Taeyang releases first full-length solo album in 9 years

BIGBANG lead singer Taeyang released "Quintessence" Monday — his fourth solo studio album and first full-length record in nine years — on his own birthday, marking two decades since his 2006 debut in K-pop, The Korea Times reported.

The release arrives as one of K-pop's longest-tenured artists revisits his creative identity at a 20-year career milestone, bridging generations through collaborations with younger Korean labelmates and Australian pop star The Kid LAROI.

The 10-track album was presented at a press showcase Monday at the Cube Convention Center in Seoul's Mapo District. Taeyang, who debuted with BIGBANG in 2006, said the 20-year milestone shaped how he approached the record.

"This year marks twenty years since my debut, which made it an especially important moment. While making this album I focused on what feels most like me while still being something new," he said at the showcase, according to The Korea Times.

The lead single, "Live Fast Die Slow," is his fastest-tempo track to date. Taeyang described it as an expression of his personal philosophy toward longevity in music.

"Even as the era accelerates, I've always moved at my own direction and my own pace. This song carries the will and the attitude to keep burning just as hard, every single day," he said.

The album features collaborations with ALLDAY PROJECT members Tarzzan and Woochan, younger labelmates from THE BLACK LABEL. Taeyang said the pairing was a deliberate creative choice.

"I thought that if they took a verse, the song would carry some of that fresh energy from BIGBANG's early days. They really raised the quality of the track," he said. Australian pop star The Kid LAROI also appears on the album; Taeyang said the collaboration came together after The Kid LAROI visited Seoul for a Spotify event. Despite the album's scope, Taeyang acknowledged the recording came under unusual pressure — he juggled its completion alongside BIGBANG's Coachella preparation. "I've been incredibly busy this year. I was preparing for BIGBANG's Coachella appearance while finishing the album at the same time. I haven't had a single day off since the Coachella stage. But I'm more excited than anxious," he said, according to The Korea Times.

An exhibition accompanying "Quintessence" opens alongside the album's release and runs through May 31.