Photo = BIGBANG SNS

 

[Hanteo News = Reporter KIM YEWON] Group BIGBANG will hold a world tour to mark its 20th debut anniversary. It will be the group’s first full-group concert in about nine years since the 'LAST DANCE TOUR' in 2017, and this performance will also be its first solo tour as a three-member lineup consisting of G-DRAGON, TAEYANG, and DAESUNG.

 

In April this year, as BIGBANG marked its 20th debut anniversary, the group announced its full-fledged return through the Coachella stage. At the time, G-DRAGON heated up the venue by shouting, “This year marks BIGBANG’s 20th debut anniversary. So we would like to announce very special news for the first time through Coachella. BIGBANG’s 20th anniversary world tour will begin this August. Please look forward to it,” while also teasing the release of a new album and the world tour.

 

The official title of this tour is 《BIGBANG 2026 IIIORLD TOUR》. The word 'IIIORLD' in the tour title has sparked various interpretations among fans. Fans have interpreted it as an expression that simultaneously implies “a world where III, the three members, are together” and “the third world tour.” As shown by reactions such as “This is so good, I can feel several meanings at once,” the members’ careful sense of naming has captured fans’ hearts.

 

This tour has also received official support from YG ENTERTAINMENT. In a 30th anniversary interview, YG Executive Producer YANG HYUNSUK said, “The reason people miss BIGBANG and wait for BIGBANG’s concerts is probably because they simply want to see and hear the countless hit songs they have sung over the years again in person.” He then shared the news that BIGBANG had agreed to hold concerts in celebration of its 20th anniversary, declaring, “BIGBANG’s global tour will begin.” He also added, “Since this is a company and artists that have worked together for such a long time, there will be no difficulties,” and “All of YG’s staff will do their very best to create a perfect and excellent performance worthy of BIGBANG’s name.”

 

The arrival of BIGBANG, which debuted on August 19, 2006, changed the landscape of the industry just like the idol team’s name. Leading the K-POP boom and establishing itself as a representative group of the 2nd generation, BIGBANG is still called “the idols’ idol” and “idols’ role model” today. The group has not only secured both a solid fandom and broad public appeal, but also continues to exert overwhelming influence beyond the music industry across fashion and popular culture as a whole.

 

In particular, BIGBANG held great symbolic significance as a team whose members wrote their own songs and directly participated in producing. It is even said to have served as the starting point for many idol groups that followed to have members write their own songs. The group is also evaluated as having opened the door to K-POP’s global expansion by holding what was, at the time, the largest-scale North American tour among Korean artists. Even now, countless junior artists continue to name BIGBANG as their role model, and BIGBANG has become a brand that symbolizes K-POP.

 

In fact, BIGBANG drew 800,000 spectators across 12 countries through its 'ALIVE TOUR' in 2012, and gathered more than 1.5 million spectators in 32 cities across 13 countries through the 'MADE' tour, which began in 2015. The reason this 20th anniversary world tour is drawing even more attention is that BIGBANG, the origin of K-POP world tours, will be holding all performances at stadium-scale venues for the first time.

 

The expected attendance for this tour announced so far is about 1.05 million, and that number is expected to grow further if additional cities are announced. Expectations from fans around the world are rising higher than ever over how many spectators BIGBANG, returning to the stage after 20 years of history, will thrill, as well as curiosity about the group’s new album.