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Seungri successful as solo artist

  • Published : Jul 4, 2018 - 15:07
  • Updated : Jul 4, 2018 - 15:07

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(Seungri's Instagram)


Although it has only been a few months since Big Bang announced its hiatus, the group’s youngest member, Seungri, has already proved himself capable of solo endeavors.

Seungri was known to be an exceptional dancer in his hometown of Gwangju. After appearing on a program aimed at finding the next generation of entertainers, he was scouted by YG Entertainment to audition for Big Bang; he debuted with the group in 2006.


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(KBS)


While the band wasn’t a hit from the get-go, Seungri was offered a range of opportunities as the band grew its fan base. In 2008, his solo song “Strong Baby” won awards. He also became the first member of the group to act in a musical.

By 2012, he had appeared on Japanese variety shows as a radio host, variety program host and actor. With a range of EPs and singles under his belt, Seungri recently announced his first solo tour “The Great Seungri.”

In addition, Seungri has also made a name for himself in the business world. He founded the once popular “Plug in Music Academy,” a company that specialized in training potential entertainers, which has since been discontinued.

Seungri created And here cafe, Monkey Museum private bar and Natural High record label. In 2016, he invested in Japanese ramen franchise Aori Ramen, which now has 15 international branches, as well as cancer screening kit developer CubeBio.


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(Seungri's Instagram)


In the 2017-18 period, Seungri also made investments in medical cosmetic brand Dr. Gilder and created a second private bar/club named “Burning Sun.” Most notably, he was named CEO of YGX, a sub-company under the YG Entertainment label that exclusively recruits talented hip-hop rookies.

Seungri has proven that he can seamlessly transition from being an entrepreneur and an entertainer -- a reason why his fans have such high expectations for his transition from being a group performer to performing a solo concert.

Nevertheless, Seungri recently shared on a KBS radio show that from his perspective, “The solo album is important not just because it shows who I am but because I am carrying the name of Big Bang. If I don’t do well, the other members in the Army will curse me out, right? That’s why I have to do even better.”

By Serena Soh (sjsoh@heraldcorp.com)


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