniversary of their debut, the group also announced
that they will hold special concerts; the first concerts will be in Japan at Yanmar Stadium Nagai
in Osaka on July 29 till 31 and are expected to draw 165,000 fans.[110][112] On June 1, they
announced that they will release a special movie on June 30, the movie will follow them through
their Made World Tour 2015.[113] The movie is one of five project that will be released by Big
Bang as 10th anniversary celebration.[114]

Artistry
Music and lyrics
See also: K-pop
During the early days of their career, Big Bang's music was predominantly hip hop and hip pop,
although they incorporated R&B songs into their albums as well. A writer for Yahoo! Japan once
compared their early materials to that of American hip-hop artists such as The Black Eyed Peas,
stating that their songs included "catchy vocals, [...] rap and characters."[115] The song "My Girl,"
Taeyang's first solo from the group's first album, was described as "[s]mooth, sexy and bassheavy," in reminiscent of Omarion.[116] Similarly, Seungri's first solo from the same album, "Next
Day" (Korean: , Revised Romanization: Daeum Nal), was stated to have an "intense 90s
Usher vibes."[117] Always (2008) was noted for its change of musical styles from their previous

efforts, with the group experimenting with electronic dance music and setting it as the new music
trend in Korea.[118] G-Dragon later stated that they hoped "to reach even more fans" with the new
direction.[119] In 2008, they recorded "Oh My Friend," a rock-based song, with the Korean rockband No Brain.[120] In an interview, the group also expressed interest in covering the music genre
trot.[121] From their EP Hot Issue (2008), the "shibuya-kei-influenced" "Fool" (Korean: ;
Revised Romanization: Babo) contained a "heavy dance beat paired with a smooth disco
coating," with G-Dragon's falsetto in the song garnering praise as a "pleasant surprise."[122] Alive
(2012) was noted for being more "experimental" than their previous materials,[123] with "Bad
Boy" described as having a "nostalgic" sentiment[124] and drew comparison to the work of R&B
artists such as Justin Timberlake and Boyz II Men.[125] The album was also praised for
showcasing the group's voice instead of their usual autotune, being described as having "a mature
kind of intensity."[123] Their song "Monster" was praised for its use of the piano and orchestra
sound[126] and the composition for "Bingle Bingle" (Korean: ; Revised Romanization:
Binggeul Binggeul) was noted for being electronic and retro, similar to the work of Katy Perry
and Daft Punk.[127] The group mixed a variety electronic music with soft rock for their Made
(2015) series.[128][129][130] "Loser" was cited for "introduc[ing] a more mature style" to the group
"without losing the images they had enforced through previous releases", while "Bang Bang
Bang" was acclaimed for its EDM-inspired sound.[131] In "Let's Not Fall in Love," Big Bang was
complimented for being at "their most tender," with the song being described as having a "lush
production that evokes a range of emotions."[132]
"La La La" (2006)
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One of their earliest singles released, "La La La" is primarily a hip-hop song.
"Oh My Friend" (2008)
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Although their roots are tied with hip-hop music, Big Bang recorded the rock based
song "Oh My Friend" with the rock group No Brain.
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Members of the band have branched out to other styles for solo projects, thus the group has been
described as "rich in variety" for their fans.[115] Taeyang's EP Hot was mainly a collection of R&B
songs, with the singer stating that this genre was his "main focus."[133] Daesung's first digital
single, "Look at Me, GwiSoon" (Korean: , , Revised Romanization: Nal Bwa
Gwisoon), was a trot song, which drew criticism due to Big Bang's image as "hip-hop artists."[134]
For his debut album, Heartbreaker, G-Dragon incorporated a mix of dance, hip-hop, and R&B
songs.[135] Justin Mccurry from The Guardian said that "[e]ach of the five members [of Big Bang]
has his own individual look, and their musical range is equally eclectic, covering R&B, hip-hop,
house, electro and pop."[136] Producer and rapper Cho PD expressed appreciation for the group,

