It’s BIGBANG’s 20th anniversary! After a rare group performance at Coachella this April, the megastars rolled out a new single, “BiiiG”, on August 19, their debut anniversary. Not only is this their first single since “Still Life” in 2022—four years and four months later, to be exact—but it will also be the first song G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung release as a trio. From August 21-23, the three superstars will perform in Seoul, kickstarting their 20th anniversary tour XX: COSMOS!
From being undermined during their debut, to surpassing 100 million listens song after song, to their military hiatus, member changes and reclaiming the spotlight after controversies, BIGBANG has defined an era entirely their own with their music and style. Let’s look back on their legendary 20-year journey!
1. BIGBANG is the first boy band created by YG
October 17, 2006 BIGBANG performs onstage during a taping of MTV K Presents: SE7EN and the YG Family" at the MTV Times Square Studios in New York City
Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images
BIGBANG is the first boy band created by YG Entertainment, and the original five members were G-Dragon, Taeyang, Daesung, T.O.P and Seungri. The documentary “BIGBANG The Beginning” chronicled their debut process, showing how GD and Taeyang had been trainees since they were 11 years old and were slated to debut as a duo. T.O.P was a good friend of GD’s and was active in the underground rap scene under the moniker Tempo. It was through GD’s introduction that T.O.P joined YG, while Daeseung and Seungri joined through a reality competition. The group debuted in 2006.
2. BIGBANG had an unconventional debut and faced criticisms for being an “ugly idol group”
BIGBANG has gone against the grain since their debut. Not only did they have a unique style, but their music incorporated elements of hip-hop and R&B, among others, setting themselves apart from mainstream Korean tracks. They also didn’t fit into the ‘flower boy’ standard of that era, garnering criticism from netizens for being the ‘ugliest idol group’.
3. BIGBANG swept the charts with a national hit, catapulting them into top-tier boy band status
In 2007, BIGBANG released the song that made them a sensation: “Lies”. They departed from their earlier hard-hitting hip-hop style and incorporated a fusion of lyrical melodies and electronic elements. Not only did they top the charts for six consecutive weeks, but they were also awarded “Song of the Year” at the MKMF Awards (the precursor to the MAMA Awards), and GD won “Music Arrangement” (at just 19 years old). With accolades to boot, they proved their undeniable talent to the Korean music industry through creativity and hard work, while shattering the stereotypes of K-pop idols and making a breakthrough in Korean music.
They continued to release classics, including the chart-sweeping “Last Farewell”, the ubiquitous “Haru Haru”, and the song that made it to textbooks, “Sunset Glow”. No matter age or gender, everybody could at least hum a few lines of their songs—that’s just how popular they were. In 2008, they won the award for “Best Male Group”, reaching the pinnacle of success.
4. From Korea to the world: BIGBANG became the symbol of K-pop
At the end of 2011, BIGBANG won the Best Worldwide Act award at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards, becoming the first Asian act to win the category. The following year, they released global hits “Blue” and “Fantastic Baby” as part of the ALIVE EP. It catapulted them to the Billboard Top 200 chart, and they became the first K-pop act featured on the official Grammy Awards website. It was a major moment for K-pop on the global music market.
From 2014 to 2015, BIGBANG released their third album, MADE, through an unprecedented rollout strategy for eight of the tracks. “Loser” and “Bae Bae” ranked #1 and #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts upon release. Meanwhile, “BANG BANG BANG” went on to win “Song of the Year” at the Melon Music Awards and “Best Song” at the Seoul Music Awards, “Song of the Year” at the 2015 MAMA for the second time, and the act swept 4 major awards at MAMA. With the success of this album, they became a symbol of the K-pop world.
5. Military hiatus and consecutive controversies led BIGBANG to their career all-time low
BIGBANG members entered the mandatory military service consecutively from 2017 to 2018. Soon after joining the military, news broke of T.O.P smoking marijuana, and he was also hospitalised due to an overdose of a prescription tranquilliser. He received a ten-month prison sentence and was suspended for two years.
In 2019, Seungri was revealed to be involved in the globally shocking ‘Burning Sun scandal’, and he was charged for allegedly organising prostitutes for investors, embezzlement, bribery, illegal gambling, and violation of foreign currency exchange and food hygiene laws. Burning Sun, a nightclub Seungri was on the board of, was involved in bribery, violence against customers, securing prostitutes for VIPs, rape, drug trafficking and drug use. Seungri left BIGBANG and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
The group image was severely damaged, and the succession of scandals caused them to plummet to rock bottom.
6. BIGBANG returned with “Still Life” and became a trio
In 2019, members returned from military enlistment, and YG announced BIGBANG’s return as a quartet. Yet, their comeback was continuously delayed. Only in 2020, with the announcement of their participation in Coachella, did fans see a glimmer of hope for their return. Yet COVID-19 struck, and delays continued; Coachella was delayed, then cancelled altogether. After a long hiatus of four years, BIGBANG finally returned with “Still Life” and four members. While the song quickly topped the charts, T.O.P announced his departure from the group shortly after, and BIGBANG officially transitioned into a trio.
7. BIGBANG reunites on stage after nine years, MAMA sparks a wave of nostalgia
At the 2024 MAMA Awards, the three members made a surprise appearance, shocking the audience and fellow artists, sending everyone into a frenzy. After nine years, their stage presence and their aura remained unparalleled—they let the world know that the Kings of K-pop are back.
8. BIGBANG unveils comeback at Coachella
2026 marks BIGBANG’s 20th anniversary. Aside from their Coachella performance in April, a long-awaited world tour is about to commence. It’s worth noting that T.O.P has also returned to the music industry with the album “TOP SPOT – ANOTHER DIMENSION”, and his BIGBANG brothers GD, Taeyang and Daesung have expressed support on social media; the strong group spirit came as a delightful surprise to the fans.
9. BIGBANG’s 20th anniversary brings surprises galore! The newest song is titled “BiiiG”
As BIGBANG celebrates their 20th anniversary, the act released a new song for expectant fans. On August 19, the anniversary of their debut, BIGBANG released “BiiiG”—the first group song in four years and four months since “Still Life”. This is also GD, Taeyang, and Daesung’s first song as a trio.
“BiiiG” is a play on “BIG”, echoing their band name. Official visuals use streaks of blue, red, and yellow light to frame the members’ silhouettes, creating a distinct visual that BIGBANG is known for. “Biiig’ is a song that most clearly represents where Big Bang stands today as it marks its 20th anniversary,” YG said in a press release.
From being undermined during their debut to groundbreaking tracks, generational influence, member changes, and military hiatus, BIGBANG meets fans once again with new songs for their 20th anniversary. Amid new songs and a world tour, let’s look forward to the surprises BIGBANG will bring for this momentous occasion!
