On March 21st, CNBLUE finally released their much-anticipated first official album, “First Step“!
In a step towards becoming recognized as true musicians, the album contains a total of 12 tracks with songs personally written and composed by the members themselves. Not only does it contain a slew of new songs, but the band’s past releases in Japan as well, such as “One Time” and “I Don’t Know Why,” both of which previously landed in the Oricon’scharts.
Their title track, “Intuition,” features a strong guitar sound with rhythmical, yet powerful vocals to round it out. Leader Jung Yonghwa participated in the writing, composition, and arrangement for “Love Girl,” as well as member Lee Jong Hyun in “Love Rides the Rain” and “Thank You.” “Just Please,” a track off of their Japanese single, features newly written Korean lyrics by Yonghwa as well.
Check them out below!
- 01. Intuition (Title Track)
CNBLUE recently released their first full-length album, “First Step“, after a long hiatus. But despite the delay, fans can’t seem to get enough of the fabulous foursome – their title track, “Intuition“, has achieved an all-kill on Korea’s major online music charts!
The boys have already reached #1 on Melon, Bugs, Dosirak, and Cyworld, and it seems that they’ll be continuing to hold that position for a little while yet, as they will only kick off their official comeback promotions through music programs from this week onwards.
The album is also flying high in offline sales as well, with over 10,000 pre-orders made for “First Step”.
Congratulations!
Source: Sports Chosun
Tip: Jenny
We previously reported that GoodWill from GoodWill & MGI (an American-Finnish production duo) officially becoming an ELF (Super Junior’s fan club). He promised he would become an ELF if he reached 10,000 followers.
It looks like the ELF’s showed their collaborative strength and dedication because GoodWill reached the monumental 10,000 and became an ELF. It’s been over a month since joining the ranks of ELF and it’s been a bit quiet… That all changed earlier today when he unleashed a special E.L.F Song, check it out below!
Pretty smart marketing strategy!
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in.]
Following the release of photo teasers yesterday, Cube Entertainment has ramped up the excitement with the unveiling of a forty-second video teaser for HyunA ahead of 4minute’s impending group comeback!
In the teaser, HyunA says, “When I turned 20, I thought that the whole world would become mine. My thought wasn’t wrong. The world is cheering at me. Is it waiting for me? Right now I’m just one whole world.” She stares at herself and kisses her reflection in the mirror, with eerie music playing in the background. The teaser concludes with the question, “Mirror, mirror, who’s the prettiest in the world?”
Teasers of the other members will be released shortly, so stay tuned!
After postponing the release date of their upcoming single, KARA has announced that this single will be released on April 6th.
Their official website on Universal Japan announced, “KARA’s third single ‘Jet Coast Love‘ will be released on April 6th.”
It was planned to be released on the 23rd of March, but got delayed due to the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan. Since the country is suffering from an economic crisis, it looks like their single probably won’t be as successful as their other ones.
They will donate much of the revenue from this album to help the disaster relief in Japan.
Source: Newsen
Starship Entertainment, the agency behind SISTAR and K-Will, has announced further details regarding their upcoming boy band!
On March 23rd, the label shared a photo of two identical twin brothers, who will be members of their upcoming ‘Boy Friend’ boy band. Named Youngmin and Kwangmin, the ‘pretty boy’ twins have already caught the attention of music fans for their anime-like looks.
The first member of Boy Friend, Noh Min Woo, was unveiled through K-Will’s music video for “I Can’t Find the Words” earlier this week. The group has experience acting as K-Will’s back dancers for his appearance on “Quiz That Changes the World” in January.
This six-member boy band will debut next month!
Source: OSEN via Naver
In preparation for their upcoming fifth mini-album, U-KISS underwent some drastic changes to bring about some growth and maturity into their group.
The most obvious of changes were seen through the departures of members Kibum and Alexander, who were replaced by Paran’s AJ and Hoon. Admittedly, the original members did confess that they were upset by the switch-ups at first.
They revealed, “We didn’t know what to do at first, and all of us were so confused and lost because we had to separate from the two friends we were with all along. But now that we’ve been rehearsing with the new members and spending more time together, we’ve been making an effort to try and get to know each other better. We’re definitely learning faster than in the past, so we do have strong hopes of showing a lot more than we previously could.”
