“So This Is Just the Beginning”…Even at 20 Years, BIGBANG Is Still Ongoing [HT Focus]

[Hanteo News = Reporter KANG SUYOUNG] BIGBANG’s 20th anniversary is not a place to look back on the past. It is a project that proves their tense is still present progressive.

BIGBANG will release its new digital single 'BiiiG' at 6 PM on the 19th. April 19 marks exactly 20 years since they came together under the name BIGBANG. It is also their first new song in about four years and four months since 'Still Life' in April 2022. The title of the new song, 'BiiiG,' was inspired by the word “BIG,” meaning large, and connects with the identity of the team name BIGBANG. YG ENTERTAINMENT described the song as “a track that most clearly shows the present of BIGBANG as they mark their 20th debut anniversary.” In other words, rather than following the formula of their hit songs from 20 years ago or recreating their history of glory, it captures BIGBANG at this very moment.

The signal flare for this 20th anniversary project was Coachella in April. BIGBANG took the stage twice at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in the U.S. on April 12 and 19, performing their hit songs and members’ solo stages for about 67 minutes. Billboard said the stage summoned the audience back to the golden age of K-POP, while Forbes called BIGBANG the “emperors of K-POP.” On stage, they said, “BIGBANG’s 20th anniversary in 2026 has only just begun,” adding, “We will be back soon with a big event.” It was a moment that made clear their 20th anniversary was not a retrospective, but a new starting point.

That preview became reality one step at a time. On April 21, BIGBANG opened its official community and SNS channels on the fandom platform b.stage at 8:19 PM, symbolizing their debut date, August 19. YG stated, “Ahead of the world tour, the members strongly wanted to communicate with fans and make the 20th anniversary even more meaningful.” Instead of organizing the past ahead of the anniversary, they chose the direction of creating the 20th anniversary together with fans.

Two days after the release of the new song, the tour will begin. From August 21 to 23, BIGBANG will open 'BIGBANG 2026-2027 WORLD TOUR < XX : COSMOS >' at Goyang Sports Complex. It will be the first stage under the name BIGBANG in nine years since 'LAST DANCE' in 2017. The tour will then continue with a total of 33 shows in 19 cities around the world, including North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia.

From Coachella to a new song, and then to a world tour. BIGBANG’s 20th anniversary is being filled with new music and stages instead of an exhibition of the past 20 years. The clearest message this project shows is that a team celebrating its 20th debut anniversary still exists in the present tense.

grace@hanteo.com

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