Big Bang

Image and cultural impact

Bigbang's Lollipop image in 2009

Big Bang has received both praise and criticism. Time magazine described them as one of the "most promising" South Korean acts to venture into Japan,^[18] while the Korea Times called them "the icons of Korean pop [music]".^[94] Bill Lamb of About.com also list them as one of the "top 10 Asian boy bands".^[99] Their contribution to their materials early in their career, most notably by G-Dragon, has garnered praises; singer Baek Jiyoung has state that she "like[s] idol singers if they are like Big Bang".^[100]

Citing the longest-running boy band in South Korea, Shinhwa as their influence and role model,^[101] Big Bang's own influence extends beyond the music industry, shaping major trends in the fashion industry.^[4] Dubbed as "Big Bang fashion", their style has gained a following throughout Asia.^[11]The group first adopted the "hip-hop" image concept for their debut. The release of Always in 2007 was accompanied by a change in image, with the group leaning towards a more preppy-punk style, including skinny jeans with Converse or high-top sneakers which became a still ongoing trend in South Korea. Taeyang also traded his cornrows for a faux hawk.^[102] Seen wearing brands such as Bape, 10 deep, Louis Vuitton, Jeremy Scott, and Phenomenon, Big Bang also wear custom printed hoodies for many of their performances and music videos.^[11] They were also credited for bringing back "old school" fashion into the mainstream, such as Nike and Reebok high-top shoes.^[103] Described as the "most fashionable" one in the group,^[104] G-Dragon is known to sport triangular scarves that were later nicknamed "Big Bang scarves".^[11] T.O.P also gained a following for wearingsunglasses during performances.^[11] The clothes that the members donned on stage have gained a cult among their fans and are sold in boutiquestores such as DongDaeMun.^[29] In 2011, Big Bang collaborated with Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo to create t-shirts in promotion of their Japanese comeback. It was reported that the items were "sold out within 15 minutes of the store's opening."^[105]

Big Bang influenced the creation of the Chinese boy band OkBang, who were described as having "many similarities to Big Bang in terms of musical style, wardrobe and hairstyles".^[106] In 2010, the group's Big Show concert was chosen by the South Korean Touristic Committee for their Visit Korea from 2010—2012 campaign, stating that they will "have a big economic impact on the country".^[107]