TOP Opens Up About BIGBANG Departure After 11 Years

On January 15, 2025, TOP (최승현) of BIGBANG spoke publicly for the first time in 11 years regarding his departure from the group during an interview related to Netflix's 'Squid Game 2' (오징어게임2). He expressed deep remorse, stating, "I have caused significant harm to BIGBANG and YG Entertainment. For years, I felt I could no longer inflict damage on YG and the members, which is why I decided to leave the team." He added that seeing fans who wished for a reunion was painful, comparing it to the anguish of viewing a family photo of those who have separated.

TOP also mentioned, "I believe it is reckless to speak carelessly about the members who are not present here. I had decided to leave long ago after being discharged from my social service duties. Currently, I am not in contact with the members. I still feel a great deal of guilt, which makes it hard for me to reach out to them."

In 2017, TOP was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, for marijuana use, which led to severe backlash from fans. Following this incident, he announced his retirement, stating he had no intention of returning to Korea or rejoining the group.

In February 2022, he ended his exclusive contract with YG Entertainment, which respected his desire to expand his individual activities while leaving the door open for a potential return to BIGBANG. However, in May 2023, he officially declared his departure from the group, shocking fans. He did not provide any explanations or apologies at that time and even removed all references to BIGBANG from his profile, further escalating the controversy by blocking fans who mentioned the group on his 18th debut anniversary.

Despite this, TOP has recently made a comeback through 'Squid Game 2' and hinted at a solo return, which has led to a significant decline in public sentiment towards him. His recent apology comes eight years after the marijuana incident, raising questions about whether BIGBANG members and fans will accept it.