T.O.P —now working as an actor under his real name Choi Seung Hyun—sat down with the press for the first time in 11 years to discuss his unexpected departure from BIGBANG.
For years, the music icon had remained silent about the group he left in 2023. However, on January 15, he finally opened up, revealing what led to his decision in an exclusive interview with News1.
"I am the one who caused so much damage to the team called BIGBANG," T.O.P confessed.
"There's a lot of thoughts going inside my head at the time and I realized that I couldn't bring any more damage to the team, so I told the label and the members that I would leave the team after my discharge from the military," added the "DOOM DADA" singer.
He completed his social service in 2019. However, for the past seven years, he has mostly worked in isolation at home and in the music studio and even considered cutting off his social life.
During his hiatus, he occasionally interacted with BIGBANG's fans, known as VIPs. But he also drew attention for allegedly blocking fans from tagging and mentioning him in BIGBANG-related posts and content.
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"In my case, I felt like it was torture to look at the tagged photos of me and the members on SNS and wanting us to reunite. As a person involved, I felt very distressed. I can't think of anything more difficult than seeing a photo of a family that has been separated," explained T.O.P.
In 2022, T.O.P made his final release with the hereinafter trio—G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesung—with the single "Still Life."
Initially, fans speculated that he would return to the music scene, but he ultimately confirmed his departure from the group when his contract with YG Entertainment expired.
"After the 'Still Life' project ended around the time my contract ended, I decided I had to leave BIGBANG. I was ashamed to go back, and I had to endure the mistakes I made and the criticism that came with them. The biggest thought was that I couldn't cause damage (to the team) because of who I am."
When asked if he also cut off his contact with the remaining members, T.O.P answered vaguely but hinted at his unwavering affection for his former group, mentioning their reunion at the 2024 MAMA Awards.
"I have to feel sorry for the rest of my life. So I can't contact them easily as I still feel a huge sense of guilt," replied the idol actor.
"Of course, I saw (BIGBANG at the 2024 MAMA Awards). They are really cool, and in the future, I will continue to cheer for them to do well," T.O.P added.
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