With both his new solo album "Rise" and a big budget music video for his new single "Eyes, Nose Lips," dropping on Monday, 26-year-old Big Bang singer Dong "Taeyang" Young Bae is clearly riding high in his career.

Yet, there was a time that Taeyang feared that joining a boy band or "idol group" like Big Bang could limit his possibilities as a musician, as the South Korean singer explained in an interview published Monday by the website Noonchi.

"I probably shared the same sentiment that Ji Yong [aka Big Bang frontman G-Dragon] had," Taeyang said. "I wasn't too fond of it."

The two future pop stars had been performing as the group GDYB. Though Big Bang would skyrocket Taeyang and G-Dragon to international K-pop stardom, it would also spell the end for GDYB as it was.

"I was a little annoyed," Taeyang admitted regarding his feelings about joining Big Bang at the time.

"I wasn't upset because we were debuting as a group, but it was more about [my] skepticism on whether or not we would be doing music that's too pop [or radio] friendly."

Taeyang, whose last solo album release was the 2008 EP "Hot," also admitted that up until recently he felt a major disconnect between his own music and what he did with Big Bang.

"A few years ago, it was a big concern of mine. It was very difficult for me. As a solo artist I'm a certain way, and as a member of Big Bang I have to be different," he said.

"There was this gap. I had to participate in singles that I didn't necessarily agree with creatively. Solo albums are my passion. Although I love doing music with members of Big Bang, there were many things I had to do as obligation. But even that gap disappeared after a while."

Taeyang recalled his belief in Big Bang growing out of a bond that is as much emotional as it is musical.

"In 2011, seeing G-Dragon and [Big Bang] singer Daesung going through their troubles, I was directly moved by it," he said.

"I realized that I was too concerned about myself. Seeing them going through those things made me realize the most important thing for me is the people I love. Without them, it doesn't matter if I do the music I like, I wouldn't be as happy. Right before the incidents, I had these worries like, 'I have an image as an artist, but being a part of Big Bang limits me.' That became trivial after I realized how crucial the other members were to my life."

"I was too concerned with what other people thought and expected from me," he added.

"But in reality, when I'm actually me, I enjoy every part about being a member of Big Bang. All types of worries like, 'I need to be a progressive R&B artist in Korea' were just personal wishes."

Taeyang;s last single "Ringa Linga" came out in November. Big Bang's next album is reportedly slated for release in August.

Watch the music video for Taeyang's new single "Eyes, Nose, Lips" RIGHT HERE