Here’s How YG Has Changed Since Debuting BIGBANG

YG Entertainment, one of South Korea’s top music labels, has changed a lot since it was founded by Yang Hyung Suk in 1996.

It experienced a decade of relative success in its first couple of years, but then really took off when its first idol group BIGBANG debuted in 2006.

 

The change is clear when we can compare how BIGBANG lived as rookies to how YG rookies live today. Back then, the K-Pop Kings’ housing and lifestyle were quite modest.

South Korean viewers got a glimpse of this when they tuned in to the episodes of MBC’s Manwon Happiness that featured BIGBANG, which aired almost ten years ago.

 

G-Dragon was in charge of cleaning, Taeyang was in charge of doing the laundry, Daesung was in charge of doing the dishes, while Seungri and T.O.P were in charge of the rest of the chores.

Each member had a role they were responsible for around the house.

 

They had a tiny, crowded living room where the members would hang out together and do everything from goofing off to watching TV.

 

All of the five members slept in the same room and would have to tolerate each other’s sleeping habits!

 

And their tiny kitchen barely had enough room for their tiny table which had barely enough room for the boys to eat together.

 

Not to mention, their company building was a run down studio that was deteriorating with age.

 

The walls are covered with doodle marks left by fans, and the building owner didn’t even bother investing money to clean it up.

Even today, the entrance of YG’s old building is covered with fan scribble on the walls, with messages like “BIGBANG we love you” and “Jiyong Forever.”

 

Thanks to the success of BIGBANG, YG Entertainment was able to break into the global mainstream market. In 2010, they moved into a brand new building, leaving the old one to be a training studio for rookies.

 Located in Hapjeong-dong near Hongdae, visitors will find it easiest to travel to Hapjeong Station to get to the YG building.

 

The YG building is notable for its unique and refined architectural design.

 

In this seven-story structure, you can find a state-of-the-art gym, music and dance studios with the most advanced technology, and an awesome cafeteria!

 

Today’s YG Rookies also enjoy much better living quarters than their BIGBANG seniors did over ten years ago.

The new living room is so much bigger, it could probably fit four of BIGBANG’s old living room and have space to spare.

 

Rookies might have to share a room with another person, but they won’t be packed together like the BIGBANG members!

 

And their big kitchen has a big table that is more than enough to feed all of the members together!

 

But YG Entertainment isn’t done upgrading and expanding! They are currently building an expansion to their current headquarters.

 

They are also busy constructing a “K-Pop Cluster” outside of Seoul which will feature a pop music concert stadium, five small-sized concert halls, and an exhibit hall where visitors can see and experience exhibits about Korean and Asian pop music.

YG reportedly plans to operate the cluster as its “Multi Asia & America” headquarters in liaison with the YG LA center to train talented youths who are dreaming to be next K-pop stars!

 

If the Big Bang Theory made the universe, then BIGBANG definitely made YG Entertainment.