BIGBANG's Taeyang Gets Hate From BTS Fans Following His CNN Interview

Following his recent interview with CNN, BIGBANG's Taeyang became the subject of attention for BTS fans, collectively known as ARMYs.

For CNN's New Year's Eve coverage, Taeyang was interviewed by reporter Hanako Montgomery. They briefly discussed Taeyang and BIGBANG's impact on the K-pop industry and future activities that fans can look forward to. Specifically, Taeyang was asked to share his thoughts about K-pop's worldwide reach, to which he humbly answered while emphasizing his group's undeniable impact.



Interviewer: You and BIGBANG are really pioneers when it comes to making K-pop a global sensation. How do you feel now, looking at how K-pop has really taken the world by storm?

Thankfully, we were able to open doors to global markets for many K-pop bands that came after us and they can perform on world stages. I wouldn't say we presented that, but it feels great that our efforts have played a part in that. - BIGBANG's Taeyang

#TAEYANG in #CNN
[Full Intro & Interview]

(Let's wait for the 20th anniversary fellow VIPs 🥹💛
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Shared from yb_vip@instagram pic.twitter.com/bHeH5pF4Xl

— BigBang M.VIP Family (@BigBangMVIPFami) January 2, 2025

What seems to be a harmless response from an idol who debuted almost two decades ago has stirred negative reactions from fans of BTS. ARMYs flocked to Taeyang's Instagram and filled the comment section of his posts with statements like "BTS PAVED THE WAY".





After the influx of ARMYs' unnecessary hate on Taeyang's IG, BIGBANG fans (VIPs) and other 2nd-gen fans also left comments and replies to defend their idols. Some expressed their support for BIGBANG and Taeyang and reminded ARMYs that even BTS themselves looked up to them as 'role models' back in their debut days.




Debuted in 2006, BIGBANG is considered one of the popular and dominant groups in the 2nd generation of K-pop. They have successfully established a solid following over the years, with the general public showing support for the group and even individual members' activities. The group has inspired a lot of younger K-pop idols, evident with how there are a lot of them who proudly answer "BIGBANG" whenever they're asked who their role models are.

The phrase "BTS paved the way", is commonly used by ARMYs to express admiration and gratitude towards BTS, who has also come a long way since their 2013 debut. Notably, the line is also included in the song collaboration of Megan Thee Stallion and BTS' RM entitled "Neva Play", where he sings "For Asia, man, we paved the way.", which reflects his acknowledgment of their impact in K-pop, especially in the global scene.

While it will most likely be an endless debate as to who really paved the way in K-pop, fans need to know that both BIGBANG and BTS are called 'icons' and 'kings' in their own rights. These groups debuted in different generations and both have their long list of achievements over the years. Undeniably, BTS is a household K-pop name in our times today, but BIGBANG has also achieved massive success during their time, with their impact still evident even until now.

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