U-KISS never really had a formal leader, but in the spirit of change, they’ve decided to elect Soohyun for the position. “After experiencing something as big as a member change, all of the members have become so much more serious and mature. Now, no matter what we do, we have better focus and are able to advance at a faster pace than before.”
The members also decided to participate in the album’s writing, rap-making, and production, in an effort to show that they’re not merely a product of their company.
“The team has transformed a lot musically. People usually think of addictive choreography, auto-tune, and powerful performances when they think of U-KISS, but through this promotion cycle, we hope to break that stereotype. AJ and Dongho participated in writing the songs; wouldn’t that fact alone make you feel a sense of change? (smile)”
K-pop fans will probably cock their head when told that U-KISS has yet to win #1, especially considering the success of their hit track, “Manmanhani“. But with their new song, “0330“, the group hopes to finally acquire that top spot on the charts.
“After debuting in 2008, we carried the same dream every year, and it’s to win #1 on a music program. We want to receive a shower of flowers when the MC says we’re #1. But of course, before we win, we’ll be working to show that we’re not falling behind our peers in terms of talent.”
Although they’re eagerly anticipating great things with their new team, the boys have to face an unfortunate obstacle. Because of the member changes, the U-KISS fanbase became divided, with some fans expressing that they’d only be supporting the original members.
U-KISS stated, “At the end of the day, music is what represents the singer. Right now, we’re at the point where we’re deciding whether to take that one step or not because we’re back at the starting line. We hope to show our fans that U-KISS are great singers. We’ve prepared a lot, so please look forward to it.”
Soohyun concluded, “I like people who work well, and my dongsengs all do so well on their own, so as a leader, I don’t have much to do.”
Source: Star News via Nate
SS501’s leader, Kim Hyun Joong, is finally working towards releasing his debut solo album!
On March 24th, a representative from KeyEast Entertainment spoke through OSEN and revealed, “Kim Hyun Joong has been living in the recording room and is busily recording his newest tracks. Since it is his first solo album apart from his group, he’s filled with both determination and effort.”
Aside from attending photoshoot schedules, the singer/actor has cleared everything in his path so that he could focus entirely on his music. Whether it’s night or day, representatives revealed that he would be seen in and out of the recording room for hours on end, surprising everyone with his passion.
The representative continued, “He’s been expressing his ideas and opinions on his album’s concept and the tracks to be included. He’s working very hard to exude a different charm as a soloist, which will distinguish him from his usual image as a SS501 member. “
His solo album will be released by May at the earliest, or by June at the latest.
Source: OSEN via Nate
Earlier, allkpop reported that boy band CNBLUE released their first full album, “First Step“. On March 21st, the band released the full music video for their comeback song, “Intuition“.
In the music video, the four members of CNBLUE are depicted in two ways: as street hoodlums and as themselves. As rebels, the boys are seen sneaking through the streets, using graffiti to tag ‘CNBLUE’ onto everything. They even trespass into a building and shove security guards out of their way!
When the security guards finally catch up to them, however, it’s revealed that the hoodlum versions were, in fact, their actual selves. But the band has myseriously disappeared, leaving behind only their instruments and a huge graffiti tag of their name on the rooftop.
Check out the music video below!
We’ll be updating with the MV from CNBLUE’s official YouTube channel when it hits, so stay tuned!
As reported earlier, the March 20th episode of SBS’s “Heroes” saw the members holding special performances for the soldiers of the 20th Air Force Wing.
However, for this special stage, “Heroes” also invited guests to give soldiers extra amounts of encouragement and fun. These guests were none other than popular girl groups, SISTAR and SECRET!
SISTAR members have claimed in the past that they receive a lot of love when they perform at army bases, and this statement proved to be true through this episode. They gave sexy and powerful performances of “How Dare You” and “Push Push” to loud roars and cheers.
But SECRET also proved to be popular amongst the soldiers, as they gave fresh and cute performances of “Madonna” and “Shy Boy“. The soldiers were seen cheerfully singing and dancing along.