stating how "[i]dol singers like Big Bang possess the ability of being musicians." He was
particularly fond of G-Dragon, and noted how "in many ways Big Bang has evolved out of being
an idol [group]," citing G-Dragon as the "main representative for this."[137][138] Additionally, they
have been described as "artistic superheroes" for showing "versatility and success in whatever
they do" by rivaling companies.[139] Their continued experimentation with a diverse range of
musical styles and their distinct personalities have been highlighted as some of the main reasons
for their popularity and longevity.[140] Internationally, Big Bang is often referred to as a "K-pop"
group, a label which they do not appreciate,[141] with G-Dragon commenting that, "We are
Korean, so obviously they call our music K-pop. But we never thought of our music as K-pop.
Our music is just our music. In addition, T.O.P noted that "[y]ou dont divide pop music by
whos doing it. We dont say, for instance, white pop when white people make music."[139]
The group is known for maintaining tight control over their career,[15] heavily involving
themselves in the creation of their music and lyrics, as opposed to other Korean artists.[123]
Following the release of Always, G-Dragon began involving himself with the production of the
group's materials,[27] penning lyrics and composing songs such as "Lies," "Last Farewell," and
"Day by Day." Recurring themes in their lyrics deal with love and relationships. In "Bingle
Bingle," a protagonist is pleading to his lover to take the next step in the relationship.[127] In
contrast, "Let's Not Fall in Love" halts a relationship from growing for fear of breaking their
lover's heart.[142] "If You" was inspired during a time G-Dragon was in love.[143] Big Bang have
also covered other topics in their songs. "Fantastic Baby" and "Bang Bang Bang" are often
described as club music due to their lyrical contents, with the former described as having an
"anarchistic" theme and the latter being labeled as the "party anthem of 2015."[131] Their song
"Loser" was an attempt to "humanize the group" by discussing their flaws.[144] "Bae Bae" was
noted for its metaphor about sex[145][146] and "Sober" talks about chasing one's dream.[147] GDragon's contributions were praised by the Korea Times, who described him as a "genius singersongwriter."[148] The rapper himself describes Big Bang as "an idol group not born of talent but
through effort."[149] A writer for Yahoo! Japan complimented the group for their involvement in
their work, stating that "perhaps by contributing to their own materials, not only do they become
in sync with one another, but each person's personality stands out."[115]

Big Bang on stage in 2011

Stage
Big Bang is known for their lavish sets on stage, complete with choreography, costumes, and
props. Big Bang is often choreographed by Shaun Evaristo.[150] While they once relied heavily on

street dancing for their moves, they have made a transition towards other styles of choreography,
with many of their dance being widely copied and covered. One of the moves, which
incorporates the group lifting their shirts to expose their abdomens, quickly gained popularity
online and became one of the top searches on the internet.[151] Another one, in which the group
incorporates the idea of "jump roping" as a dance move, also gained attention from fans.[152] The
dance for "Bang Bang Bang," choreographed by Parris Goebel, was one of the most popular
dances for the year 2015.[153]
At the peak of popularity for Psy's "Gangnam Style," The New York Times journalist Jon
Caramanica noted how Big Bang's concert in New Jersey was the "true wild heart of K-pop" as
opposed to Psy, highlighting their brightly colored costumes, choreography, and stage
performance.[154] In 2012, they ranked number one in the Philippines's Top 3 Mall of Asia Arena
concerts of 2012.[155] When compared to Western artists such as Justin Bieber and One Direction,
Big Bang's performance were noted for having their "edges [...] crisper, the sound louder, the
dancing sharper."[156] They were ranked third on the New York Times list of best concerts in 2012
for their Alive Tour at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.[157] Tickets for the tour sold
out in only a few hours, thus additional dates were added. In March 2012, Krista Mahr, Time
magazine's South Asia correspondent, wrote an article about her first K-Pop concert at the
Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul, describing the group as "K-pop gods" for their stage
presence.[82] Their MADE World Tour in 2015 was a critical and commercial success, with the
Los Angeles Times describing Big Bang as "[o]ne of the most inventive, aesthetically visionary
acts in its genre" and called their Anaheim concert an "incredibly significant moment for K-Pop,"
praising the diversity of their songs and performances.[158]

