BIGBANG to celebrate 20th debut anniversary with first official fan club recruitment in 11 years and Taeyang's fourth studio album QUINTESSENCE

BIGBANG is marking its 20th debut anniversary by kicking off a large-scale project and stepping up communication with fans. YG Entertainment announced on the 18th via official social channels the poster 'BIGBANG OFFICIAL 6th V.I.P NOW OPEN' and that the official fan club 'V.I.P' 6th generation recruitment has begun for the first time in about 11 years. This recruitment, the first since the fifth recruitment in May 2015, will be conducted through BIGBANG's official community on the global fandom platform 'b.stage'. Joining members will receive a range of benefits, including priority pre-sale rights for tickets to the August world tour, access to the dedicated community, exclusive content, and official merchandise, both online and offline.

This fan club recruitment is part of BIGBANG's 20th-anniversary project, which followed their return to the stage at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April. YG said, 'In this meaningful year of our 20th debut anniversary, we want to breathe closer with the fans who have shown unwavering love for so long,' and 'Please look forward to the 20th-anniversary project that artists and fans will paint together as milestones.' BIGBANG will kick off a world tour this August to meet fans around the world, which is set to be their first major concert in nine years since the 2017 'LAST DANCE' tour.

Meanwhile, member Taeyang announced his solo comeback by releasing his 9-year-awaited full-length album 'QUINTESSENCE' at 6 PM on the 18th. He spoke about the comeback at a listening session held at the Cube Convention Center in Mapo-gu, Seoul. The album includes 10 tracks, including the title track 'LIVE FAST DIE SLOW', and Taeyang participated in the production of all tracks, weaving his own musical color into them.

At the listening session, Taeyang said, 'I've been incredibly busy this year with Coachella stage preparations and finishing the album, and I haven't rested a day since Coachella.' He added, 'I'm happy to deliver a nice gift to the fans on my birthday today, and it's uplifting to see the year-long work on the album come out into the world.' Additionally, labelmates Tarzan and Woochan from All Day Project contributed as features on the track 'WOULD YOU'. Taeyang told them, 'I suggested bringing back the freshness and texture of BIGBANG's early days.'

Global fans are rising in expectation for the moves of BIGBANG and Taeyang.