2024.12.12
BIGBANG is back.
The MAMA AWARDS, the biggest music awards ceremony in KPOP, has everyone excited.
This year marks the 25th anniversary, and for the first time, it was held in the United States over three days from November 21 to 23.
On the final day, November 23, at the Osaka Kyocera Dome, the moment arrives.
The only announcement from MAMA was about G-DRAGON, who was set to perform as a solo artist.
As announced, when G-DRAGON's solo song "Untitled" began to play, the Kyocera Dome erupted with excitement.
Even though I was just watching the live broadcast on my TV at home, I could feel the thrill coming through the screen.
Then, G-DRAGON appeared on stage with "POWER," which had just been released on October 31, and the venue reached its peak excitement for the day.
By this point, the atmosphere was already electric, but when the intro to the next song "HOME SWEET HOME" started, the excitement intensified even further.
And it’s no wonder.
This song was suddenly released on November 22, the day before, and was credited as featuring TAEYANG & DAESUNG, making it essentially a new BIGBANG song despite being under G-DRAGON's solo name.
With such an intro, it was only natural that the audience couldn't contain their excitement.
After the air shifted to one of certainty that TAEYANG and DAESUNG would appear on stage, the performance of "HOME SWEET HOME" began with G-DRAGON's part.
Like "POWER," G-DRAGON, dressed in pink, danced and sang gracefully at the center, accompanied by a troop of dancers. During the rap part of the B section, a childhood image of G-DRAGON was displayed on the monitor, and he delivered an impressive rap as if to say, "I am G-DRAGON!"
Then, just before TAEYANG's part, G-DRAGON gestured towards the camera, and TAEYANG appeared with both hands raised, striking a pose reminiscent of Michael Jackson on the "THIS IS IT" poster.
At that moment, the venue erupted with cheers that could have shattered the walls; it was incredible.
Furthermore, when DAESUNG appeared afterward, the energy in the venue skyrocketed as if to say, "We've been waiting for this!"
The excitement was so intense that it felt like it was beyond what one would expect from a song that had just been released the day before.
And with that heightened energy, the song ended, and the three of them descended into the stage's depths.
At that moment, I couldn't help but wonder if they would really end without performing any BIGBANG songs, given how hyped the crowd was.
This concern arose because, at the MAMA the day before, the hype around the first performance of Rosé & Bruno Mars' "APT." led to a shocking situation where only a pre-recorded video was shown on the venue's monitor, and there was no live performance, plunging the atmosphere into despair.
Having lost trust in MAMA after that experience, I was prepared for G-DRAGON's stage to end without any further performances.
It felt easier not to expect anything than to be let down.
However, there was no sign of the next artist appearing, nor any indication that the awards ceremony would continue.
The audience began to murmur, and the atmosphere shifted to one of "This is different from yesterday!"
Then, out of nowhere, the call for BIGBANG started, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a concert encore.
Suddenly, the intro to BIGBANG's hit song "BANG BANG BANG" began to play, and a scream-like cheer echoed throughout the venue.
The heat that had peaked during "HOME SWEET HOME" intensified even further, surpassing all previous highs.
Afterward, the three of them appeared in new outfits, transforming the event into what felt like a solo concert for BIGBANG.
Even though I was just watching on TV, I felt as if I were right there in the venue, and for the first time, I understood why BIGBANG is called the kings.
Yes, while I have written passionately up to this point, I entered KPOP through BTS and have hardly experienced the peak of BIGBANG.
The only song I experienced in real-time was "春夏秋冬 (Still Life)," released in 2022.
The only other songs I know are "BANG BANG BANG" and "FANTASTIC BABY," which were also performed at this MAMA, making me a super casual fan.
Yet, even as a casual fan, BIGBANG captivated me in an instant.
I regretted not having listened to and watched BIGBANG properly until now.
Moreover, the stage footage from MAMA released on YouTube has surpassed 33 million views (as of December 12).
On Melon, the major music chart in Korea, "HOME SWEET HOME" has risen to the top, dethroning Rosé's "APT.," which had long held the number one spot, proving that BIGBANG's popularity remains unchanged.
While this may sound like a simple conclusion for those who aren't very familiar with BIGBANG, the reason why this revival of BIGBANG has been met with such fervor, even from those outside the fanbase, is that the group has been through so much.
Originally a five-member group, BIGBANG is now a trio after two members left.
While member departures are not uncommon in KPOP, BIGBANG's situation is different.
Former member Seungri (V.I) was arrested as one of the masterminds behind the Burning Sun incident, which made headlines not just in Korea but around the world in 2018.
This incident not only involved the arrest of a member from a nationally popular group but also escalated into a massive scandal that engulfed the entire nation of Korea.
While I won't go into the details of the incident here, it’s easy to imagine the scale of it when I mention that the BBC produced a documentary about it this past May.
After this incident, Seungri left the group. He was later found guilty and sentenced to a year and a half in prison.
Thus, BIGBANG became a four-member group, but the broken gears could not easily return to their original state, and after the release of "春夏秋冬 (Still Life)" in April 2022, member T.O.P departed.
He then erased all traces of being in BIGBANG from his personal Instagram and took the action of blocking fans on social media who celebrated BIGBANG's 18th anniversary this year.
T.O.P had previously been arrested for marijuana use in 2017, receiving a suspended sentence at that time, allowing him to continue group activities, so many fans were disappointed by T.O.P's actions this time.
For those who were concerned about the future of BIGBANG, now reduced to three members, this stage as BIGBANG must have been deeply moving, and for those like the author who did not know BIGBANG in real-time, it was an exciting and wonderful performance.
In fact, this MAMA event prompted me to watch past MVs of BIGBANG and G-DRAGON, performances from music shows, and footage from variety shows, and I completely became obsessed with BIGBANG.
And I was surprised by how many great songs there were, to the point where I wanted to scold myself for not listening to BIGBANG properly until now.
Especially G-DRAGON's solo song "삐딱하게 (Crooked)" hit me hard, and I've been listening to it a lot.
In conclusion, I just want to say thank you to MAMA for teaching me the greatness of BIGBANG.
I want to continue waiting as a KPOP fan for the official release of new works and a comeback from BIGBANG, and that’s how the end of 2024 feels for me.
King is Back!!
BIGBANG is Never Die!!
The End
Neko-machi Peko
Head of the SKOOTA KPOP Team
〈Originally a Western rock music enthusiast, I once considered working for Rockin' On. I started listening to KPOP thanks to BTS, then got hooked on BLACKPINK, and dipped my toes into the KPOP world. I became obsessed with the survival audition show 'Girls Planet 999', leading to my full immersion in KPOP as a fan of the group Kep1er that debuted from it.〉