The whole motive for the performance was to cheer on the soldiers and lift their spirits, and inviting the two groups seems to have done the trick!
Check out their performances below!
After releasing their first official album, “First Step,” and the MV for “Intuition” earlier today, CNBLUE held a press conference at the M Pub in Seoul’s Time Square, and took their first official step into their comeback. Yonghwa began, “We gathered together the songs we liked from our Japanese releases and recreated them for our album. If there’s one thing we learned from this album, it’s that there’s joy in writing and producing songs. Thanks to those skills, we’ve become better at interpreting songs. Our official album took a long time to prepare, especially the recording. We’d re-record and edit whatever didn’t satisfy us. Thankfully, the response towards the album has been positive so we’re quite proud.”
The members participated in the writing, composing, and arranging of nine out of the album’s 12 tracks. Jonghyun, who wrote “Love Rides the Rain” and “Lie,” commented, “Usually, I write and compose songs from the feelings I come across in my day-to-day life. But because of our busy promotions, I lived vicariously through movies and dramas and produced my songs from there. This album is important in that it shows the true color of our band.”
Yonghwa continued, “Honestly, I want to give our album 50 points. There are lacking aspects, but we really did try hard and tried to create everything from our own efforts. To say we’re 100% satisfied is too much, as we’ve still got a long way to go.”
When asked about his “We Got Married” wife Seohyun supporting the group, he replied, “I contacted her and she said she would come to the showcase to support us. I asked her if she was serious, and she said that she’d be supporting us with her heart. I’ll be supporting Seohyun’s promotions actively as well.”
On ending his virtual marriage with Seohyun, he stated, “I’m upset that I wasn’t able to treat her better. Over the year that I’ve spent with her, I experienced a lot of things that I otherwise couldn’t have. I’ve become fond of her, and I’ll be sure to support her from here on out.”
He continued, “Although I didn’t experience marriage life directly, I feel that it’s vital that couples treat each other without even 1% of anything lacking.”
Earlier, we reported that Yonghwa was cast in MBC’s upcoming drama, “Festival.” At the press conference, member Minhyuk was revealed to be casted as well.
Yonghwa revealed, “Not only will we be promoting through our drama, but through dramas as well. Kang Minhyuk has been cast with me for ‘Festival’ and is busily taking acting lessons. My role in the drama is ‘Lee Shin,’ a cold man that knows nothing but music. I’ve been trying to get into my role lately and have been treating my bandmates coldly. We’re alike in that we’re both band vocalists, so I’m working to bring that out.”
He continued, “As a way to express the meaning of starting fresh, I began a diet and lost about 8kg.”
Minhyuk added, “In the drama, Jung Yonghwa is the main character, while I’ll be playing a character named ‘Yeo Joon.’ It’s not my debut drama, but my second, so I hope to show how much I’ve improved.” Jungshin stated, “I want to try acting as well since I have interests in both dramas and movies, so I’m preparing for that. I’ve also wanted to model, and recently received the opportunity to walk at the Seoul Fashion Walk this month.”
At the mention of the band being stereotyped as a ‘flower boy band’ that relies on looks over skills, Yonghwa replied, “Honestly, we predicted such views and reactions. We knew, however, that if we were confident with our music and worked hard to show that, people would be understanding.”
Jonghyun continued, “Our focus is on music, no matter what. We often wondered how we’d deliver the things we wanted to feel and share with the public.”
The group stated, “We hope to break the wall that stands between bands and the public. People stereotype bands as being loud and of a genre that is difficult to approach. Like the Rolling Stones, our dream is to become a band that is loved for a long time.”
Source: Korea Economic via Nate, TV Daily via Nate (2), Asia Economy via Daum, Star News via Nate
On March 19th, singers Rain and Son Dambi performed for the “2011 Pattaya International Music Festival” in Thailand amongst 40 other teams from nine different countries.
Introductions of the two were met with an explosive response from the 30,000 member audience, and it was no exaggeration to say that they were the spotlights of the night.
After briefly introducing herself in Thai, Son Dambi went on to perform a total of four tracks including “db Rider,” “Queen,” “Crazy,” and “Saturday Night.”
