T.O.P Says He “Can’t Face” Returning to BIGBANG, While Group Keeps His Voice in Concert
T.O.P reiterates that he has no plans to return to BIGBANG, while the group continues to include his voice in “Still Life” during its 20th-anniversary tour.
T.O.P held a solo fan meeting at Pia Arena MM in Yokohama, Japan, on September 7. A separate interview conducted around the fan meeting was later broadcast on Japan’s TV Asahi channel on September 12.
When asked how he felt after hearing that BIGBANG had launched a world tour in August, T.O.P replied, “From now on, I will continue my activities as a solo artist. Although I cannot be with the group, I have nothing but support and encouragement for the activities and music of my former members.”
T.O.P debuted as a member of BIGBANG in 2006 and enlisted as a conscripted police officer in February 2017. During his military service, it emerged that he had smoked marijuana at his home in 2016 before enlisting. In July 2017, he was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years. Despite the controversy, T.O.P remained under YG Entertainment and later participated in both the recording and music video for BIGBANG’s digital single “Still Life,” released in April 2022.
The following year, on May 31, 2023, a fan asked T.O.P through his official social media account whether he had left BIGBANG. He responded, “I already told you guys that I’m leaving BIGBANG. I’m facing a new chapter in my life.”
After leaving YG Entertainment, T.O.P returned to acting for the first time in nine years through Netflix’s Squid Game Season 2, which premiered on December 26, 2024. While meeting with Korean reporters last year to promote the series, he explained why he did not see himself returning to BIGBANG, saying, “The reason I can’t go back is that I don’t think I can face them.”
BIGBANG, meanwhile, has continued its activities as a three-member group consisting of G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesung following T.O.P’s departure. To celebrate the group’s 20th anniversary this year, BIGBANG released the new digital single “BiiiG” on August 19. The track topped music charts in South Korea and abroad, demonstrating the group’s continued strength on the charts.
The group has also maintained formidable ticket-selling power. BIGBANG sold out all seats for the opening concerts of its world tour, XX : COSMOS IN GOYANG, held over three days beginning August 21 at Goyang Stadium. The group is currently embarking on a large-scale world tour consisting of 33 shows across 19 cities in North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia.
During the tour, BIGBANG performed “Still Life” with T.O.P’s voice still included in the song, stirring nostalgia among longtime fans. G-Dragon has also publicly shown support for T.O.P by pressing the heart-shaped “like” button on an Instagram post related to the former member.
Sources: Naver
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