Kang Dae-sung better known by his stage names Daesung and D-Lite, is a South Korean, singer, actor and television host.
Daesung made his musical debut in 2006 as a member of the South Korean boy band Big Bang. He has released a number of solo singles in South Korea under the group's record label YG Entertainment, including "솜사탕" ("Cotton Candy") and "Baby Don't Cry" which peaked at No. 1 and No. 3 on South Korea's Gaon Music Chart, respectively.
Since 2013, Daesung has also released one single and three solo albums in Japan under YGEX. His first album, D'scover, peaked at No. 2 on the Japanese Oricon Albums Daily and Weekly Charts. His second and third albums, D'slove and Delight (Japanese:『でぃらいと』), peaked at #1 on the Oricon Albums Daily Chart. Following the success of his albums, Daesung has completed several concert tours throughout Japan.
Since 2013, Daesung has also released one single and three solo albums in Japan under YGEX. His first album, D'scover, peaked at No. 2 on the Japanese Oricon Albums Daily and Weekly Charts. His second and third albums, D'slove and Delight (Japanese:『でぃらいと』), peaked at #1 on the Oricon Albums Daily Chart. Following the success of his albums, Daesung has completed several concert tours throughout Japan.
Early life and career
Daesung was born in Itaewon and attended high school at Kyeongin High School, but dropped out after a year to focus on his activities with Big Bang.
Eventually, he passed his college entrance exams in 2008 and got admitted into Kyung Hee University in Seoul.
2006–07: Debut with Big Bang and early works
Although his parents were strongly against the idea of him becoming a singer, Daesung pursued a singing career and was eventually recruited by YG Entertainment after auditioning. He later appeared on a reality show which documented the formation of Big Bang with five other trainees: G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, Seungri, and So-1(Hyunseung). Hyunseung was eventually dropped and Big Bang debuted in 2006 with five members. Big Bang made their first appearance as a group on August 19, 2006, at YG Family's 10th Anniversary concert. On September 23, 2006, they had their debut performance on television broadcast.
Daesung's first solo single, "Useo Bonda" (Korean: "웃어본다", "Try Smiling"), is included in the Bigbang 03 single album and the group's first album Since 2007, both released at the end of 2006.
Shortly after the debut of Big Bang, Daesung was diagnosed with voice chord nodules. For nearly a year, he struggled with his voice and developed sociophobia and stage fright. However, he was able to recover with the help of fellow singer and label mate Gummy, who had been previously diagnosed with the illness, and the two became close because of this situation. Before the release of Big Bang's second album, Daesung's condition improved drastically.
Daesung's first solo single, "Useo Bonda" (Korean: "웃어본다", "Try Smiling"), is included in the Bigbang 03 single album and the group's first album Since 2007, both released at the end of 2006.
Shortly after the debut of Big Bang, Daesung was diagnosed with voice chord nodules. For nearly a year, he struggled with his voice and developed sociophobia and stage fright. However, he was able to recover with the help of fellow singer and label mate Gummy, who had been previously diagnosed with the illness, and the two became close because of this situation. Before the release of Big Bang's second album, Daesung's condition improved drastically.
Daesung’s ideal type: – a woman who is a good talker, but who doesn’t wear mini-skirts since he would be worried. Also, he’d like a woman who can understand his career “I’d like to be able to lean on her for support, and whether she’s older or younger than me, I’d like for her to be able to console me and give me strength when we’re together.”
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2008–09: Trot solos, Family Outing, Cats, and car accident
In between various group albums and EPs, the members of Big Bang were able to pursue solo activities in singing, acting, and education. Daesung released his solo debut trot single "Nal Bwa Gwisoon" (Korean: "날 봐, 귀순", "Look at Me, Gwisoon") in 2008. He stated that although he was worried about dampening the group's image, he wanted to try something different. He was admitted to the post-modern music department at Kyung Hee University in 2008. Daesung joined the SBS reality variety show Family Outing as a permanent cast member. He also joined the Korean production of Cats, playing the role of Rum Tum Tugger. Daesung started his hosting activities by acting as a host for MBC's music program Show! Music Core, alongside fellow member Seungri.
In August 2009, however, Daesung was injured in a car accident shortly before the musical opened. The 20-year-old singer was returning to Seoul from a filming location for Family Outing when the accident occurred on the Pyeongtaek Express highway, Gyeonggi Province. The van hit the guardrail as it skidded in the pouring rain, according to YG Entertainment, the group's agency. Daesung, who was in the passenger seat, broke his nose, injured his back, and sustained minor bruises on his face and arms. Daesung's manager injured his arm; his stylist hurt her leg and required surgery. Daesung fully recovered and made his return to Big Bang in October 2009, joining his group for the Dream Concert.