Rain opened up with “It’s Raining” and continued on with “Ways to Avoid the Sun.”
Introducing himself, he exclaimed, “Sawardee kap, Pattaya!”, and followed with performances of “Rainism” and “Love Song.”
Starting from March 18th, the three-day concert featured six musical genres including pop, rock, techno, jazz, reggae, and country and was held in a total of six different outdoor stages before finally concluding on March 20th.
The first quarter of 2011 is coming to an end, but the year has already gotten off to an explosive start, thanks to the many comebacks from K-Pop’s best and brightest!
As we welcome a season of renewal, we look back to those artists who marked a rebirth in their career during the months of January through March. allkpop wants your voice on who made the best comeback in the first quarter of 2011, and we’ve put up some refresher info to help you along with your choice! Votes can submitted every hour, and the poll will wrap up at 11:59 EST on March 31st.
So, who made the best comeback in the year so far? Toss in your votes below!
==
[Refresher Course of the Top 10 Contenders!]
== < TVXQ >
TVXQ’s return was one of the biggest and most highly-anticipated chapters in the history of K-Pop. In November of 2010, their agency announced that Shim Changmin and Jung Yunho would re-appear as a duo team after a two-year hiatus; not only that, but they also revealed that they would continue to work under the name, ‘TVXQ’. Though their fanbase was heartbroken over this controversial decision, they were not alone in buzzing excitedly over TVXQ’s impending return.
Their comeback, to put it lightly, was explosive. SM Entertainment released the music video for “Keep Your Head Down” on January 3rd, and the international K-Pop community couldn’t stop talking about the aggressive choreography, the dynamic energy of the song, and the slightly controversial lyrics.
Though the boys commanded “Keep Your Head Down”, they kept theirs up like the princes they were raised to become.
==
< G.NA >
When G.NA debuted back in 2010 with “I’ll Back Off So You Can Live“, she garnered a ton of anti-fans because of her cozy interactions with B2ST’s Doojoon in her music video. But thanks to her ultra-cute comeback track, “Black & White“, she’s softened the backlash from her anti-fans, and even won most of them over!
The song tells of a hot-and-cold romance between a couple who seem like polar opposites. G.NA’s bubbly voice inflects a lighthearted mood into an otherwise frustrating situation. Music fans couldn’t get enough of the sweet love song, and G.NA went on to win #1 on ‘Inkigayo’, ‘Music Bank’, and ‘M! Countdown’. She also secured a best-seller title from dosirak’s digital music charts for the month of February.
With her charming, bright smile and unwavering energy, G.NA is definitely becoming one of the hottest artists of the year!
==
< Dalmatian >
The boys of Dalmatian are anything but rookies when you combine their individual years of experience in the music industry. For example, Day Day was the rap instructor for JYP Entertainment, leader Inati was with People Crew, and Daniel had trained alongside B2ST’s Yoseob. And yet somehow, Dalmatian remains as one of the most under-estimated musical groups in K-Pop.
The boys dropped their first mini-album back in February with their double title-tracks: “Lover Cop” and “That Man Disapproves“. Praise rang out high for the clean, fresh production, and for Dalmatian’s ability in bringing fun, feel-good music back to the forefront.
Though they’re not receiving the exposure they deserve, we have a feeling that Dalmatian won’t be the ‘underdogs’ for much longer.
== < Jewelry >
Jewelry stands tall as one of Korea’s longest-running girl groups, for they debuted back in 2001. During their 10 year career, they’ve said goodbye to many beloved members, including Seo In Young and Park Jung Ah; but rest assured, they’ve passed the baton onto a new generation that’s impressed with their fresh charms and crackling energy.
With their two new members, Jewelry dropped their comeback single in January and received a warm ‘welcome back!’ to the industry. Their fun comeback track, “Back It Up“, carries retro flavor with modern b-girl swag.
Recently, these ladies wrapped up their promotions, but we’re sure they’ve got equally delicious ear-candy waiting for us around the bend.
