20 Years Into Their Career, BIGBANG’s ‘BiiiG’ Goes Straight to No. 1

Twenty years after BIGBANG debuted, the group is still capable of turning a comeback into a national chart event.

G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung released their 20th-anniversary digital single “BiiiG” on August 19 at 6 p.m. KST, exactly two decades after BIGBANG’s debut. Within hours, the song had reached the top of several major Korean music platforms.

YG Entertainment said “BiiiG” went to No. 1 on the real-time charts of Melon, Genie, Bugs and VIBE, and remained there into the morning of August 20. Independent confirmation from Melon’s official chart showed “BiiiG” sitting at No. 1 on the TOP100 at 9 a.m. KST on August 20.

For a group celebrating its 20th anniversary, that is not merely a nostalgic comeback.

It shows that a substantial Korean audience is still pressing play.

BIGBANG reportedly set a new 2026 first-hour Melon mark

The most significant early statistic came from Melon.

According to YG Entertainment, “BiiiG” recorded the highest number of first-hour Melon users among songs released in 2026, entering the platform’s TOP100 at No. 1 after just one hour. Korean reports citing YG also said the track achieved nine so-called “roof hits,” a term used when a song reaches the upper limit of a real-time chart’s measurement.

That is particularly notable because Melon’s TOP100 is not simply a traditional minute-by-minute streaming chart. Its ranking methodology incorporates recent listening activity alongside a broader usage window, making an immediate No. 1 entry considerably harder than simply generating an intense burst of fandom streaming.

Fans are fascinated by the fact that this is happening in year 20

The chart performance immediately became part of the conversation around BIGBANG’s longevity.

In one international K-pop discussion about the song’s Korean debut, a fan wrote that seeing the group chart this strongly 20 years into its career felt “unreal,” particularly in an industry often focused on younger and newer acts. Another simply described it as a normal day for BIGBANG while acknowledging that the achievement was still remarkable.

That reaction points toward the unusual position BIGBANG occupy in Korean pop. They are not currently promoting with the release frequency expected of most active idol groups. Their previous BIGBANG single, “Still Life,” arrived in April 2022. YG’s current discography therefore makes “BiiiG” their first group release in more than four years. Yet a long absence did not erase immediate public interest. That may be one of the more meaningful indicators of BIGBANG’s legacy. Plenty of older K-pop acts can sell anniversary concerts to dedicated fans.

Far fewer can disappear for years and then put a new song at the top of one of South Korea’s largest streaming services within hours.

The lyrics are packed with BIGBANG history

The anniversary references are not subtle.

YG says the lyrics incorporate BIGBANG’s pride in reaching the 20-year milestone, references to youth and the group’s fandom, including the iconic Bang Bong lightstick. They also contain wordplay and references to cultural figures including Salvador Dalí and Muhammad Ali. Most importantly for longtime VIPs, the song directly invokes “Sunset Glow,” BIGBANG’s hugely popular 2008 remake.

The official music video also brings that history into the visuals. A bright set evokes “Sunset Glow,” while BIGBANG’s crown-shaped lightstick appears alongside cosmic imagery including a truck seemingly traveling through space. Korean coverage has highlighted those visual callbacks as part of the video’s 20th-anniversary celebration.

It means “BiiiG” is simultaneously new music and an Easter-egg hunt for people who have spent years with the group.

The music video has fans studying every frame

The response to the video has been particularly enthusiastic.

On BIGBANG’s Reddit community, the official MV discussion quickly passed 600 votes, with viewers praising the elaborate sets, styling and the members’ visual transformations. Daesung received an especially noticeable amount of attention, with multiple fans singling out his presence in the video. One of the most highly upvoted reactions praised the video’s stylistic choices and creative sets while celebrating the fact that fans were able to witness the 20th-anniversary milestone.

YG and Korean media also reported that the MV reached the top of YouTube’s worldwide trending and trending-music rankings shortly after release.

But the response to the song itself is somewhat more divided and that is worth acknowledging. BIGBANG will barely have time to process the chart results before “BiiiG” becomes a live song.

Their 2026–2027 XX : COSMOS world tour begins at Goyang Stadium on August 21, with additional concerts on August 22 and 23. YG’s official notice lists the three shows for 7:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. KST respectively. The broader tour will then take the group overseas, with YG’s official tour page listing dates across multiple regions into 2027.