Who is T.O.P? Big Bang exit explained
T.O.P. has found massive success in the entertainment industry.
The South Korean star has revealed that he is no longer part of the popular boy band, Big Bang.
Who is T.O.P.?
T.O.P. — whose real name is Choi Seung-hyun — was born on November 4, 1987, in Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea.
The 35-year-old is a well-known rapper, songwriter, singer, record producer, and actor who was previously represented by the record label YG Entertainment, which formed Big Bang in 2006.
T.O.P. served as the group's head rapper.
The K-Pop star is also highly popular on social media.
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He has over 16million followers on his Instagram page, @choi_seung_hyun_tttop, and 46K followers on his Facebook account, @BigbangTopChoiSeungHyun.
When did T.O.P withdraw from Big Bang?
On May 31, 2023, T.O.P. shared that he has withdrawn from Big Bang when a fan commented on a video he posted on Instagram that showed he is still making music.
The fan wrote: "TOP DID YOU LEAVE BIGBANG?" followed by a weary face emoji.
The star responded: "IVE ALREADY WITHDRAWN" before revealing that he is embarking on a solo career.
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According to NME, T.O.P. also said: "IVE ALREADY TOLD YOU GUYS THAT I'M LEAVING AND I'M NOW FACING A NEW CHAPTER IN MY LIFE SINCE LAST YEAR."
NME also reported that in February 2022, the rapper left YG Entertainment, with the record label sharing at the time that T.O.P. "wants to expand his horizons beyond Big Bang” and that he would be “a part of Big Bang’s activities whenever possible."
Who else has left Big Bang?
Big Bang began as a five-member group, which included T.O.P., G-Dragon, Taeyang, Daesung, and Seungri.
In March 2019, Seungri left the ban after leaving the entertainment business.
The 32-year-old was born Lee Seung-hyun on December 12, 1990, in Gwangju, South Korea.
Who are the remaining Big Bang members?
Big Bang now consists of three members, including G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesung.
All three stars have amassed a large social media following.
G-Dragon's real name is Kwon Ji-yong, and he was born on August 18, 1988, in Seoul, South Korea.
The 34-year-old has over 22million followers on his Instagram page, @xxxibgdrgn.
Taeyang, 35, was born Dong Young-bae on May 18, 1988, in Uijeongbu-si, South Korea.
He has more than 15million followers on his Instagram account, @__youngbae__.
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Daesung — whose real name is Kang Dae-sung — was born on April 26, 1989, in Itaewon, Seoul, South Korea.
He has over 25K followers on his Instagram page, @xdaesung.