Legacy
See also: Korean Wave
When foraying into the Japanese market, Time magazine described them as one of the "most
promising" South Korean acts to venture into the country,[25] while the Korea Times have called
them "the icons of Korean pop [music]."[148] In 2011, BBC declared that "K-pop bands, including
Big Bang, are making their mark around the world," citing the group's contribution to YG
Entertainment's economic growth.[159] Titles released by the group have become some of K-pop's
most iconic songs, with "Lies" being credited as their breakout and signature song.[160] In their list
of "The 21 Greatest K-Pop Songs of All Time," Spin magazine lists "Bad Boy" at number
thirteen and the song "High High" by the duo GD & TOP at number seven.[125] "Bad Boy" also
placed fifth in Billboard's list of "20 Best K-pop Songs of 2012."[161] "Fantastic Baby" became
the second K-pop video and first by a K-pop group to surpass 200 million views on YouTube,[162]
while "Bang Bang Bang" and "Good Boy" amassed over 100 million views on the same site.[163]
[164]
Additionally, "Fantastic Baby" placed second in a list of "20 Best K-pop video."[165] "Loser"
and "Bae Bae" were ranked by Billboard as the No. 1 and No. 15 best K-pop songs of 2015,
respectively.[166]

Big Bang performing at the Alive World Tour in September 2012

While The Vancouver Sun described the group as an "ultra-stylized five-piece boyband from
South Korea" and a "K-Pop sensation,"[167] the American financial news broadcaster CNBC have
described them as a "carefully-selected, slickly-produced act" whose use of "synthesized bubblegum pop sound, flashy outfits and video art" are pushing K-pop to the forefront of music
globally.[168] After the group won the 2011 MTV Europe Music Award for Best Worldwide Act,
[169]
Google announced that its subsidiary YouTube would launch its own K-pop channel in
recognition of the popularity and success of K-pop.[170] The British daily newspaper The
Guardian also published an article discussing the importance of how the win had "shed light on
the rise and rise of Korean music across Europe."[171] Additionally, after becoming the first K-pop
band to enter the Billboard 200 music chart with their album Alive, Big Bang kicked off the
Alive Tour in 25 cities worldwide.[172][173] The tour was attended by 800,000 concert-goers around
the world.[174] Their work have influenced numerous artists, including Jill Scott,[175] Pixie Lott,[176]
A*M*E,[177] Dakota Fanning,[178] Nelly Furtado,[179] Astro,[180] BTS,[181] Chang Kiha,[182] Sonamoo,
[183]
iKon,[184] and Grimes. The latter also stated that K-pop, in particular G-Dragon, has
influenced her musical style "more visually than anything else."[185][185][186] The Chinese boy band
OkBang was specifically fashioned after Big Bang and was stated to have "many similarities to
Big Bang in terms of musical style, wardrobe and hairstyles."[187] The Michigan Daily have
described Big Bang as a rare group that "both innovates and defines the direction a genre
takes."[188] Mark James Russell, an entertainment journalist based in Seoul, praised the group for
defying categorization, stating how "[o]f all the mainstream acts, theyre doing the most to push
boundaries of what is considered K-pop."[139]
Citing Shinhwa, the longest-running boy band in South Korea, as their influence and role model,
[189]
Big Bang's own influence extends beyond the music industry, shaping major trends in the
fashion industry.[190] Dubbed "Big Bang fashion," their style has gained a following throughout
Asia.[16] The group first adopted the "hip-hop" image concept for their debut. The release of
Always in 2007 was accompanied by a change in image, with the group leaning towards a more
preppy-punk style, including skinny jeans with Converse or high-top sneakers, which became an
ongoing trend in South Korea. Taeyang also traded his cornrows for a faux hawk.[191] Seen
wearing brands such as Bape, 10 deep, Louis Vuitton, Jeremy Scott, and Phenomenon, Big Bang
also wear custom-printed hoodies for many of their performances and music videos.[16] They
were also credited for bringing back "old school" fashion into the mainstream, such as Nike and
Reebok high-top shoes.[192] Described as the "most fashionable" one in the group,[193] G-Dragon is
known to sport triangular scarves that were later nicknamed "Big Bang scarves."[16] T.O.P also
gained a following for wearing sunglasses during performances.[16] The clothes that the members
donned on stage have gained a cult following among their fans and are sold in boutique stores
such as DongDaeMun.[36] In 2011, Big Bang collaborated with Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo

