T.O.P, a former member of K-pop boy band BigBang, is getting ready to return with a solo album for the first time in over a decade.
The artiste took to Instagram on Jan 1 to post a short teaser video along with the caption, “A new album is on the way”. The 38-year-old also referenced the phrase “Another Dimension”, strongly suggesting it as the title or the overall concept of the upcoming release.
The rapper-actor, whose real name is Choi Seung-hyun, simultaneously launched a new Instagram account under the handle @topspot_pictures, where a teaser of his album was also posted.
This will be T.O.P’s first solo release since his 2013 digital single Doom Dada, and his first major musical activity since parting ways with BigBang in 2023. The comeback also coincides with the group’s 20th debut anniversary.
T.O.P debuted in 2006 as a rapper and vocalist in BigBang, one of the most influential K-pop acts of its generation, while also building an acting career. But his activities were put on hold in 2016 when he was sentenced to 10 months in prison and suspended for two years for using marijuana while serving as a conscripted police officer.
He returned to the entertainment scene in December 2024 with a role in the second season of Netflix’s hit survival drama Squid Game (2021 to 2025), where he portrayed the character Thanos.
In an interview with local media in January 2025, T.O.P expressed remorse over his past controversies and spoke about the role music played in his recovery.
“I shut myself off from the world and lived between my home and my studio,” he said. “Making music was the only time I felt like I could breathe. I made music to survive. I spent that time making the kind of music I wanted to hear, and through that process, I was able to endure the darkness and pain I carried.
“I created an enormous number of songs during that period,” he added. “Of course, I want to share them with my fans – I believe that’s part of my responsibility.”
Details about the album’s release date and promotional plans have yet to be announced. – The Korea Herald/Asia News Network
