2013 was the year that each member of Big Bang was given their own opportunity to enjoy the spotlight through solo projects. Some audiences speculated that YG Entertainment's push for solo endeavors was attributed to the looming mandatory military service of the oldest members. Individually, Big Bang was able to accomplish great strides in 2013 and were able to capture the attention of worldwide audiences and other celebrities. While 2012 saw the great comeback of the five member group, 2013 was much more about how each member could evolve into becoming international celebrities.

While G-Dragon proved that he is a style icon and brilliant with musical composition, Seungri was able to fight against maknae syndrome to become one of the most successful Korean artists in Japan. Daesung established that he will most likely have the most sustainable career after Big Bang with his vocal talent and Taeyang captured the hearts of fans and Rihanna with Ringa Linga. 2013 was also the year where beloved member T.O.P was able to prove that he may follow in Rain's foot steps to become an international action film star who happens to also make great Korean music.

On January 27^th, Big Bang concluded their critically acclaimed Big Bang Alive Galaxy Tour at the Olympic Gymnastics Stadium in Seoul. The tour encompassed forty-eight performances including Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, the United States, Peru, and England. The Alive Galaxy Tour helped to establish Big Bang as true Hallyu stars, having sold out shows outside of Asia. While 2012 became the year in which Big Bang reached out to the world, 2013 was much more about Big Bang establishing themselves as marketable solo artists.

Attendants of the June 1^stthrough June 2^nd performances of the G-Dragon 1^st World Tour in Nagoya were treated to one of the first performances of Big Bang in its entirety for 2013. G-Dragon concluded his tour with the August 31 ^st through September 1^st performances in Seoul in which Big Bang also reunited. Fans would not have the opportunity to see Big Bang together again until the start of their Japan 6 Dome Tour on November 16^th. International fans would then have the opportunity to see the group reunited at 2013 MAMA. 2013 was a year where Big Bang was able to prove that they are one of the most best groups in K-Pop, individually and as a whole.

Daesung And Seungri Conquered The Japanese Market

In February 2013, Daesung released D'scover, his first solo album. D'scover was a Japanese album which contained both remakes of established Japanese songs and originals. The standout single of the album was Singer's Ballad or Utautai no Ballad, which showcased Daesung's vocal capabilities. Daesung would make numerous appearances on Japanese variety shows establishing his appeal as a solo artist. In support of D'scover, Daesung performed a total of four tour dates in Japan during the month of March. With D'scover Daesung established that he will be able to sustain longevity beyond being a member of a male group, with his solid abilities as a balladeer.

During Daesung's Japanese promotions, Seungri also spent time in the Japan further establishing his career as a solo artist. In August 2013, Seungri released his second solo mini album entitled Let's Talk About Love. Gotta Talk To You was the first track to be released from the mini album and was main song he performed during his solo promotions in Korea. On September 27^th, it was announced that Seungri would be the co-host of Fuji TV's Popular Women 100, becoming the first foreign celebrity to host a Japanese variety show.

Seungri continued solo promotions in Korea through September 2013, then released the Japanese version of the mini album Let's Talk About Love in October. The Japanese release of Let's Talk About Love featured the single The Feelings Painted In The Sky, Seungri's first original Japanese composition. The Feelings Painted In The Sky was then adopted as the theme song for the Japanese drama which also stars Seungri entitled Yubikoi Kimini Okuru Message.

T.O.P Established He Is Not Only An Action Hero But Also The Best Rapper In K-Pop

2013 marked a turning point for Big Bang's T.O.P. Although, the artist had appeared in the highly successful 2009 action series Iris and in the 2010 film 71:Into The Fire, T.O.P had yet to star in a film that would receive widespread distribution outside of Korea. As the first member of Big Bang to pursue acting, it was obvious that T.O.P wanted to establish that he was a viable action star. When news was released that his film Commitment would receive widespread distribution, including screenings in the United States, it became apparent that T.O.P was on his way to achieving international stardom. On October 5^th, T.O.P won the Rookie Award at the Asian Star Awards, which was part of the Busan International Film Festival. Commitment was released on November 6^th to an audience of one million viewers within two weeks of the film's release.

If further establishing his acting career were insufficient, T.O.P also released the single DOOM DADA in November 2013. The music video for DOOM DADA has become one of the most acclaimed K-Pop videos for 2013 with the accompanying stage performance for the single, which debuted at 2013 MAMA receiving equal praise. With DOOM DADA, T.O.P was able to establish that while he may not be the most solid dancer in Big Bang, he is most definitely one of the best rappers in Korean pop.

Taeyang Proved That Electronic Dance Music Still Rules The World

For Big Bang's Taeyang, 2013 provided an opportunity to not only break out from the group with his release Ringa Linga but to also attract the attention of audiences outside of the Korean entertainment arena. His November 9^th solo release Ringa Linga received widespread attention and drew the interest of numerous celebrities including R&B's Rihanna. Since the release of Ringa Linga Taeyang performed in San Francisco as part of MTV's Music Experiment 2.0 and has received offers for work beyond Korea. Although, his friend and group mate G-Dragon is featured on the video and responsible for the single's production, Ringa Linga definitely has been responsible for catapulting Taeyang into international stardom.

Big Bang has had a remarkable year in 2013. They have concluded the year with their Japanese Dome Tour and audiences are anticipating their next projects. Big Bang's Taeyang and G-Dragon have been confirmed for SBS' year end Gayo Daejun celebration, however, YG has announced that Big Bang will not be appearing at MBC Gayo Daejun. G-Dragon achieved so many accomplishments in 2013, he will receive his own year end wrap up. With a year as phenomenal as 2013, one can only imagine what Big Bang will deliver in the future.

Photo Credits:YG Entertainment, The Au Review, Kpopstarz