Rapper reportedly has no plans to rejoin group, as Big Bang marks 20th anniversary
T.O.P, formerly the rapper of boy band Big Bang, is preparing for his long-awaited solo comeback. Sources indicate he plans to release an album under his own wine company, Topspot Pictures, also known as T’Spot, industry sources said Tuesday.
While the music will be issued through T’Spot, his acting agency, Hiin Entertainment, is expected to oversee promotional activities.
“After discussions with several companies, including Sony Music, he decided to release the new album under his own label, Topspot,” a source told The Korea Herald on condition of anonymity. “Hiin Entertainment, which managed his casting and appearance in Netflix’s ‘Squid Game,’ will handle his music promotions, even though it is primarily an actor management company.”
T.O.P is currently managed by Hiin Entertainment. The agency is led by a former executive of BH Entertainment and was founded by actor Lee Byung-hun, who starred in “Squid Game.” T.O.P and Lee are known to be close, and speculation previously surfaced that Lee had been involved in T.O.P’s casting for the second season of the hit series.
Last year, T.O.P reportedly held talks with global music distributors including Sony Music Korea and local entertainment giants CJ ENM and Kakao Entertainment in search of a partner for his solo return. However, he ultimately opted to move forward independently after failing to secure an arrangement he deemed suitable for promoting his first album in 13 years.
Although an official release date has not been announced, T.O.P posted a short teaser video on his social media account on Jan. 1 with the caption, “A new album is on the way,” leading fans to expect a first-quarter release.
The comeback comes as Big Bang marks 20 years since its debut. However, another source has said that T.O.P has firmly stated he has no intention of rejoining the group.
Big Bang is scheduled to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, on April 12 and 19. G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung are confirmed to appear, with T.O.P not part of the lineup.
“Reuniting with Big Bang ahead of his solo album could have generated significant support from longtime fans and helped his solo promotions,” another source said, also requesting anonymity. “But he has made it clear that he will not return. He still feels apologetic toward the members and believes going back is not an option.”
In 2016, T.O.P was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, after being convicted of marijuana use while serving as a conscripted police officer.
Another key factor in his decision appears to be his stance toward YG Entertainment. The Big Bang brand remains under YG’s intellectual property ownership, and sources say T.O.P has no intention of working again with YG founder Yang Hyun-suk.
“To return as a Big Bang member, he would have to do so through YG,” the source said. “He has said he will never go back to YG. And it’s highly unlikely that Yang would allow the group to reunite under another company. Realistically, T.O.P standing on stage as a Big Bang member again would be a very distant possibility.”
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