K-pop group BigBang’s rapper T.O.P told Instagram he is leaving show business – but is he for real?

Oct 15 , 2019

T.O.P of K-pop boy group BigBang told Instagram followers he was quitting music. But is he for real? Photo: Yonhap

BigBang’s agency, YG Entertainment, has not announced the rapper’s withdrawal, but the rapper’s Instagram post suggests otherwise

Will popular K-pop act BigBang become a trio?

The band has four members – G-Dragon, Taeyang, Daesung and T.O.P – but T.O.P has announced on his Instagram account that he was quitting the entertainment business, for good.

“Yes! God! I have no plan to come back (to show business,)” the rapper posted on October 13. “Just see the animal photo.”

T.O.P’s remark came after an online user left a comment on his post with an image of an animal, saying, “Have some time for self-reflection, refrain from doing Instagram and don’t come back”.

On July 2017, T.O.P – whose real name is Choi Seung-hyun – was given a 10-month prison term, suspended for two years, for smoking marijuana several times in 2016. Although he began obligatory military service as a conscripted policeman in February 2017, he was kicked out after the conviction. He then had to serve as a public service worker at Yongsan Ward Office and was discharged in July 2019.

But BigBang’s agency, YG Entertainment, has not officially announced the rapper’s retirement.

BigBang made its debut as a five-piece group in 2006, but fifth member Seungri left in March after a nightclub affiliated with him was mired in a sex and drug scandal.

G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung are currently completing military service.

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This article was originally written by Dong Sun-hwa for The Korea Times.