Wallstreet Journal Life and Style: "What’s Next for K-Pop’s Big Bang?"

From their "Scene: Asia" section, released on November 23rd after the 2013 MAMA Awards in Hong Kong.

K-Pop superstars Big Bang descended onto Hong Kong Friday night for the Mnet Asian Music Awards. The past year has been one of solo pursuits for members of the group, which meant Big Bang wasn’t up for any awards. But G-Dragon, the group’s leader, racked up four awards, including best male artist and artist of the year.

The Wall Street Journal caught up back stage for a few minutes with three members from the group — G-Dragon, Taeyang and Seungri — ahead of Friday night’s awards ceremony.

What have you been listening to this year from outside of Korea?

Taeyang: Kanye West, Drake, The Weeknd, Miguel and M.I.A.
Seungri: Robin Thicke.

G-Dragon worked with Missy Elliott and Diplo, among others, on his latest album. Who else do you want to collaborate with?

G-Dragon: Pharrell [Williams].
Taeyang: I have a [third] solo album coming out in January, and I worked with a lot of U.S. producers, like the Underdogs [producers Dru Hill, Mary J. Blige, Babyface, among others] and [German electronic music DJ] Boys Noize.

Are there any countries where haven’t performed that you would like to go?

Seungri: Spain and Germany.
Taeyang: Brazil. [Big Bang canceled a show in Sao Paulo in late 2012.]
G-Dragon: Iraq…and other places I haven’t been to.

You just kicked off a big tour in Japan, where you have lots of fans, and you also sing in Japanese. Do you have similar plans for China?

Taeyang: Maybe in the future….but I don’t think we’re going to sing in Chinese, it’s too hard.

Do you ever just want to be a normal person?

G-Dragon: Well, we are boys. Sometimes we don’t want to have to wear make up and do our hair. Sometimes we get tired of it.

What’s some of the craziest things your fans have done?

Taeyang: [Something crazy] happened to G-Dragon. That’s why he moved. Some crazy girls were hiding in front of his apartment all night. When he came back, they suddenly showed up and he was really shocked. So he moved to a really private apartment…I can’t even get in.

You have a huge fan base in the Philippines. Do you have a message for your Filipino fans in the wake of the Typhoon Haiyan disaster?

Seungri: It’s very sad…
Taeyang: We have very good memories of the Philippines. The spirit and the power of the people in the Philippines are stronger than any typhoon.