==
< ZE:A>
Lately, boy groups seem to love looking extra-masculine and tough for their image concepts. ZE:A started off looking sharp and a little glamorous, but they’ve reeled that back for their new single, “Here I Am“. Music fans approved of the group’s romantic style, and their music video heightened the image by having the members play the roles of charming guardian angels.
Their agency, Star Empire, said that ZE:A’s latest album, “Lovability“, sought to capture the essence of spring by having it embody “love confessions full of nine different charms.”
With their sweet new look, ZE:A has been sweeping hearts right and left!
== < SECRET >
Before they came back with “Shy Boy“, SECRET was one of those girl groups who everyone liked, but seldom raved about. But once they kicked off their new promotion cycle, no one could stop talking about the cute song, especially because of the girls’ fresh spin on a retro ’50s style!
Initially, when the girls were told about their new look, they confessed that they were depressed because they were expecting something more bold. But they resolved to do their best and churn out something uniquely different for their audience.
The results were shocking, not only to SECRET but to general music fans as well. Within the first week, all initial copies of the single were sold out. Then girls went on to win #1 spots on music programs, and thus cemented their position as a girl group to watch out for.
== < INFINITE >
INFINITE stirred up a lot of hype before they made their official comeback with “Before the Dawn“, thanks to their seductively dark preview.
Well the boys definitely didn’t disappoint, as they delivered a suspenseful track with an equally tense music video. The members are seen trying to escape a twisted labyrinth to a song that croons about an obsessive love.
Their dynamic transformation earned INFINITE much praise, and it continued to roll in after netizens noted their sharp ’scorpion’ dance, which many have observed is incredibly difficult to pull off with a fluid, synchronized motion.
This boy group definitely launched their comeback with heightened interest, and they’ve continued to garner more with their follow-up track, “Nothing’s Over“.
== < Girl’s Day >
Praised as the “turnaround-idols”, the members of Girl’s Day are earning more love by the day as K-Pop fans come to appreciate that these girls aren’t just your run-of-the-mill girl group. Their powerful vocals, cute charms, and unwavering determination to make it to the top resulted in 2010’s unforgettable track, “Nothing Lasts Forever“.
After resting for months, the girls recently came back with “Twinkle Twinkle“, a cheerful song that could almost be cartoonish, but we don’t think it’s a bad thing, as it definitely makes them stand out from the passive, flowery image that most girl groups don around springtime.
Though it’s only their 3rd single, Girl’s Day continues to impress with their constant change-ups in image and concepts, and we’re sure that they’ll continue to fly high.
== < TEEN TOP >
When TEEN TOP made their debut last year, their youthful energy and vibrancy caught the attention of many new fans. This time, the boys managed to deliver another promising promotion cycle with their comeback track, “Supa Luv“, which showcased their potential and growth.
The boys of TEEN TOP were raised by K-Pop legends, Shinhwa, and they’re particularly close to members Andy and Eric. Under their tutelage, they were trained to become a top male idol group with a distinctive color. Fans went wild over their ’silver cyborg’ concept for “Supa Luv”, and were pleasantly surprised when the group put it aside for something a little softer for their follow-up track, “Angel“.
TEEN TOP are killers when it comes to addictive pop music, and they certainly drove that point home with their comeback this year.
== < Big Bang >
Finally, we come to Big Bang. What’s there to say about one of the biggest comebacks of the year that hasn’t already been said? These boys have built up an anticipation that was practically electric and threatened to set stages a-fire with their explosive fan response.
After a two-year hiatus, the boys returned with “Tonight” from their fourth mini-album. Almost every single track from that album landed in the top 10 rankings of digital music charts, and their title track still maintains a strong hold in the top 5 spots.
YG Entertainment has stated that the boys would work on their new album once they wrap up promotions for the mini-album. We can’t wait to hear what they’ve got in store, as their comeback only demonstrated that Big Bang always delivers quality that goes above and beyond.
The members of Big Bang recently participated in a collaboration photoshoot between “W Korea,” “10 CORSO COMO Seoul” and OnStyle’s “Style Magazine” which you can check out here. The boys also participated in a formal photo shoot for GQ Korea.
Check out Taeyang holding a pineapple and more eclectic photos in the gallery below!
