BIGBANG's 20th Anniversary Kicks Off World Tour... A Comeback Symbolizing YG's 30-Year History

[Financial News] Born from a "big bang" and expanding endlessly like the universe, BIGBANG, now marking its 20th debut anniversary, is reaching out to the world once again. It is a symbolic return that condenses the history of YG Entertainment, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
According to YG Entertainment on the 24th, BIGBANG opened its 20th-anniversary world tour with "BIGBANG 2026-2027 World Tour [XX: COSMOS] in Goyang" at the main stadium of Goyang Sports Complex in Gyeonggi Province from Aug. 21 to 23. The show moved nonstop from "Fantastic Baby" to "Loser," "Bang Bang Bang," "Haru Haru," "Lies," "Sunset Glow," and "Last Farewell," all of which defined an era. The new song "BiiiG" heated up the venue with fast-paced beats and explosive performance energy.
The stage showcased not only BIGBANG's 20 years of accumulated strength, but also YG's expertise in concert production. Top-tier band sessions, led by Wow Jones, who has worked with Usher and Rihanna, played every track live. Mike Carson, who directed the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, and Es Devlin, who designed the stage for the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony, also contributed. A 23-ton mobile LED structure created a spectacular scene by recreating a vast universe.
YG's 30-year history is one of bringing hip-hop and R&B into the mainstream of Korean pop music and expanding them into K-pop enjoyed around the world. Founded in 1996 as Hyun Planning, YG built its own identity on Black music genres such as hip-hop, R&B, and new jack swing.
BIGBANG, which debuted in 2006, was the group that brought that identity into the K-pop mainstream. It set the model for a self-driven idol group, with members directly leading the music and style, while also securing broad public appeal through hip-hop. "Lies," released in 2007, topped Melon’s daily chart for 38 consecutive days. YG then introduced 2NE1 in 2009, setting a new standard for girl groups, and expanded its musical identity and influence to the global stage through Blackpink in 2016.
YG's history is also the story of expanding the reach of K-pop performances to the world. After proving its potential through Seven's activities in Japan, the company ushered in the world tour era with BIGBANG and 2NE1. BIGBANG set unprecedented records, drawing 1.5 million fans on a single tour and becoming the first overseas artist to hold a six-dome tour in Japan. Blackpink followed that path, attracting 1.8 million fans on its second world tour to set the largest tour record ever for a K-pop girl group, and becoming the first K-pop group to headline Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in the U.S. and Hyde Park in the U.K. More recently, TREASURE and Babymonster have continued YG's global lineage.
At the Goyang concert, BIGBANG said, "There is nothing more beautiful than this journey of growing together over 20 years," and added, "You are BIGBANG." The group will begin in Goyang and go on to 33 shows in 19 cities around the world.
[email protected] Shin Jin-a Reporter