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BIGBANG members. Photo from G-Dragon's X account
MANILA (UPDATE) — K-pop superstars BIGBANG delivered a string of hit songs as they took the Coachella stage on Monday, marking the realization of a long-delayed appearance that coincides with the group’s 20th anniversary celebration.
The group had originally been slated to appear at the popular United States festival in 2020, but the performance was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Monday, G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung finally stepped onto the stage at the festival's Outdoor Theatre for their highly anticipated set.
Their performance ran for just over an hour, featuring a mix of tracks that propelled them to chart success in South Korea as well as singles that gained international recognition.
"It's so nice to finally meet you in person. I've been waiting for this moment for so long," Daesung said early into the set.
With flames erupting from the stage's perimeter, the trio kicked off their performance with the high-energy "BANG BANG BANG" before moving into their other signature hits "Fantastic Baby" and "Sober."
The atmosphere turned a bit more relaxed as they dished out "A Fool of Tears" from their first full-length album back in 2006, followed by "Loser," "Haru Haru" and "Lies."
Taeyang and G-Dragon also had solo moments with "Ringa Linga" and "Power," respectively, before reuniting on stage for "Good Boy."
Daesung, meanwhile, brought trot — a popular genre in South Korea — to the Coachella stage with performances of "HANDO-CHOGUA" and "Look at Me, Gwisun."
The trio's 16-track set concluded with the ballad "Still Life," which retained the vocals of former member T.O.P, who announced his "withdrawal" from the group in 2023.
BIG THINGS TO COME
Prior to wrapping up, Taeyang said their performance at Coachella "means a lot to us."
"I'm so grateful to share our music and our passion with all of you," he told the crowd, some of whom could be seen waving BIGBANG light sticks.
G-Dragon, who leads the group, teased: "This year is BIGBANG's 20th anniversary and it just started. We've got some big things coming soon."
Yang Hyun-suk, executive producer at BIGBANG's label YG Entertainment, earlier announced that the group would embark on a world tour this year for their 20th anniversary.
BIGBANG was not the only K-pop act to perform at Coachella. A day earlier, Taemin of SHINee took the stage of the Mojave Tent.
Meanwhile, KATSEYE, a multinational girl group often associated with K-pop due to their co-management under HYBE, also performed at the Sahara Stage.
BIGBANG is set to perform at Coachella again during the festival's second weekend.
Debuting in 2006, BIGBANG is one of South Korea's most successful boy bands, having sold at least 140 million records worldwide.
Originally a five-member group, BIGBANG lost member Seungri in 2019 after he retired from show business due to multiple cases, including prostitution mediation and embezzlement.