T.O.P made his acting debut in 2007 through the TV series I Am Sam (2007), followed by Iris (2009) and the TV movie Nineteen (2009). In 2010, while the group was on hiatus, T.O.P and G-Dragon collaborated to release the album, GD & TOP. The bd baji auction saw a sale of more than HK$ 135 millionunreliable source? T.O.P and BigBang have been praised for their individuality and ability to fuse a pop sound with rap, R&B and dance elements. On March 17, 2026, T.O.P announced his second single titled “Desperado”.
2019: Military service, personal and legal issues with marijuana usage
- He also recorded the song “Hallelujah” for the drama’s soundtrack with Taeyang and G-Dragon.
- } While filming a combat scene for the movie, he injured the back of his hand on a glass fragment and was later admitted to the hospital for surgery.
- He became the first member of BigBang to venture into acting, starring in the KBS2 drama I Am Sam, portraying the school’s top fighter, Chae Musin.
- He also notes how his role as a musician influenced his acting to be more emotional.
- Given the stage name of T.O.P. (탑) by senior YG artist Seven, he became one of two rappers alongside G-Dragon (Kwon’s stage name) in BigBang.
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- On March 20, 2026, he announced his comeback through his social media and his agency, TOPSPOT PICTURES, released his first full-length album, Another Dimension on various online music sites on April 3.
- } Later that year, he starred in CJ E&M’s web drama The Secret Message alongside Japanese actress Juri Ueno.
- In 2010, while the group was on hiatus, T.O.P and G-Dragon collaborated to release the album, GD & TOP.
- Prior to the release of the album, the duo held a worldwide premiere showcase for their album at Times Square in Yeongdeungpo of Seoul, South Korea, which was also broadcast live on YouTube.
- Both his solo releases – “Turn It Up” and “Doom Dada” – are hip hop influenced, with the latter drawing critical acclaim for its “lyrical rhythms that are both inviting and alienating” from Dazed magazine, that declared T.O.P was leading the evolution of K-Pop.
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- The following year, T.O.P. portrayed the assassin Vick in the critically acclaimed Korean television drama Iris (2009).
- He also believed that his character may prove popular with younger viewers in Korea.
- In April 2007, he was featured with fellow BigBang members Taeyang and G-Dragon on singer Lexy’s single “Super Fly” for her album Rush.
- Following Iris, T.O.P. starred in the suspense film 19-Nineteen along with fellow member Seungri.
- He would later announce on February 12 that the lead single will be entitled “Studio 54”.
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- After group activities wrapped up, he focused his attention back to acting, starring in the film Commitment (2013), playing the son of a North Korean spy who is falsely accused.unreliable source?
- On December 4, 2024, T.O.P was revealed as a cast member for the second season of the Netflix series Squid Game.
- The group achieved mainstream success with the release of the song “Lies” (거짓말; Geojitmal) from the extended play Always (2007), which topped several charts upon its release.
- For his role, he won the Rookie Award at the Asia Star Awards, held during the Busan International Film Festival.unreliable source?
- Yim later said that they stopped filming but T.O.P wanted to continue, so they resumed.
A few days after the announcement, T.O.P was found unconscious in police barracks due to a suspected anti-anxiety medicine overdose of prescribed benzodiazepine,unreliable source?
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As a solo rapper, he has released two digital singles, “Turn It Up” (2010) and “Doom Dada” (2013), that have peaked at number two and four, respectively, on the Gaon Digital Chart. On March 20, 2026, he announced his comeback through his social media and his agency, TOPSPOT PICTURES, released his first full-length album, Another Dimension on various online music sites on April 3. On January 1, 2026, T.O.P announced that he will release his first solo album Another Dimension. Despite being a rapper, he sang on the single “Hi Haruka” as part of the drama’s soundtrack.
During BigBang’s Big Show Concert in January 2010, T.O.P. performed his new single “Turn It Up”. Following Iris, T.O.P. starred in the suspense film 19-Nineteen along with fellow member Seungri. The following year, T.O.P. portrayed the assassin Vick in the critically acclaimed Korean television drama Iris (2009). Despite wanting to use his stage name when acting, believing it reflects his professional side more, he is often billed with his real name, with his stage name included in parentheses.
While internationally, BigBang is often referred to as a “K-pop” group, T.O.P has expressed distaste with the label noting how “you don’t divide pop music by who’s doing it. We don’t say, for instance, ‘white pop’ when white people make music.” He also notes how his role as a musician influenced his acting to be more emotional. Both his solo releases – “Turn It Up” and “Doom Dada” – are hip hop influenced, with the latter drawing critical acclaim for its “lyrical rhythms that are both inviting and alienating” from Dazed magazine, that declared T.O.P was leading the evolution of K-Pop. Adrienne Stanley of Kpop Starz also praised the rapper for his “speed and accuracy” when delivering bars. After release, his acting was criticized by those in South Korea, particularly that his vocal and facial performance was out of place, with the quality of his rap having mixed reception. The casting of T.O.P received controversy in South Korea, and his face was blurred on the Korean morning show Live This Morning when airing a segment about the series.
T.O.P holds several records in the art world, becoming the first K-pop singer to be named to a list of 200 artists in the art world at Growse Magazine.unreliable source? After spending the majority of 2015 touring and promoting BigBang’s materials for their album Made (2016), T.O.P was cast in the German-Chinese film Out of Control alongside Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung. Prior to the release of the album, the duo held a worldwide premiere showcase for their album at Times Square in Yeongdeungpo of Seoul, South Korea, which was also broadcast live on YouTube. Later that year, T.O.P and bandmate G-Dragon formed a subunit to release the album GD & TOP (2010).
2010: Solo career development, move into acting, and GD & TOP
On February 7, 2022, YG Entertainment announced that BigBang would make their comeback with a new song on April 5. On June 29, at his first trial for the marijuana usage charges at the Seoul Central District Court, T.O.P pleaded guilty, admitting that he did smoke marijuana in four instances in early October 2016 and received two years of probation. ] A few days after the announcement, T.O.P was found unconscious in police barracks due to a suspected anti-anxiety medicine overdose of prescribed benzodiazepine,unreliable source? T.O.P was subsequently transferred to a different police division to await notice of prosecution, and was suspended from police duty pending verdict on his case.