to create T-shirts in promotion of their Japanese comeback. It was reported that the items were
"sold out within 15 minutes of the store's opening."[194] While the group, in particular G-Dragon,
have established themselves as fashion icons by attracting the attention of Western fashion
designers,[195] they have been criticized for appropriating hip-hop culture, specifically their use of
clothes, color coordination, and hairstyles.[196]
In their honor, their Big Show concert was chosen by the South Korean Touristic Committee for
their Visit Korea from 20102012 campaign, crediting the group's "big economic impact on the
country."[197] Big Bang continues to be a prominent face of South Korea when it comes to
tourism.[198] Their popularity across demographic groups has made them Korea's highest paid
celebrities ever by endorsers, with an asking price of $1 1.5 million USD per endorsement.[199]
Big Bang, along with Girls Generation and TVXQ, has been named the most influential artists to
impact the Hallyu Wave over the past 20 years.[200]

Fandom
Korean fan clubs play an essential role in the K-pop industry; their structure and operation is
different from Western fan clubs.[201] Each club has its own name and color: Big Bang's fans
dubbed themselves the V.I.P. (named after the single of the same name) and hold crown-shaped
yellow light sticks.[202] Credited for the spread of the "fan-rice tower," Big Bang has encouraged
their fans to buy bags of rice and bring them to their concerts; the group then donates the rice to a
charitable cause. For their first show in months, 12.7 tons of rice were donated from 50 fan clubs
around the world.[82] Despite their Korean heritage, the group are noted for having an
international multicultural fan community.[156] Celebrities across Asia have also identify
themselves as V.I.P.s, including Angelababy, Jiro Wang, Shu Qi, G.E.M., and Song Hye-kyo.[203]
In 2016, V.I.P.s were named the top fan base of 2016, beating against the fanbase of popular
artists such as Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, and Britney Spears in an online poll.[204]

Accolades
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Big Bang
Big Bang has amassed numerous achievements and awards, setting several records in their home
country. They experienced their first success with the song "Lies," which would stay on the
Melon Chart for over 54 weeks,[3] followed by "Last Farewell," which topped various charts,
including the Juke-On's chart for eight consecutive weeks.[28] "Day by Day" topped the charts for
six consecutive weeks.[3] Their lyrics and musical composition have resonated among fans and
critics, having won multiple Song of the Year awards from numerous award shows.[34][60] They
were crowned Artist of the Year at the 17th Seoul Music Awards in 2007.[35] Their success in
South Korea mirrored their endeavors in Japan: the group won multiple Best New Artists awards
during the early days of their career in the country.[60][64][66]
Their album Tonight (2010) became the very first K-pop album to reach the Top 10 on US iTunes
chart.[205] In addition, it also charted third on World Albums of the Billboard Chart, a rare feat for
a non-English album without promotion.[206] With pre-sale orders of 10,000 copies in Cyworld,
Big Bang beat the record set by TVXQ's 6,500 copies back in 2008.[70] Emerging as MTV EMA's

2011 Best Worldwide Act, Big Bang became an international icon.[77] Additionally, their 2012
concert set the record for highest ticket sales in Taiwan.[207] In 2014, they were listed as #2 on
Forbes Korea Top 10 Celebrities of 2014.[208] The group currently holds the record as the only
artist to win more than one Artist of the Year Award from the Mnet Asian Music Awards, having
won in 2008, 2012, and 2015.[209] Their single albums "M," "A," "D," and "E," all released in
2015, made them the second Korean act after label-mate Psy to chart at the number one and
number two simultaneously on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart, repeating this feat three
times.[95] In 2015, they became YouTube's most watched K-pop group.[210] They also became the
first Korean male act to have three 100 million YouTube hits under its belt, for "Fantastic Baby,"
"Bang Bang Bang," and "Good Boy."[164]
Their MADE World Tour, the biggest campaign undertaken by a Korean act,[211] logged several
achievements for the group, including most viewed online K-pop concert in history,[212] first
foreign act to hold a Japanese Dome Tour for three consecutive years,[213] the only foreign act to
hold three concerts in a row at the Shanghai Arena,[214] the first Korean act to hold a two-day
concert in Kuala Lumpur,[215] the largest K-pop arena tour in United States history,[216] the first
foreign act to sell out three concerts in Hong Kong on two separate occasions,[217] one of the most
expensive concerts in Malaysian history,[218] highest attendance ever for a Korean act in Chengdu,
China,[219] largest Chinese tour of any Korean act,[220] and the biggest K-pop show staged in
Canada.[22