SEUNGRI

As the youngest member of one of the biggest K-pop boy bands of the early 21st century, multi-hyphenate entertainer Seungri juggles his time in <a href="spotify:artist:4Kxlr1PRlDKEB0ekOCyHgX">Big Bang</a> with his own solo endeavors as a singer/songwriter, producer, and actor. In 2011, after five years with <a href="spotify:artist:4Kxlr1PRlDKEB0ekOCyHgX">Big Bang</a>, he made his solo debut with the V.V.I.P. EP, later issuing his first official full-length, The Great Seungri, in 2018.

Born Lee Seung-hyun in Gwangju, South Korea, Seungri was a founding member of <a href="spotify:artist:4Kxlr1PRlDKEB0ekOCyHgX">Big Bang</a>, formed by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22YG+Entertainment%22">YG Entertainment</a> in 2006. The quintet went on to become one of K-pop's most popular, chart-topping acts, hitting number one in both Korea and Japan with their bilingual musical output. Seungri's first solo moment in the spotlight was on "The Next Day," from <a href="spotify:artist:4Kxlr1PRlDKEB0ekOCyHgX">Big Bang</a>'s debut, Big Bang. A handful of Japanese and Korean <a href="spotify:artist:4Kxlr1PRlDKEB0ekOCyHgX">Big Bang</a> releases followed before Seungri joined his bandmates in their solo pursuits.

In addition to starring in films such as Nineteen and Why Did You Come to My House?, he also issued his first EP. V.V.I.P. landed in early 2011 and quickly hit the top spot of the Korean charts. More <a href="spotify:artist:4Kxlr1PRlDKEB0ekOCyHgX">Big Bang</a> albums followed before Seungri's sophomore effort, Let's Talk About Love, was released in the summer of 2013. Months later -- having extended his reach into Japan with television acting roles -- he released his Japanese-language debut, which was an expanded version of Let's Talk About Love. Turning his attention back to <a href="spotify:artist:4Kxlr1PRlDKEB0ekOCyHgX">Big Bang</a>, Seungri recorded another album with the group and toured with them into 2016 (while fostering his acting career in both the Korean and Japanese drama arenas). His official full-length debut, The Great Seungri (<a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22YG+Entertainment%22">YG Entertainment</a>), landed in 2018. Self-produced and featuring guests Mino, Blue.D, B.I, and Dannic, the high-energy blend of electro-pop, future bounce, and dance-pop anthems helped propel the album to the top of the Korean charts. ~ Neil Z. Yeung, Rovi