"I'm now facing a new chapter in my life": BIGBANG's T.O.P announces his departure from the group, plans to continue as a soloist

K-pop idol T.O.P, through a reply to a comment on his recent Instagram post, on Thursday, June 1, revealed that he has officially already left the group, BIGBANG:

Given that the post was about the idol expressing that he has an album in the making, fans were naturally curious about the same and enquired about his comeback. The 35-year-old clarified that it will be a solo work and that he is no longer in professional ties with BIGBANG.

"I look forward to the future, man": Fans express mixed feelings over the sudden reveal of T.O.P's departure from BIGBANG

Around February 2022, it was announced that T.O.P has terminated his contract with YG Entertainment and thereby left the company. Since there was no statement regarding his departure from BIGBANG, fans believed that the idol will continue to interact with the group and participate in their comebacks without being involved with his former agency.

Given that this is quite common in the K-pop industry, it only made further sense for fans to believe the same. However, with this new sudden reveal of leaving the group too, fans have been shocked and surprised to hear the same. With no official statement regarding the same, fans have been going through a rollercoaster ride of emotions, unsure of how to take the news.

While a huge group of people are supportive of his decision and wish him good luck in his future endeavors as a soloist, some have been quite unhappy with the way the news unfolded. However, T.O.P declared that he announced that he'd be leaving BIGBANG last year itself and that his future work will continue with him as a soloist. Check out some of these reactions below:

In addition to the reply he made to a comment under his post that revealed his departure from the group, the idol also cemented the legitimacy of the news by reposting articles that announced the same on his Instagram story. Fans were quite displeased with the miscommunication and the lack of a proper announcement regarding a significant happening.

Regardless, since the news is finally out, fans are saddened by the number of members leaving the group. While Seungri left BIGBANG in March 2019 following his retirement, fans are upset to witness the group be further reduced to a three-member group, currently consisting of G-DRAGON, Taeyang, and Daesung. Naturally, they have also been sending the idol love and support on his new embarkation.

As controversy surrounds T.O.P with his recent reveal of departure from BIGBANG, fans have been trying to shift the focus about the new chapter that the idol is willing to kickstart. In his aforementioned Instagram post, the caption read as:

With the behind-the-scenes he revealed through the post about his upcoming solo album, fans have been excited about the same. Given that this will not only be the idol's first work after his departure from the group but also his comeback as a soloist after almost ten years, fans are eagerly looking forward to the same.

About the author

Aishwarya is a pop culture writer who covers K-drama and K-pop at Sportskeeda. After completing her Bachelor's in English and Communication Skills, she sought a job that allowed her to explore her passion, and being a K-pop and K-drama reporter felt like the ideal fit. Aishwarya has 3 years of experience under her belt and previously took on several internships in the industry that further motivated her in choosing writing as a career.

Aishwarya believes in conducting extensive research and verifying facts with the help of reputable sources to produce accurate articles. She also spends a significant amount of time on Twitter to understand how netizens are reacting to the latest trends in the industry before crafting her content.

She admires SUGA from BTS for his dedication to his work and aspires to immerse herself into the things she loves, just like him. If she could go back in time, she would jump at the opportunity to be part of ""Reply 1988,"" a K-drama set in a time when neighborhood relationships were cherished and interpersonal connections were of utmost importance. Although she loves how technology has advanced, she would also love to experience living in an era before it was invented.

When Aishwarya's not writing and reading about the latest developments in the industry, she spends her time crocheting, sketching, cycling, reading Mangas, and cooking.

Know More