generasia:Featured article for 2016 week 50
BIGBANG
BIGBANG (빅뱅) is a 5-member Korean pop/hip-hop/R&B male group that debuted in 2006. In 2008, the group also debuted in Japan with the mini-album For The World. They are currently under YG Entertainment in Korea, and YGEX in Japan.
BIGBANG's members were first introduced to the public through a 10 episode documentary that ran from July 15 to August 13, 2006. They made their official debut with the self-titled single "BIGBANG". The single sold nearly 40,000 copies. Their debut was a moderate success. Their breakthrough came with the release of their first extended play, Always in 2007, which included the number one song "Keojitmal". The song went on to top major Korean music charts for a record-breaking seven consecutive weeks,[3] and won the group the Song of the Year award at the 9th Mnet Korean Music Festival.
Labeled as the "Kings of K-pop" and "Nation's Boy Band," the members' involvement in composing and producing their own music, most notably G-Dragon, has earned the group respect and praise from the music industry. Since the release on Gaon Chart, BIGBANG including solo releases has sold over 92 million records, and with the previous releases including the sales from Music Industry Association of Korea (MIAK) and The Korea Music Content Industry Association (KMCIA) they have sold over 115 million records, with over 108 million digital singles, selling an averaged 4.3 million downloads per title track and 1.5 million downloads per non-title track, and over 6.7 million albums both in Korea, Japan, and the rest of Asian continent, making them the best-selling digital group of all-time in Asia.[12][13][14] They have won numerous awards and set several records, including the all-time best-selling artist in Cyworld, most Artist of the Year Award wins at the Mnet Asian Music Awards and the first Korean's to enter Forbes Celebrity 100. Citing their global popularity and contribution to K-pop, The Washington Post have described them as "the biggest band in Asia" and the Hollywood Reporter as "the biggest boy band in the world."
Their third full-length Korean album MADE THE FULL ALBUM is released this week on December 12th.
