 |
| Seungri, G-dragon, Taeyang, Daesung, and TOP |
It must've been about five years ago when I first came across him in a Korean drama. I grew up watching Korean dramas as a young girl so checking out a new popular drama series was nothing unusual for me. What was unusual though, was this new young male actor with the most intense, dark and beautiful eyes that I've ever seen. I didn't know who he was and where he came from.
My mom, who was sitting right by me, commented that he looks like he's wearing eye makeup and went on to talk about how kids nowadays knew no boundaries when it comes to fashion. I, on the other hand, was intrigued by his mysterious look and a deep curiosity was triggered.
It turns out that he wasn't really an actor but a rapper named TOP in a boy group called Bigbang. I had stopped following and listening to K-pop for some time so I had no clue who they were. Like Korean dramas, I grew up listening to Korean pop in the 90's but there wasn't any music or group that I found particularly endearing and captivating so I often opted for Korean ballads instead.
Even around 2006, K-pop was just K-pop..nothing brilliant or original but rather a clumsy imitation of American and UK pop music with Korean lyrics. They all sounded the same and every group sounded like a copycat version of the other. Every singer in a boy group looked like the next. With same hairstyle, fashion and voice, Korean pop music seemed like one giant blob of B-rated talents.
However, there was something different about Bigbang. First, they began their careers on a survival-type of reality TV series which documents their daily lives and struggles of five young men who dreamed of becoming a star. There were shortcomings, tears and misunderstandings amongst them and the producers and members were portrayed as humans with real feelings rather than puppets. Their talents were lacking in many ways and Top was often criticized for his lack of performance and dance skills.
Eventually the 6th member of Bigbang was eliminated and they debuted with five guys, leader GD "G-Dragon" (Kwon Ji Yong), lead vocal Teydaddy (Taeyang / Youngbae), rapper (TOP), vocal Daesung (D-lite) and youngest member Seung Ri, who was on the verge of being eliminated from the group as well.
Their first few albums were okay, with a few good catchy songs like Lies...but nothing particularly brilliant. It was better than most songs out in the K-pop scene, but not enough to wow anyone, not even myself. Yet I followed their progress and remained a hopeful fan because I saw the immense potential and talent that lurks underneath.
G-dragon, who began rapping at age 8 with unprecedented talent, was only going to get better with training and time because he carried in him a particular style & swagger that I haven't seen elsewhere. Likewise TOP was born with this incredible voice and flow that can't be duplicated by anyone--and his voice paired with his insanely good looks were only going to attract more and more crazed female fans all over the world.
Unlike G-Dragon & Taeyang who was exposed to spotlight and celebrity life from a young age, TOP was an awkward and overweight teenager who hangs around hyung's and nuna's (older male/female friends) in the underground hip hop scene. Because of this GD is much more flashy with over-the-top swag while TOP carries a rather mature and understated charm that can melt girls' hearts with a single glance. Taeyang is hailed as one of greatest dancer and vocal even by other Korean idol stars.
Sure enough, Bigbang came a long way since their debut in 2006. They produced hit song after another and their album continued to improve in quality and talent. They refused to stick to one genre and continued to experiment with various sounds like hip hop, R&B, electronic, dance, urban, instrumental and created new blends of the mentioned and more. In fact it's hard to categorize them into a single category because their music consists of many global influences and to this date, I believe there is no musician like them. To me, Bigbang simply sounds like Bigbang and they deserve to be categorized as its own, not compared to other K-pop idol groups and American rappers.
What's also special about this group is that each member has his own distinct style and has his own album to represent this. They perform well not only as a group but as solo artists and I can't think of any other Korean group who carries this kind of skill.
BIGBANG has produced some amazing songs and music videos that blows me away and G-Dragon's newest album One of a kind is by far, one of my favorites by the Bigbang leader. He truly perfected his craft and his musical talents seem boundless and endless. Sometimes he sounds like a masculine & energetic rapper similar to Wu Tang and Lil' Wayne while other times he sings with a delicate and beautiful voice in a heartfelt love song. He travels back and forth this dichotomy effortlessly and plays with lyrics & beat everywhere in between. He is also the epitome of androgynous music & fashion done to perfection but more about this next time.
Music is truly his playground and I have yet to come across musical geniuses like Bigbang. GD makes and produces their music and GD & TOP often work together on the lyrics. Their music isn't mass produced, corporate recycled junk, it is a true reflection of who they are as artists and their 5+ albums document their growth from young artists to global musicians.
I had the privilege of seeing them live at Honda Center for their first US concert BIGBANG ALIVE GALAXY TOUR both nights and the weekend proved all my speculations and beliefs to be true. I will write another post dedicated for the weekend of the LA concert. Until then, I'll be jamming to their music and being grateful for the wonderful dream-like weekend I got to spend with my favorite boys- BIGBANG.
Update: Here is a link to the latest article on the leader G-Dragon.
