Taeyang (BIGBANG) Profile (Updated Facts!)

Taeyang (태양), also known as SOL, is a South Korean singer-songwriter under The Black Label. He is a member of the boy group BIGBANG and its subunit GD X TAEYANG. He debuted solo on May 22, 2008, with the mini album ‘Hot’.

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Taeyang (BIGBANG) Profile

Stage Name	TAEYANG (태양)
Birth Name	Dong Yong Bae (동영배)
Occupation	Singer-songwriter
Birthday	May 18, 1988
Active Years	2006–present
Age	36 (in 2024)
Zodiac Sign	Taurus
Height	174 cm (5’9″)
Weight	56 kg (123 lbs)
Nationality	Korean
Blood Type	B
MBTI	INFJ-A

Taeyang (BIGBANG) Facts:

Early Life

– Taeyang was born in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi-do.
– He went to Uijeongbu Singok Elementary School and Singok Middle School.
– His family started facing financial difficulties when he was in 4th grade and was sent to his aunt’s house.

Personal Life

– His older brother Dong Hyun-bae is an actor.
– His stage name means “Sun”.
– Taeyang graduated from Dongducheon Information Industry High School and later got his Bachelor’s degree in Theater and Film from Daejin University.
– He has known G-Dragon since he was 12.
– He said his true vibe is his normal life and his happiness is his child. (NME)
– He felt that Yang Hyun Suk was really huge and the bulkiest man he had ever seen as a child. (YG Life 2014)
– If he were a girl, he would date Daesung.
– He was there when LISA (BLACKPINK) had her first YG Entertainment auditions and was impressed by her. (Kpop On! Track)
– His piano, a gift from his mother, is among his most cherished items.
– A producer on the show nicknamed him “Uijeongbu Bare Fist” after G-Dragon lied that Taeyang was the third-best fighter at his school. (Look Me Up)
– He wanted to become a singer after listening to Brian McKnight’s debut album.
– He gets the most songwriting ideas right before he goes to bed.
– His most awkward moment was when he was a rookie he wore a low pants style because it was trendy and Myung-soo pulled up his pants after greeting him because he genuinely thought that Taeyang had worn his pants wrong. (Knowing Bros)
– He is a devouted Catholic and he has several tattoos of his faith.
– He didn’t have any dating experience when he released the song “Only Look at Me”. (디글:Diggle)
– Michael Jackson significantly influenced his music style of R&B and Soul.
– He always brings an electric rice cooker when he goes on international tours. (Chef & My Fridge)
– His first kiss was in the music video for his debut solo single, “My Girl.”
– He was also childhood friends with T.O.P.
– He wanted to organize his thoughts so he bought a typewriter because he can’t delete anything once typed. (슈취타)
– He considers the 80s and 90s to be the golden era of music in Korea. (Vogue Singapore)
– He usually doesn’t cook at home, but his wife likes eating his cooked Chapagettin the most. (Look Me Up)
– Before starting the military, he only used to eat one meal a day but after joining the military, he had to eat three meals a day and gain 10 kgs in a month or two.
– His most embarrassing autograph was when he and Seungri went to the public bathhouse and 20 men there approached them all naked and asked for autographs on their backs. He said the funny thing was that he couldn’t find a single place to sign as their backs were filled with animal tattoos so he ended up signing on their palms. (KnowingBros)
– He feels there is a gap between Dong Youngbae and Taeyang as Taeyang gets recognition and gets judged by a lot of people but at home he is someone who can live freely as he wants.
– He was dating actress Min Hyorin in 2013 and they tied the knot before his enlistment on February 3, 2018. In November 2021, they welcomed their first child, a baby boy.

Audition with YG & Training Period

– Taeyang auditioned for the children’s version of Jinusean after he saw YG was recruiting children for Jinusean’s MV “A-yo” and got accepted.
– He got addicted and didn’t want to go back to his normal life and went to YG himself and asked YG to let him train in the company.
– He said his training period was hard as he had to commute from Euijeongbu to Hongdae for training at 4 pm, after finishing up with school. He used to return to his hometown at 1 am and then walk for half an hour to get home.
– His parents allowed him to pursue his passion on the condition that his grades could not be affected by his work. He had to complete his homework till 3 am before he could finally sleep. (YG Life 2014)
– He and G-Dragon had to clean the studio and fetch water bottles for other artists during their dance practice as trainees. He revealed that the artists were cold and weren’t friendly towards them at that time.

