Former BIGBANG Rapper T.O.P Returns to Music After 13-Year Hiatus
T.O.P surprised fans on New Year's Day 2026 by announcing his first solo album in over a decade, signaling his return to music following years of controversy and self-imposed exile.
The 37-year-old rapper revealed on Instagram that a new album called "TOP SPOT - ANOTHER DIMENSION" is coming soon. A teaser video showed him handwriting the album title, while a new account @topspot_pictures launched simultaneously to support the project.
This marks his first solo release since 2013's "DOOM DADA" and his first music of any kind since leaving BIGBANG in May 2023.
The Road Back
T.O.P's career collapsed in 2017 after he received a 10-month suspended prison sentence for smoking marijuana in October 2016 during his mandatory military service. The conviction forced him out of his police duties, and he completed service as a public service worker instead.
The scandal hit hard in South Korea, where drug laws remain exceptionally strict. In February 2020, T.O.P announced he was retiring from entertainment entirely, stating he wouldn't return to Korea or the industry.
He left YG Entertainment in February 2022 and confirmed his BIGBANG departure the following year. In a January 2025 interview-his first in 11 years-he explained why he left the group: "I caused so much damage to BIGBANG and my former company because of my mistakes. I told the agency and the members for several years, 'I can't cause any more damage, so I'll leave the team.'"
Returning Through "Squid Game"
T.O.P returned to public life last December playing Thanos in Netflix's "Squid Game 2," his first acting role since 2014. The character-a failed rapper dealing with addiction-uncomfortably mirrored his own struggles.
"For almost 10 years, I felt no one looked at me, but director Hwang Dong-hyuk reached out to me first," he told The Korea Times. "The trust he had in me gave me the courage to take this on."
Industry sources reported last September that T.O.P had been working with Chae Kyoung-sun, the Emmy-winning art director from "Squid Game," to create multiple music videos for the album.
BIGBANG's 20th Anniversary Looms
T.O.P's comeback coincides with BIGBANG's 20th anniversary. The group debuted August 19, 2006, and will headline Coachella in April 2026 as a trio-G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesung.
He hasn't spoken to his former bandmates since leaving. "I have to feel sorry for the rest of my life," he said. "I can't contact them easily as I still feel a huge sense of guilt."
Despite fan hopes for a reunion, T.O.P has ruled it out. "I made that decision a long time ago, and my feelings haven't changed," he stated. However, he watched BIGBANG perform at the 2024 MAMA Awards: "They are really cool, and in the future, I will continue to cheer for them to do well."
In a separate interview, he described his 30s as "lost time" spent dealing with "intense shame and self-contempt." Music became his lifeline. "I found healing through creating music, and I want to share that music with others," he said. "I created an enormous number of songs during that period."
Whether fans will embrace his return remains to be seen. For now, T.O.P is charting his own path forward-separate from BIGBANG, but no longer hiding from the world.