Hallyu idol and Super Junior’s leader, Lee Teuk, revealed his feelings about former member Hangeng on behalf of the whole team.
Recently, Hangeng held a press conference in Hong Kong to promote his new movie, “Daemusaeng“. During the interview, a reporter asked, “Not long ago, a member of Super Junior was hit and injured by a water bottle during a performance in Shanghai. Did you hear about this?”
Hangeng replied, “I didn’t know. I should call and make sure he is okay.” However, he quickly added, “Actually, I did attempt several times to get in contact… but they ignored my calls,” shocking the public with his controversial answer.
On March 21st, Lee Teuk shared his thoughts about the situation through his Twitter. He tweeted, “The door is always open. There is always an empty seat left for you.” He added, “It would be nice if you told the truth. We have never let go of your hand. I don’t want to be sad because of lies anymore. We are Super Junior!! Still, I wish you happiness,” showing his disappointment towards the situation.
Netizens commented, “I feel so sad for Super Junior”, “Definitely leader-like. Very cool”, and “Hangeng…He’s doing well.”
Source: Newsen
==
[Update]
We’ve received reports that the Korean media had mistranslated Hangeng’s comments. Leeteuk’s comments, therefore, were a response to the incorrect content.
Hangeng’s original comments were: “Last time, I also had the experience of objects being thrown on stage. Luckily, it did not hit me. But now, it doesn’t matter anymore.”
The interviewer asked: “So would you give him a call and ask how he is later on?” Hangeng replied, “I will definitely call and ask. Why was he so careless, getting himself hit [by something] by other people.“
Original video can be viewed here.
Thank you to everyone who sent in their concerns.
Why has Big Bang been dominating the charts? Chosun Weekly recently wrote an in depth article on the group’s recent success.
2 years and 3 months were only numbers, because when Big Bang finally released their comeback mini-album, “Tonight“, not only did it skyrocket to the top position on live music charts, but also sold 100,000 copies in a week, a truly remarkable feat in this era of 2 to 3 week promotion cycles.
They also made a specially-tailored comeback to broadcasting programs with “The Big Bang Show“, thanks to SBS.
The Big Bang frenzy isn’t just limited to the Korean peninsula, however. One of Japan’s most popular clothing brands, Uniqlo, created special-edition Big Bang t-shirts that went on to sell out in both countries.
And if you look further, it doesn’t stop just in Asia. ”Tonight” was 3rd on Billboard World Album Chart, and as high as 6th on the US iTunes Album Chart, all without any promotions in America. This exemplifies how far the reach of the Hallyu wave now extends in the world market.
Five years after their debut, Big Bang now reigns in business which is dominated by the ‘idols’. Not only is their music popular amongst the public, but music critics gave rave reviews, too. The individualized and unique activities of each member has also gone a long way in creating a marked contrast between Big Bang and the other male idol groups. Now, we want to ask why we are so drawn by these five men- G-Dragon, T.O.P., Taeyang, Daesung and Seungri. Five years after their debut, their relationship has strengthened
The birth of Big Bang can be traced back to Yang Hyun Suk, president of YG Entertainment. Gummy and Big Mama had met the public’s desire for raw singing talent, but there still weren’t any groups that carried its distinct individual colors. Therefore, he decided to create a group to fill this gap of the music industry, and have ‘musician images’ for each member.
But they didn’t achieve success immediately after their debut. Although they released 3 singles in 4 months, their hip-hop/R&B style didn’t gain much traction with the public, since most were enraptured by idols who were visually appealing. It was few and far between to see a male idol group which put music and production ahead of popularity.
The turning point came one year after their debut, with the release of their 1st mini album “Always” (2007). The title song, “Lie” grabbed the attention of the public almost at once, and Big Bang swept the charts.
After “Lie” came a string of hits in “Last Farewell”, “Sunset Glow“, “Haru Haru“, and now, “Tonight“; each album the team released dominated its promotion cycle.
Once they decided to take this road, they didn’t give up. Big Bang has been working hard ever since their first hit, and despite the fact that they’re now the top stars in the music industry, they’re still doing the same things that they’ve been insisting on from the beginning.
