Still alive, still 'BiiiG': Big Bang turns nostalgia into momentum

GOYANG, Gyeonggi — Since its debut, Big Bang — often considered the “kings of K-pop” who helped spread the Korean Wave beyond the peninsula — has weathered 20 turbulent years, including the departure of two members, in a constantly changing industry.

Now a trio, Big Bang showed its fans the fruits of its decades-long labor and proved why it was not merely another nostalgia act during its first concert in nine years.

“We started in 2006, and here we are now in 2026,” G-Dragon said about 40 minutes into its “XX: Cosmos” world tour concert on Sunday, drawing deafening cheers from the crowd. The tour kicked off with a three-day run at Goyang Stadium in Gyeonggi on Friday.

Taeyang described the concert as “a compilation of Big Bang’s 20-year history.”

“The 20 years that we’ve spent with you have passed so quickly,” he added.

Big Bang, which debuted under YG Entertainment on Aug. 19, 2006, has been building anticipation for the group’s 20th anniversary since G-Dragon’s successful return as a solo artist in 2024 after a seven-year hiatus.

His comeback was followed by “Home Sweet Home” (2024), his single featuring the other two Big Bang members, Taeyang and Daesung, and a Coachella performance by all three earlier this year.

That anticipation culminated in the “XX: Cosmos” tour, Big Bang’s first concert series as a group in nine years since its “Last Dance” tour. The opening three-day run drew more than 100,000 people cumulatively.

The Big Bang that arrived at the milestone, however, is not the same five-member act that started the journey.

Big Bang initially consisted of G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, Daesung and Seungri, but Seungri left the group in disgrace in 2019 due to his involvement in the “Burning Sun” scandal.

After years of inactivity, Big Bang returned as a four-member act in April 2022 with “Still Life,” its first release in about four years. T.O.P then departed the band in 2023, leaving it with its current lineup.

On Sunday, even before any music played, the lights adorning the stadium showcased a visual summary of Big Bang’s past and present.

The venue glowed a familiar yellow as some fans clutched the fourth version of Big Bang’s official light stick, known as the Bangbong, first released in 2014 and restocked last year. The rest held the 20th-anniversary edition of the light sticks, which shifted colors at the command of the concert’s central lighting system.

The mixture showcased Big Bang’s unusual position in the music scene: Its legacy is built on a series of hits from the late 2000s through the mid-2010s, but the group remains relevant enough to still top streaming charts and drive demand for newly redesigned merchandise.

Befitting the title, “XX: Cosmos,” the concert was designed around a space theme, with images of satellites, solar flares and meteors drawing the audience into Big Bang’s ever-expanding universe.

The nearly three-hour, 32-song set began with “Fantastic Baby,” the band’s 2012 electronic dance hit. The trio’s vocals were accompanied by a live band led by music producer Wow Jones, who has previously worked with U.S. pop stars including Usher, Rihanna and Post Malone.

Despite opening with a song more than a decade old, it was impossible to overlook T.O.P’s absence from some of the most recognizable verses. But the audience took over his lyrics with its deafening chants, providing a new, bittersweet layer to the performance.

After “Hands Up” (2011), “Tonight” (2011) began with the instantly recognizable declaration, “Sing it with me now, 2011,” immediately evoking nostalgia for anyone who lived through Big Bang’s heyday. Fans went wild during the bridge as G-Dragon smashed a guitar, echoing the song’s iconic choreography from 15 years earlier.

The first segment continued with “Blue” (2012), “Loser” (2015) and other hits before ending with two of Big Bang’s career-defining songs: “Lies” (2007) and “Haru Haru” (2008).

The second segment showcased each member’s individual musical evolution with solo stages, from Daesung’s vocal-heavy “Universe” (2025) and trot hit “Look At Me, Gwisoon” (2008) and Taeyang’s fast-paced tracks such as “Ringa Linga” (2014) and “Live Fast Die Slow” (2025) to G-Dragon’s viral “Power” (2024) and “Crooked” (2013).

The trio reunited in the third segment, which immediately picked up the pace with “Bang Bang Bang” (2015), followed by “Stupid Liar” (2011) and “Sober” (2015).

The night’s energy peaked during the final run, comprising “We Like 2 Party” (2015), the latest single “BiiiG” and “Home Sweet Home.” The crowd’s energy surged when the group moved from its biggest legacy hits to its newer releases, proving its continued relevance.

During the show, Taeyang teased that more music would follow “BiiiG,” which topped several streaming charts, including Melon’s Top 100, and drew the highest number of first-hour listeners of any song released on the Korean platform this year.

“If we were to call it a day after ‘BiiiG,’ that wouldn’t even be big — it would be small,” he said near the end of the show, hinting that more releases may be on the way.

The three members’ onstage chemistry was also a testament to the band’s resilience, as the sight of the trio bantering, teasing one another and freely running around the stage made their presence together feel like a testament: Despite everything, Big Bang has endured.

Looking back on those two decades, the members said that the anniversary celebration is only getting started.

“Of all the past 20 years, I think that I may be at my healthiest, both physically and mentally, right now,” Daesung said near the end of the night. “I put myself through stress because I want to show you a better version of myself, and the reason for everything is you.”

Looking out over the sea of lights, Taeyang reflected on how quickly the years had passed.

“Looking back, it feels surreal,” he said. “Since the start of this year, I’ve often found myself thinking about just how much love I’ve received. This should be a year that I repay it.”

G-Dragon said that Big Bang’s eventual return had always driven his solo comeback.

“While preparing for my comeback last year, the destination was always today,” he said. “I was so happy after completing my solo tour. And today, too, I am so happy — and you all look so beautiful.”

Following the Goyang concerts, Big Bang will embark on a large-scale world tour spanning 33 shows across 19 cities in North America, Europe, Oceania and Asia.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [[email protected]]