Career

– Taeyang is the main vocalist and main dancer in BIGBANG.
– He performed “Louder” for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
– He is the brand ambassador for Lexus and Fendi.
– In 2010, he donated a portion of his earnings to YG Entertainment’s ‘With Campaign.’
– He went on to two solo world tours for his albums “Rise” and “White Night.”
– When performing in Japan, he goes with the stage name SOL.
– He is recognized as the “Korean Prince of R&B.”
– He becomes the first Asian artist to lead iTunes charts in North America with his album “Solar.”
– He enlisted in the military on March 12th, 2018 and completed his service on November 10th, 2019.
– In 2015, industry officials voted him the third-best male vocalist in K-pop.
– He is a songwriter and has contributed to numerous group and solo releases.
– He secured the 41st position on TC Candler’s “The 100 Most Handsome Faces of 2018.”
– He appeared as a judge on the show ‘MIXNINE’.
– Taeyang left YG Entertainment and signed with YG’s subsidiary agency for soloists THEBLACKLABEL on December 26, 2022.
– He became the global brand ambassador for Givenchy in 2023.

Likes & Dislikes

– He is a big fan of the show “Korean Food Table”.
– His favorite flower is the daisy. (Elle Men HK 2017)
– He loves running since he said it helps him organize his thoughts.
– His favorite composers as a child were Beethoven and Franz Schubert.
– He likes how his real name is written in English.

Food Preferences

– He is passionate about food and loves to eat snacks.
– He loves to eat Pyongyang cold noodles. (RevealMyStarsLife EP.232)
– He likes to eat Yakiniku and grilled meat dishes.
– He loves to eat salted seafood and kimchi. (Chef & My Fridge)
– Taeyang once drank 6 bottles of wine with Psy and finally experienced what it’s like to be drunk.
– His favorite food is Korean holiday food and tteokguk. (슈취타)
– He doesn’t get drunk easily.

Abilities

– He is fluent in multiple languages including English, Japanese, and Korean.
– He is skilled in playing the piano.
– He said is not good at cooking but he likes to cook.

Personality & Habits

– He said he is not someone who likes disclosing things about his personal life. (슈취타)
– He has a habit of writing down things in his mind.
– He doesn’t have his own studio because he feels unnatural to have a separate room for songwriting.
– He has a hard time explaining himself as an INFJ and he tends to think a lot. (Look Me Up)
– He has a habit of sleep-talking.
– G-dragon said that Taeyang’s sense of humor is just like a child and he loves to meet people. (Anan Magazine 2016)

Celebrity Friends

– He met and befriended Beenzino during the military and later created the song “Inspiration”. (Billboard)
– Among all members of BTS, he is the closest to Jimin. (Look Me Up)
– He regularly meets with “Goon Bang,” which includes Daesung, Joo Won, Go Kyung pyo, and Beenzino.
– He befriended RM (BTS) after meeting him at various art exhibitions. (슈취타)

Tattoos

– He has several tattoos including a large cross on his ribs and his hip, a cross and a depiction of Jesus on the back of his neck and shoulders, and the word “Passion” on his upper chest, with the letters representing aspects of Jesus’s crucifixion.

Major Works

– His popular songs include “Eyes, Nose & Lips”, “Vibe” (ft. Jimin of BTS), “Wedding Dress” and “RINGA LINGA”.

Awards

– Taeyang won the ‘Best Male Artist’ award at the Mnet Asian Music Awards in 2010 and 2014, and at the YinYuTai V-Chart Awards in 2015.
– In 2014-2015, his song “Eyes, Nose, Lips” won several awards including four “Song of the Year” awards and two ‘Digital Daesang’ awards for the same category.

Website:
taeyangofficial.com

SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES
Twitter: @Realtaeyang
Instagram: @__youngbae__
Youtube: YGTAEYANG | THETEYDADDY
Weibo: taeyangasia
TikTok: @taeyang
Facebook: TAEYANG