Normally, after five years, most idol groups get into conflicts with their company, or are forced to be disbanded (for various reasons). However, Big Bang is unique among its peers, because the longer they’re in the industry, the stronger their relationship seems to become. Singer-songwriter… the triumph of skill
Big Bang, with its inborn musical talent, maintains a strong lead among idol groups because they write their own songs. In 2007, Big Bang began to produce electronic music, which continued to borrow influences from hip-hop rhythms, but their sound design came from electronica, which helped them connect with the younger generation. Although electronic music has since become commonplace in the music industry, years ago, only groups like SNSD, the Wonder Girls and SG Wannabe tried it in their songs. This explains why Big Bang, which combines electronic music with new genres, has garnered such attention from the public.
Strong support of electronic music has been the key to Big Bang’s continued success. Both locally in Korea, and abroad on the Billboard charts, the electronic genre has continued to be popular since the 200s.
The members of Big Bang have also shown their ability to compose their own songs, like “Lie” which was composed by leader G-Dragon. And when he participates in production, his musical skills grow as well. In their upcoming album, G-Dragon will be responsible for the production of all the songs, as well as collaborating with other famous composers, which is why fans are anticipating it. Whenever Big Bang promotes new songs, they want to introduce something new and tell us new stories. It is the reason why they are different from other ‘idols’, both in terms of their ‘clothing’ and ‘choreography’.
Music critics also treat Big Bang differently from other idol groups. They analyze their music separately, and treat the group as musicians rather than idols. The most important factor that determines the success of singers is the quality of their music, and Big Bang certainly has that. Big Bang’s Fashionable Attire
They started a phenomenon not only with their music, but with their fashion, which has not only changed the public perception of idols, but also given the group a competitive edge. Their fashion style has also become a cultural phenomenon.
Big Bang didn’t lag behind in fashion. In fact, part of their explosive success with songs like “Lie” and “Last Farewell” may be attributed to their stage outfits, which were at the center of public attention. Many of the name-brand items they wore were imported, or simply unable to be purchased in Korea. Their use of brand-name products allowed them to pioneer new trends onstage with each performance. If a store was selling ‘Big Bang style’ clothes, their items would sell out.
This is a crucial part of their success. The costumes worn by SM, DSP, JYP, etc artists are created especially for the artists by their company, and so it’s difficult to for them to create a fashion trend that can be imitated right away.
Big Bang’s clothing style is an eclectic blend of hip-hop street style and sturdy practicality. A combination of fashion items from different styles created a unique color and personality for the group that distinguished them from the rest. And the fact that the younger generation follows the style of Big Bang shows how closely they connect with their idols. There was no gap, even during their hiatus
The principal reason behind their continued popularity in Korea, even during their hiatuses, is their individual activities. Since the music industry turned digital, the popularity of an artist is measured by how well they place on music charts. It’s no mean feat for groups to maintain their popularity, but Big Bang’s members have had their own solo activities. In addition, they came up with the idea of forming a duet (GD&T.O.P.). While some members act, others who are talented in variety shows can make TV appearances, all of which allow the group to be in the public’s eye 365 days a year.
Therefore, although it’s been 2 years and 3 months since the members have joined together under the name of Big Bang, we don’t feel like they’ve been away for very long, since during this time, they’ve each released solo material. Daesung has taken part in variety shows, T.O.P has participated in films, and even Seungri was in a musical. Moreover, in order to pave way for their comeback, their company has started their promotion since last December by producing GD&T.O.P duet album and then produced Seungri’s solo album in January.
So when we saw their comeback in February, they didn’t seem unfamiliar at all. Even after releasing 3 singles, 4 mini album and 2 full-length albums, Big Bang’s popularity is still high in Korea. Whenever they face difficulties, they address them with preparation and speed.
They have showed us how music can conquer the entertainment industry, and, with their advancement into the Japan market, we can anticipate more success for them in the future. Although electronic music is not as popular in Korea as it was in the past, we can believe that Big Bang can overcome these hurdles without any difficulties.
Source: Nicol, bigbangupdates
Tip: Chosun Weekly
