Former BIGBANG Rapper T.O.P Announces 2025 Solo Comeback After 12 Years
October 1, 2025 | 08:40 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - In the fourth quarter of 2025, former BIGBANG rapper T.O.P. is set to return to the music scene as a solo artist with the release of a full-length studio album. This marks his first solo project since the 2013 digital single “Doom Dada.”
As reported by The Korea Herald and Yahoo! News Malaysia, the 37-year-old rapper and actor has reportedly completed the album’s recording and is preparing to shoot multiple music videos. Not only is he returning to the stage after nearly a decade, but he is also rumored to be collaborating with Squid Game’s art director, Chae Kyoung-sun, for the production, with whom he has previously worked.
Hints of his comeback began in November 2024, when T.O.P responded to a fan’s Instagram comment with “2025.” He later confirmed in a June 2025 international interview promoting Squid Game 2 that he had been working on new music. According to The Korea Herald, citing an anonymous industry source, the album is expected to be released sometime in or after October.
Following his departure from YG Entertainment in 2022 and BIGBANG in 2023, T.O.P has remained independent, not signing with any agency. While rumors have circulated about a potential deal with Kakao Entertainment, the company has publicly denied the claims.
In 2016, T.O.P faced controversy after being convicted of marijuana use while serving as a conscripted police officer. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison and suspended for two years.
He also had his mandatory military service subsequently converted to an alternative form of social service and announced his retirement from the entertainment industry. However, T.O.P later reversed that decision by starring in Squid Game Season 2.
In a January interview, T.O.P reflected on his turbulent 20s, saying he was “unfortunate to receive so much love” at a young age and admitting, “I made huge mistakes and collapsed mentally.” Despite that, he said he has never stopped creating music. “I feel alive whenever I’m in the studio,” he shared. “I’ve been working constantly and have created a lot of music. I believe the time has come to share it with the world.”
As the news sparks excitement among VIPs, they are also abuzz with anticipation over the Coachella 2026 full lineup, where BIGBANG is set to take over the stage for a two-day show.
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