GD Can’t Hit the High Notes? Big Bang, Dropping K-Trot Right in the Middle of Coachella—Also Featuring “Withdrawn” TOP [Sports Chosun Issue]

[Sports Chosun reporter Baek Ji-eun] "Hey, this is K-pop"

On the 12th (local time), the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the largest music festival in the United States, was held in Indio, California, USA. The star of the day was none other than Big Bang. With Coachella 19 canceled, they finally kept their promise of "Bangchella" (Big Bang + Coachella) after six long years, and they heated up the venue with live performances and stage presence worthy of their reputation.

Big Bang kicked off the festival with "Bang Bang Bang" and drove the crowd wild with a parade of hit songs including "Fantastic Baby," "Sober," "A Fool Only in Tears," "Loser," "Haru Haru," and "Lies." In addition, solo and unit stages such as Taeyang's "Ringa Linga," G-Dragon's "Power," and Taeyang and G-Dragon's "Good Boy" were added. Taeyang revealed his abs with a shirtless performance, and Daesung showed his boldness by singing his trot songs "Excessive" and "Look at Me, Gwisun," both of which G-Dragon participated in writing and composing. K-trot echoing in the middle of Coachella, with Korean lyrics appearing in large subtitles on the screen, was an unbelievable scene.

Big Bang filled a full 60 minutes with passionate performances, including "Home Sweet Home," "Bad Boy," and "We Like 2 Party."

Taeyang said, "Thank you for coming here and spending time with us. Thank you to our V.I.P (official fan club) for loving us. This stage means a lot to us. We will be back soon," while Daesung said, "The view here is truly amazing. Thank you. It has been an incredibly wonderful time. Thank you for sharing this moment with us. I will never forget it." G-Dragon added, "This year is Big Bang's 20th anniversary. This is only the beginning. Something bigger is coming. Big Bang is back. I will make the 20th-anniversary coming-of-age ceremony fun."

The ending song was "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter." On this stage, T.O.P.'s voice, despite his departure from Big Bang, was heard geudaero, bringing a touching sense of emotion.

Some criticized G-Dragon, saying that his vocals wavered, his high notes were unstable, and he used a throat-scratching vocal style in the rap parts. But in fact, G-Dragon has never been the kind of singer known for high-note-heavy vocalization; he has long been loved for his distinctive rap tone. Rather, Big Bang reinforced its status as a "complete artist" not only in performance but also in vocals by rearranging "Haru Haru" and "Lies" around a band-focused sound and including songs like "A Fool Only in Tears," which showcase the essence of singing, in the setlist.

In fact, the Los Angeles Times also praised the show after it ended, saying, "Big Bang, with their abs on display, filled the stage with deadly party songs."

Moreover, Big Bang turned down interview requests from local media such as the NYT and Rolling Stone, showing their pride in skipping the scrutiny of Western media with ease. Even so, Big Bang proved the power of a "legend" by ranking No. 1 in real-time global trending as the most mentioned artist at Coachella.

Big Bang will take the Coachella stage once again on the 19th.

Reporter Baek Ji-eun [email protected]