BLACKPINK’s 10th Anniversary · BIGBANG’s 20th Anniversary · YG’s 30th Anniversary… The Power of YANG HYUN SUK
[일간스포츠= 박세연 기자] “Strangely enough, this year is YG’s 30th anniversary, but it’s also BLACKPINK’s 10th anniversary and BIGBANG’s 20th anniversary. It’s hard for things like this to overlap, so how did it end up happening like this?”
YANG HYUN SUK, executive producer of YG Entertainment (hereafter YG), appeared in the “2026 YG PLAN | YG ANNOUNCEMENT” video released on YouTube on the 4th, wearing a shy smile. On that day, he officially confirmed that YG will join BIGBANG for their highly anticipated 20th-anniversary concerts, saying, “Rather than expressing special sentiments about YG’s 30th anniversary, I’d like to say that we will continue to work hard making music here without losing my beginner’s mind, all the way to our 40th and 50th anniversaries.”
◇ 20th Anniversary BIGBANG · 10th Anniversary BLACKPINK… A Triple Celebration for Their “Home,” YG’s 30th Anniversary
BIGBANG, the first mega IP produced under the YG system, debuted in May 2006 and has received immense love with countless hit songs such as “Lies,” “Haru Haru,” “Bang Bang Bang,” “Fantastic Baby,” “Sunset Glow,” and “Still Life.” With differentiated music and performances, as well as a free-spirited yet hip charm, the group captivated both fandom and the general public, earning the title of a “national group” and enjoying popularity across generations. After a long hiatus due to members’ sequential military service and personal controversies, the group reunited in the fall of 2024 when G-Dragon and Daesung appeared as guests at Taeyang’s solo concert, marking their first “three-member full-group” stage since completing military service. In November of the same year, they also performed at the MAMA Awards, demonstrating their continued presence.
Although the members are currently pursuing their individual music careers under separate agencies, they will promote in “BIGBANG mode” to mark their 20th anniversary. BIGBANG is scheduled to present their first full-group performance of the anniversary at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April, and they are expected to write another chapter of history through the BIGBANG 20th-anniversary world tour with YG.
BLACKPINK, who are carrying out both individual and full-group activities simultaneously, are continuing their strong loyalty with YG by releasing the new mini album “Deadline” at the meaningful milestone of their 10th debut anniversary. After releasing the full-group single “JUMP” in July last year, BLACKPINK has successfully continued their world tour until recently. The members’ powerful individual activities have further amplified the group’s impact, setting the highest first-week sales record for a K-pop girl group and achieving strong results on various global charts. As BIGBANG and BLACKPINK celebrate their 20th and 10th anniversaries respectively, they are once again writing meaningful records together with YG, the company that has been with them since their debut and throughout their brilliant journey.
◇ From “Yang-gun” to “YG”… A 30-Year Journey Leading K-pop
At the center of transforming the “K-pop idol” groups BIGBANG and BLACKPINK into globally recognized super IPs that transcend generations and national borders stands executive producer YANG HYUN SUK. YANG HYUN SUK debuted in 1992 as a member of Seo Taiji and Boys, dominating the era. After the group disbanded in 1996, he established Hyun Planning, which later became the foundation of YG Entertainment, and debuted the group Keep Six, taking his first steps as a music producer. The following year, in 1997, he founded M.F Planning and achieved major success with Jinusean. In 1998, he established Yang-gun Planning, successfully launching 1TYM and gradually building what would become known as the “YG DNA.” In 2001, the company was renamed YG Entertainment, after which he continued his successful path as a producer by launching artists representing hip-hop, R&B, and soul music, including Wheesung, Big Mama, Lexy, Gummy, and SE7EN.
Even as the Korean music industry shifted toward an idol-centered structure in the early-to-mid 2000s, YANG HYUN SUK’s unique trajectory continued. Beginning with BIGBANG in 2006, he went on to successfully produce numerous idol groups across generations, including 2NE1, WINNER, iKON, BLACKPINK, TREASURE, and BABYMONSTER, earning the nickname “the Midas touch of the music industry.” This is the result of a still-ongoing journey spanning 30 years as a producer who originally began as an artist.
While maintaining YG’s distinctive identity, clearly differentiated from SM, JYP, and HYBE, YANG HYUN SUK’s ability to successfully produce each team is truly irreplaceable. Beyond his eye for identifying truly talented artists, he has played a key role in the rise of K-pop with a unique musical and performance style often described as “YG DNA.” The defining characteristic of YG idols lies in how their distinct YG color, different from other groups, blends with each member’s individuality, forming an identity of its own.
A representative example is AKMU’s Lee Chanhyuk, who recently left YG after about 12 years to establish a new label. With his second full-length album “Eros,” released through YG last July, he swept three awards at the 23rd Korean Music Awards, including Song of the Year (“Endangered Love”) and Best Pop Album/Song. Because YANG HYUN SUK himself was once an artist before becoming a producer, there is an assessment that his exceptional respect for individual artists creates additional synergy in the final results.
Popular music critic Kim Heon-sik said, “YANG HYUN SUK himself understands music, and his sense of how to view music is unique. He also has a very solid foundation in choreography and dance, which are at the core of K-pop. Because he has personal experience as an artist, his respect for individual artists is exceptional. By encouraging free creativity, he has continued to produce distinctive results even in a K-pop market that can often become formulaic.”
YG, which celebrates its 30th anniversary, will continue to move forward this year. Starting with BLACKPINK’s album “Deadline,” the company plans to showcase the strength of the YG Family once again alongside global K-pop fans through BIGBANG’s 20th-anniversary world tour. In addition, BABYMONSTER is scheduled to release new songs and albums in both the first and second halves of the year and embark on their second world tour, while TREASURE will return with a hip transformation. The launch of a new boy group in the second half of the year has also been announced.
2026. 3. 5.
