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Thrash Metal - An Aging Genre

November 16, 2023

The thrash metal genre emerged in the early 1980s. Characterized by intricate guitar use, lightning-fast tempos, and its overall bold, aggressive themes, thrash was groundbreaking and quickly became..

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Travis Scott’s Telekinesis

October 27, 2023

Travis Scott, the Houston-born hip-hop sensation, has taken the world by storm with his innovative soundscapes and boundary-pushing creativity. His latest single, "Telekinesis”...

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Drake and J.Cole’s “First Person Shooter”: A Masterpiece in Modern era

October 25, 2023

The lyrics of “First Person Shooter” are a testament to both artists’ lyrical prowess. The song explores themes of success, legacy, and rivalry in the rap industry...

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They're Not Real? The Rise in Virtual Kpop Groups

October 24, 2023

As virtual technology continues to evolve and we move towards the metaverse future, the K-pop industry has begun delving into all the possibilities...

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Sunmi Becomes the 'Stranger' With New Single

October 23, 2023

After over a year of absence from the Kpop scene, solo artist Sunmi has recently come back with her eighth digital single, “STRANGER.” Co-written by Sunmi...

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EXO Chanyeol Assures That You're 'Good Enough' In New Release

October 23, 2023

EXO’s Chanyeol dropped the highly-anticipated single, ‘Good Enough.’ The comeback was made two and a half years after his latest release (‘Tomorrow’) in 2021...

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Overwatch 2 Hits the Right Notes with LE SSERAFIM Collaboration

October 20, 2023

LE SSERAFIM, a powerhouse in the K-pop industry, is a South Korean girl group formed by Source Music. Comprising five members – Sakura, Chaewon, Yunjin, Kazuha, and Eunchae – the group made...

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Supergroup Boygenius Caps Off Recent Success with EP ‘The Rest’

October 20, 2023

Boygenius, one of music’s latest supergroups consisting of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker, has just dropped a new EP with 4 tracks.

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Kid Laroi's Collaboration with BTS’ Jungkook and Central Cee - "Too Much"

October 20, 2023

Recently announcing a collaboration titled “Too Much” to be released with BTS’ Jungkook, as well as Central Cee, it is scheduled to be released on October 20, 2023.‍

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NewJeans Makes K-pop History with 10 Weeks of Billboard Success

October 16, 2023

Just two months ago, NewJeans etched their names in the annals of music history by accomplishing a feat that set the industry abuzz. Their second mini album, “Get Up,” soared to the top of the...

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Peach Pit’s “From 2 to 3” is an Indie Production Masterpiece

October 16, 2023

The album was heavily influenced by 1970s rock and folk music, as frontman Neil Smith tells Monday Magazine: “We just decided we wanted to have a very natural-sounding album...

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IVE - Gearing up for “SHOW WHAT I HAVE” World Tour

October 12, 2023

Approaching their two-year debut anniversary, they're kicking off their first world tour, titled “SHOW WHAT I HAVE”. It’s been mentioned that IVE’s first concert is set to embrace the idea...

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With T.O.P.'s Departure from YG due to mental health struggles, is this the End of Big Bang?

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Photo: Jeff Kravitz / Getty Images

After a long 4 year’s K-pop group Big Bang makes a comeback to the music scene with the song “Still Life.” This song has become another banger from the group reminding fans of the music they once heard from them years back. The song emphasises where the band and the fans are at in their lives right now and as the lyrics say “Goodbye now to my beloved young days” it shows they have grown since the last time they were in the public. It’s a little reflective of their past and as a slight reminder of where things are going from now on. 

The music video is a little different from music videos of their past as their are no group shots at all and each scene is each member showcasing their different styles individually. It was beautifully shot and a great way to start their careers backup so the fans can get to know who they are now.

Photo: BIGBANG - '봄여름가을겨울 (Still Life)' M/V

Big Bang has been well known for writing their own music, specifically T.O.P and G-Dragon being credited for this new song. There were some very deep lyrics giving us insight into the personal feelings of the members. 

 

After much anticipation for the group’s return we were sad to hear that this was going to be T.O.P’s only participation for a long time as he’s decided to end his contract with YG Entertainment. T.O.P has decided to pursue more opportunities individually as an artist and other projects he may come across. It has been stated that he may participate with the group some time in the future but has no current plans to be involved.

 

With T.O.P’s departure from the group we can’t help but think he may be struggling with mental health issues. He’s stated in the past that he’s experienced a lot of depression in his life since he was a young boy. He always thought he was much more sensitive than the other kids and in an interview says “I was born to be sad.” Just a few years ago he experienced some legal issues that worsened his depression and he opened up about almost ending his life during that time. 

 

As we all know the music industry can be a hard place to grow, no matter the amazing experiences it may bring it is a dark place where many artists face battles we may never know. Artists are human like the rest of us and go through depression and hard times but with their every move being watched. It must be incredibly difficult for musicians to push through these moments when the whole world is judging you, so T.O.P needing to take a step back for himself is a very commendable move that we hope fans take into consideration while the group moves on without him. We wish T.O.P success in any project he sets out for himself without Big Bang and maybe see him with the group again, later on in the future.

 

There is much speculation that Big Bang is at the end of their careers after the news of T.O.P ending his contract. There are comparisons to situations with other groups, for example Zayn leaving One Direction leading to the group’s end or Camila Cabello with Fifth Harmony. On the upside we’ve seen group’s succeed after a member leaves like Latin Group CNCO when Joel Pimentel left the group they both went separate ways in good terms and are thriving alongside each other. In the end every group is different and has the potential of success no matter what and with the support of loyal fans Big Bang will grow and be better than ever.

With T.O.P.'s Departure from YG due to mental health struggles, is this the End of Big Bang?with-t-o-p-s-departure-from-yg-due-to-mental-health-struggles-is-this-the-end-of-big-bangJulie Reyes | Apr 11, 2022After a long 4 year’s K-pop group Big Bang makes a comeback to the music scene with the song “Still Life.” This song has become another banger from the group reminding fans of the music they once...