BIGBANG: KINGS OF K-POP
Critics may argue that, for all their success, BigBang is nothing more than the definition of style over substance — they couldn’t be more wrong.
T hey came as kings do when they set out to conquer a kingdom: their banners held high, their faces proud and unflinching. The air fills with electric tension as the crowd waits with bated breath as they watch videos chronicling the kings’ rise to fame flash across screens like tapestries brought to life by magic.
The stage is set, the music now rolling like thunder on a stormy night. The lights flash and the concert begins.
Their second concert in the country to date after 2012’s Galaxy Alive Tour, Korean supergroup BigBang’s concert at the 20,000-seater SM Mall of Asia Arena managed to draw out a packed crowd of fans — affectionately dubbed VIPs — all of whom were eager to listen to the band’s hypnotic brand of hip-hop-inflected K-Pop.
Opening the show with the highoctane single Bang Bang Bang from their mini-album “MADE Series A,” followed by tracks taken from their past and present studio releases, BigBang wasted no time in pumping up the crowd, delivering hit after hit with tracks likeTonight and Stupid Liar.
Having come a long way since playing to hip-hop loving crowds in their early years, the boys of BigBang — G-Dragon, T.O.P., Taeyang, Daesung and Seungri — were the definition of consummate performers during last Thursday’s show, delivering one highly-energetic performance after another, all of which the MOA Arena crowd positively reacted to.
With their sound being a veritable mix of late ‘90s hip-hop interspersed with the synth-heavy sonic sensibilities of ‘80s glam rock with a dash of radiofriendly pop, BigBang managed to connect well with their audience, holding sway over them as they churned out a tight, well-executed set filled not just with electro-hits laden with high-voltage synth beats and rapidfire raps — the most prominent of which was their 2011 hit Fantastic Baby — but also, tender, emotional ballads along the lines of If You and Blue.
Easily breezing through the twohour long show like the seasoned supergroup that they are, BigBang, clad in the designer outfits they have come to be known for, seamlessly performed several of their hits like Haru Haru,
Bad Boy and Hands Up, with the songs’ feverish electronic bass and stirring, sexed-up string arrangements relaying the nigh-rebellious messages ingrained in their songs, all of which were effective in pumping up the crowd’s energy to fever-pitch levels.
Aside from performing hits spanning their now-legendary 10-year-old career, the boys of BigBang also treated their fans to performances from each of the members’ solo outings, with group maknae (“youngest” in K-Pop parlance) Seungri going first with his solo hit
Strong Baby, followed by his duet with group leader G-Dragon entitled Let’s
Talk About Love.
The group’s resident balladeer, Daesung also had his share of the spotlight, performing his solo hit
Wings to the crowd’s delight. Rapper T.O.P also took to the spotlight, performing his runaway hit Doom Dada — a performance he accentuated with his slick and impressive dance moves.
For his part, Taeyang gave a soulful rendition of his R&B-influenced track, the hit single Eyes Nose Lips, before being joined onstage by G-Dragon to perform their club ditty Good Boy, which they performed with abandon, much to the crowd’s enjoyment.
Masterful showmen through and through, BigBang proved themselves to be quite well-rounded performers, exchanging banter with the audience
and engaging in much-applauded fanservice — among which was the flirty yaoi-inspired banter and hair-grabbing between G-Dragon and Seungri. These prompted the 20,000-strong hardcore VIPs to greet the boys with screams of “I love you oppas” and “I love you
hyungs.”
Aside from the boys of BigBang themselves, their dancers, most notably the Kwon twins, Deukkie and Dony of HITECH (YG Entertainment’s exclusive crop of dancers) also took the audience by storm, wowing them with their slick, aggressive brand of hip-hop choreography.
A solid production overall, BigBang’s [MADE] in Manila MOA Arena show, made possible by Live Nation, Pulp Live World and Globe Telecom, was a technical feat unto itself, with the production boasting several highlights, among which were the moving runways, HD screens, indoor fireworks and hydraulic lifts — all effectively complemented the electric goings on onstage.
Equally impressive was the crowd during the show, all of whom were incredibly game when it came to participating, and leading, in the many ballyhoos the group initiated, with some members actually taking it upon themselves to throw multiple bars of the similarly-named local chocolate brand Big Bang onstage for the boys to eat.
The audience also took it upon themselves to transform the entire Arena’s interior into a sea of bright, golden yellow and royal blue as the group performed onstage, with the feat being a testament to the power the entire BigBang fandom holds in its hands.
Critics may argue that, for all their success, BigBang as a group is nothing more than the definition of style over substance — they couldn’t be more wrong. After all, taking BigBang’s global success, lyrical genius and million-dollar productions aside, it is the group’s sincere, heartfelt emotions and musicality that show their true nature: hot-blooded artists enjoying the sweet fruits of their passion.
The bottom line then is this: true artistry transcends language. Korean supergroup BigBang’s concert last Thursday night is proof of that. And we want more.