BIGBANG renews contract with YG for the first time without Seungri

MANILA, Philippines — All remaining members of legendary Korean boy group BIGBANG have chosen to sign their exclusive contract with K-pop label YG Entertainment together for the third time since they began in 2006.

This also marks the first time the group penned their future with the company without former bandmate Seungri, who parted from the group and retired from the music industry following investigations of his alleged involvement in sex trafficking and prostitution along with other male K-pop idols in the infamous Burning Sun scandal.

RELATED: Big Bang’s Seungri retires following sex, drugs scandal

The originally five-member group now consists of G-Dragon (leader, rapper), TOP (rapper), Taeyang (vocalist, dancer), and Daesung (vocalist).

BIGBANG will not yet disband and is set to continue promotions almost 14 years after their debut, a rare feat for any Korean musical act.

Their impact and longevity was proved once again today after they trended on social media, with more than 100,000 tweets discussing their cemented return to YG.

Moreover, the stock price of YG on Wednesday closed on the Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations at 25,950 South Korean Won (KRW), or roughly $21.70 (United States) — only a relative improvement after a turbulent year for the company.

The company’s stock dips are attributed to a string of controversies that rocked South Korea involving YG Entertainment and its artists.

These include the departure of Seungri and boy band iKon’s former leader B.I. from their respective groups in 2019.

Fans of Korean girl group Blackpink, also under YG Entertainment, have also expressed their discontentment with how they are being promoted by the company since their first comeback after "Kill This Love" in April 2019 has been continuously delayed.

RELATED: #BLACKPINKLEAVEYG trends on Twitter, asking band to exit 'big 3' K-pop company

VIPs pointed out that BIGBANG just might be what the entertainment company needs to get back on its feet.
 

YG Entertainment stocks are raising high so fast after the announcement of BIGBANG resigning. YGE is saved lol pic.twitter.com/9jKJA75fwF

— K-Life (@K_Life88) March 11, 2020

ya'll see the impact of bigbang when it was announced they renewed their contracts with yge??? and that kids is what you call IMPACT ???? pic.twitter.com/gnnb4IlYqJ

— ? (@outrgd) March 11, 2020

YG practicing how they're going to get BIGBANG to resign their contractspic.twitter.com/zoj21tI3Pf

— BIGBANG Coachella (@Elis5bang) March 11, 2020

"Big Bang is a group that changed the flow of Korean pop culture beyond the musical realm. We will continue to support the big bang to continue writing K-Pop history around the world as our representative artist," YG Entertainment was quoted as saying in a statement by Korean media.

The group’s comeback, however, still hangs in the balance.

They were initially set to make their comeback on music's biggest stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak afflicting over 100 countries worldwide.

#BIGBANG 2020 @coachella ????#?? #COACHELLA #??? #2020_LINEUP #YG pic.twitter.com/8T9UgENSOi

— YG FAMILY (@ygent_official) January 3, 2020

RELATED: BIGBANG to make comeback via Coachella, minus Seungri

There is still no word on the date of their first comeback since dropping Korean studio album “MADE,” which contained signature songs “Bang Bang Bang” and “Loser,” over three years ago in December 2016.

Coachella, however, has been rescheduled for October.

RELATED: Coachella postponed until October over coronavirus fears

BIGBANG is generally credited along with the likes of boy groups Super Junior and TVXQ (DBST) as well as girl groups 2NE1 and Girls’ Generation (SNSD) for trailblazing the K-pop genre globally.

The band left an explosive impression in the international scene as evidenced by a string of accolades, like the Best Worldwide Act from the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2011, the World's Best Group, Live Act, and Video of the Year from the World Music Awards in 2014, and Honored Artist from the YouTube Music Awards in 2015. — With reports from Agence France-Presse