12 years in the K-Pop industry was a rewarding but tough journey. Reaching their temporary endpoint with their enlistment in the military, BIGBANG departed from fans with a farewell present.

Zipping Through Time

Considered an admirable group of musicians, the members of BIGBANG have become highly respected as artists on a global scale. The group made K-Pop history with their continuous hit releases that shook the whole nation.

Debuting in 2006 with “We Belong Together,” the group started their way up with one of their most popular track “LIES.” (Can you believe “LIES” came out in 2007?! Time flies so fast!) Continuously hitting the top of the charts with their successive songs “Last Goodbye,” “HARU HARU,” and more, BIGBANG established their musical potential. Truly, the group’s songs are the best for reliving your past memories of the 2nd generation idols.

“FLOWER ROAD”: The Message

Now in 2018, this group has arrived at the gate of departure. Starting with the two rappers of the team G-DRAGON and T.O.P, Daesung and the newly wedded Taeyang joined the army, placing four out of the five members in the military. When Daesung returns near the end of 2019, BIGBANG will once again become one.

To commemorate the unconditional support from fans, the group released a special single called “FLOWER ROAD (꽃 길)” produced by G-DRAGON and co-written by T.O.P. A track full of meaningful lyrics and a funky rhythm that integrates into the acoustic sound, the song holds a sound unique to the group.

As I was listening, part of the lyrics sounded slightly out of the blue; it was as if Seungri was speaking in Korean from the olden days (yes, words that you hear in sageuk dramas). Although it was a very plain and direct phrase, the simplicity of it touched my heart. The lyrics went: “I will let you go if you wish to leave (떠나려거든 보내 드리오리다) / I will scatter flowers across the path you take (님이 가시는 길에 꽃을 뿌리오리다)”. Personally left to interpret this part as a sign of understanding, it gives off a hint that the members may have written the lyrics as a means of communicating the fact that they will accept and support all of their fans’ decisions no matter what.

Aside from the emotional lyrics, the song itself maintained a light, bright mood from beginning to end. The contrasting emotions balanced out the intensities of each and succeeded in creating a soft atmosphere, perfect to accompany us in the upcoming spring.

Confessing that fans are the motive in their music, the artists showed their everlasting gratefulness. The group provided words of comfort that this was not the end between themselves and their fans. “Rest as you walk along this flower path / Wait there in that place for me,” they say in “FLOWER ROAD.” BIGBANG promised, “So let’s see each other when the flowers bloom."