Taeyang: "I'm Still Dreaming of Love"
11/20/2009 12:01:00 PM
kenmouse
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When people in their 30s hear the news that their first love is getting married, the first song that comes to mind is Yoon Jong-shin's "Your Wedding." But to teenagers, it appears to be "Wedding Dress" by Tae-yang of Big Bang (real name Dong Young-bae, 21).Tae-yang released his first solo mini-album last year, with his song "Look Only At Me" becoming a big hit. Recently, he has released his first solo album "Wedding Dress." He is the third among the Big Bang members--after Seung-ri and G-Dragon--to go solo.
Tae-yang looked somewhat haggard when we met with him on November 17. Wearing his hat tilted, he looked handsome, with his smile being especially charming. His Mohican hairstyle, with his head shaved on the sides, created a perfect harmony with the simple earrings in his ears. He is known as the quietest and most pensive member of Big Bang, and that is exactly how he appeared to be that day.
Tae-yang said, "I haven't been able to sleep well for days. I can't sleep when I think of what I'm going to do the next day. When I had just debuted, I couldn't sleep at all. I even seriously considered getting help from a sleep clinic."
Tae-yang said that this year he looked back on himself and gained full control of his mind. He said, "I had many worries this year. We were so busy performing in Korea and Japan that sometimes I had no idea what I was doing. When several of our members were active solo and I was left alone in the house, I asked myself, 'Why do I sing?' It was hard for me, but the answer is: I sing for myself."
Tae-yang says his newfound mental discipline helped him better concentrate on recording his single album. He was fully involved in the songwriting process for the first time and wrote two songs in collaboration with producer Teddy. The title track “Wedding Dress” and the song “Where U At” from his album are based in the R&B genre. The sentimental melody and funky beat harmonize perfectly with his modest yet impressive dance moves.
“Wedding Dress” is about a man who sends the woman he loves to another man. When Tae-yang had just debuted, he said that he had never had a girlfriend. So what was it like for him to sing about love? He said, smiling, "It’s embarrassing for me to say that I have no experience in relationships. I have never had a girlfriend but-–as this song about one-sided love suggests-–I have been in love, which was never realized. That’s why it was easy for me to understand the mood of the song. It would just be an excuse to say that I don’t have time to date girls. I’m simply not ready yet to accept anyone into my heart. But I’m still dreaming of love."
On the question whether Seung-ri and G-Dragon inspired him to go solo, Tae-yang said, "Rather than pursuing success, I wanted to sing songs that I really liked. I wanted to sing sentimental songs. Both 'Look Only At Me' and 'Wedding Dress' are warm songs that are pleasant to hear when it’s cold outside. Because Big Bang’s songs are very upbeat, I wanted to sing poignant and serious songs as a solo artist."
Tae-yang said it was heartbreaking for him to see G-Dragon, his friend of nearly 10 years, have a hard time because of the plagiarism scandal over his songs, which took him great effort and hard work to write. But he admitted that K-pop is dominated by idol groups these days, saying, "There are many idol bands these days and their music is easy to hear. Despite the wide diversity of music genres, people just can’t afford to pick the music they like. That’s why our role is very important. We must present music that can make a difference."
With regard to Big Bang’s unrivaled status in K-pop, Tae-yang said he first learned that Big Bang’s name was a hot issue when he was participating in the recording of the song “Halleluiah,” the theme song of the TV drama “Iris.” But he says he still feels awkward to be a part of an issue-making group. Tae-yang appeared tired of cameras always following the Big Bang members. He also added, smiling, that his fellow group members are his only friends, even almost four years since his debut, because he does not bond easily with people.
The average lifespan of idol bands is less than five years. We asked Tae-yang whether he had ever thought about his future and the future of Big Bang. Tae-yang found our question difficult. He said, "If we continue to love music, like we do now, each of us can perform solo while also releasing albums as a group. If I become an influential person someday, I would like to join good causes to help the underprivileged. Just as I liked Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Boyz II Men and Beyonce without a reason, I also want to be a singer who people like without a reason."
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