unfbigbang:
Big Bang has gone through sex, cigarette, alcohol, drug, and many prohibited or frowned upon issues among the Korean youth. They have brushed with the law with intellectual property, reckless driving, information theft, breach of contract, and assault. They are a group of men who have been involved in numerous scandals and controversies. But amidst it all, they came through almost always unscathed. It’s not that they are wound-free and unbreakable… it’s more of the fact that their name is resilient… lasting… solid… permanent… embossed… stamped… engraved… I can’t think of any other words. Big Bang is etched in the our people’s minds, they are permanent in our industry, and for that reason alone… they get “special treatment.” So sorry about that.
Before, there was all the doubt when Yang Hyunsuk proudly said, ‘I want to create a group that will be like Seo Taiji and the boys.’ People laughed at him. Yes, he came from that legendary group, yes he produced Jinusean and 1tym, but NO. He can’t be the one who can give this country it’s next musical inspiration and idol. No, it’s not Yang Hyunsuk. No, it’s not Big Bang.
And then they came, and they were laughable. Is this the next Seo Taiji and the boys? A group of five teenagers who dressed like American singers? Is this who Yang Hyunsuk is proud about? How dare them even associate these wannabes with the legend that is Seo Taiji.
But like they say, it’s slowly but surely. It is a metamorphosis, a long tunnel. There is no light in a tunnel without traveling the distance to its end. There is no beautiful butterfly without coming from a dirty and smelly cocoon. There is no star without borrowing the light of the great sun. There is no Big Bang without the rocky, bare, unpleasant and empty universe. There is no G-dragon, Taeyang, T.O.P, Daesung and Seungri without all the narrow and difficult road.
Let me tell you this. I have received numerous questions from foreign friends. Is Big Bang over? Is Big Bang done with? Is Big Bang no more? It’s always a question of survival, of stardom, of popularity. And in my heart, I truly am sorry because you from over there fail to see and fail to realize the magnitude of the reality. Some of my friends who come from other fan clubs often say, “We wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but then we realized it’s Big Bang we are talking about. There’s always the bounce back.” When we watch Ingigayo, we always have a game of who will shine next month, next quarter, next year. We VIPS have been winning since 2007, and we were only beaten a couple of time by some Hottests in 2009, but it has always been Big Bang who shone the brightest. It’s a tough battle, but it’s a battle we and Big Bang always won. It may just be a simple bet, but we VIPS know that in the hearts of the other fan club members, they were awaiting the day when we will lose. And just when it seems that everytime, Big Bang seemed to drown, they always break out and still come out strongest.
Big Bang is here to stay. There’s no going away.
You might think I am too confident to say this, but haven’t we proven to be the most resilient weed to grow in this field? We are like a weed who only struggle as you fight it. Big Bang owes as too much because we are too forgiving. Sometimes, it is the VIPS against the world. It’s our big, quiet, albeit slow, army. We are not industrious, we are not hardworking, but we pride ourselves to be loyal. We are the most loyal people to ever support such idols. That’s why many of you say that “Oh they can survive this! They have billions of prepubescent and teenagers rallying behind them.”
But then, it is impossible for such a name to stay relevant if only the VIPS were there to stay. Only about 20-30% of the population are preteens and teens. How can such a group exist and stand tall after all such scandals if only the most shallow, most undecisive, most fickle-minded part of the society support them? Then you must think that it’s actually not just us. It’s many, if not all of us, in this small country. 50 million people, and you can ask them about the singers they know. If it’s not Jo Yongpil, it’s Seo Taiji. If it’s not Bi, it’s Yi Hyori. If it’s not SNSD, it’s BIG BANG. There are very few and far between singers who 50 million people recognize, and BIG BANG is one of the few. There are very, very few singers who can put a song inside the people’s head. There are very few singers who can affect our country and move our markets.
Thinking about that, I realize that some of the most hateful comments about Big Bang is true. “Oh he will be forgiven because he is from Big Bang.” “He won’t go to jail because he is from Big Bang.” “He will not be punished because it’s Big Bang.” And the rest goes on. They have a point. We, the South Korean citizens, are forgiving of such a group. It’s not just because they are stars. There are numerous stars out there, and Big Bang is not just any star. I honestly can’t name another artist, idol group or not, who can survive being associated with alcohol, sex, drugs, cigarette. They have tried and tested the name, and the resilient weed just grows stronger. We survive. Big Bang survives. It’s a brand, it moves market, it moves people, it moves money.
So foreign friends, citizens, VIPS, other fan club members, there’s no tears to waste, no fret, no sweat. We and Big Bang, we’re not going away. You can’t make a name who has generated 200 billion won in 5 years and has made and established a half-a-billion-won-company just disappear. I do realize no star shines forever. But all I’m saying is, Big Bang’s borrowed light may have to be returned someday, but not today. And even so, their name would forever be remembered, so have a little faith. It’s not just any other star… it’s BIG BANG. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Text by: 안정화 Ahn Junghwa - Daum Blog
Translated by: Jenny Hwang
via fortrollingkpop @ 6theory
