Being a K-pop idol is not as easy as it looks. Most of them start at a very young age as trainees before they debut and start earning. Sometimes it even takes years for them to finish their training.
With that said, Taeyang certainly had a humble beginning. The 31-year-old singer, songwriter, and dancer is currently enjoying his success as a member of the legendary K-pop boy group BIGBANG, and as a solo artist as well, but he knows what it’s like to be a newbie in the business.
Taeyang appreciates what he has right now and would want to give back to the fans who helped him reach superstardom. However, the BIGBANG star is currently completing his mandatory military service, which means that his pocket is not as full as before.
Military soldiers only get paid around 50 cents per hour, a huge drop from what he’s earning as a K-pop idol. But Taeyang is not letting this hinder his recent performance at a military music festival held at KBS Hall in Seoul.
Despite having a low military salary, Taeyang made sure that he’s going to give a grand performance for the fans. Just like his usual concerts with other BIGBANG members, Taeyang was accompanied by background dancers. But instead of wearing an eccentric and stylish outfit like in their concerts, the idol was wearing his military uniform.
In 2019, the yearly salary for military soldiers is 488,000 won (approx. $410.00). This means that soldiers like Taeyang get paid around 16,000 won (approx. $13.00) per day. Having a tight budget of 675 won per hour (approx $0.50), many lauded the BIGBANG star for trying to make sure that everyone who watched his performance will have a great time and experience.
Taeyang gave it his all during his “Ringa Linga” performance. It was pretty nostalgic for the fans as the upbeat single probably reminded them how much they missed him, his songs and BIGBANG.
Being in the business for over a decade, Taeyang treasures moments like this. Even though he’s outside the K-pop world at the moment, he still feels the love and support from fans. With that said, Taeyang surely felt that putting on a top-notch performance for his loyal fans was a must at the time.
Meanwhile, it was previously reported that the oldest BIGBANG member T.O.P would be discharged soon. While the news made a lot of VIPs happy, many are still sad, knowing that the group lost a member due to a drug scandal.
Back in March, Seungri announced that he would be leaving the YG Entertainment group following his retirement from the industry.