2010: Additional solo work, What's Up, Night After Night
According to his agency, YG Entertainment, he was supposed to release his solo album during 2010 along with bandmate T.O.P, however, neither released an album that year.
Daesung's new song, "Cotton Candy", was released at the end of January 2010. It was composed by Jung Ji Chen, though Daesung personally wrote the lyrics to the song.However, no accompanying album was released. In the beginning of 2011, YG Entertainment suggested that Daesung and Seungri would promote it during the year, but no actions have been made on Daesung's part yet. Seungri, however, did release a mini album in January 2011.
In 2010, Daesung began his shoot for MBC's pre-production drama What's Up, written by the famous scriptwriter Song Ji-na. The shooting of the drama finished in Feb 2011. He has also been one of the hosts for the variety-talk show Night After Night since November 2010. That same year, Daesung featured in Lee Hyori's new album H-Logic and recorded a duet titled "How Did We Get" with the female singer.
2011–13: Big Bang comeback and D'scover
In April 2011, Daesung released a solo song, "Baby Don't Cry", which was included in Big Bang's 4th mini album special edition. The song was first performed in Big Show 2011 concert in February and charted on various Korean music charts together with the title tracks in the album.
In 2011, while Daesung was driving to his parents house at night, he noticed a taxi car pulled over to the side. When he went to stop, he ran over a man lying in the road from a previous accident. The man died, and Daesung was struck with sadness and ended all of his Idol appearances for the rest of the year. For the rest of the year he stayed at home and/or went to church.
Daesung had his first public appearance after the incident on November 6, 2011 when he attended the MTV EMA awards in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In December 2011 and January 2012, he also performed for YG Family concerts which took place in South Korea and Japan. The musical drama "What's Up" started airing on MBN channel on December 3, 2011. "Lunatic", a track sung by Daesung for the drama's OST, was also released online on the same day. Daesung made a comeback with the rest of the Big Bang members in March 2012 with their new mini-album "Alive". The album includes a solo track sung by Daesung titled, "Wings."
Daesung released his first solo album, D'scover, on February 27, 2013. The solo album is in Japanese and has a total of 12 tracks with mostly remakes of Japanese originals. It also includes Daesung's solo tracks, "Wings" and "Baby Don't Cry." D'scover ranked No. 2 on Oricon Daily Album Chart on the day of its release and also ranked No. 2 on Oricon Weekly Album Chart.
It was confirmed that Daesung would be holding solo concerts in Japan, starting with Kobe World Memorial Hall on March 23 and 24 and followed by Tokyo Nippon Budokan Centre on March 30 and 31.
Initially, it was announced that Daesung would hold a total of four concerts at Kobe and Tokyo to promote the album. However, on February 28, it was announced that due to high demand, Daesung would be holding an additional 21 concerts over 17 cities, bringing the total to 25 concerts over 18 cities. The concert tour kicked off on March 23 at Kobe's World Memorial Hall and ended on June 18 at Kanagawa's Yokohama Arena.
It was confirmed that Daesung would be holding solo concerts in Japan, starting with Kobe World Memorial Hall on March 23 and 24 and followed by Tokyo Nippon Budokan Centre on March 30 and 31.
Initially, it was announced that Daesung would hold a total of four concerts at Kobe and Tokyo to promote the album. However, on February 28, it was announced that due to high demand, Daesung would be holding an additional 21 concerts over 17 cities, bringing the total to 25 concerts over 18 cities. The concert tour kicked off on March 23 at Kobe's World Memorial Hall and ended on June 18 at Kanagawa's Yokohama Arena.
2014: D'slove and Delight
In February 2014, YGEX has announced that Daesung will hold solo Arena Tour in Japan (DLITE DLive 2014 in Japan) in June and July (12 concerts in 7 major cities). On February 17, 2014, YGEX has announced that continuing the success of Daesung's solo album D'scover in 2013, he will be releasing a new Japanese solo album on July 16, 2014. On March 29, 2014, YGEX announced that Daesung will add another date for his DLITE DLive 2014 in Japan tour, to be held at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on July 18. On April 15, 2014, YGEX announced that Daesung will add 2 more dates for his DLITE DLive 2014 in Japan tour, which is going to be held at Osaka Jo Hall in Osaka on July 26 and 27, 2014, which makes a total of 15 concerts in 8 cities. On 7 May, it was revealed that the title of Daesung's Arena Tour will be called [ DLITE DLive 2014 in Japan ~D'slove~ ].
Daesung released mini digital album "RAINYRAINY" containing 4 songs on June 11 in celebration of his solo arena "D-LITE DLive Tour 2014 in Japan" which swept across ranking No. 1 to No. 4 on Japanese major real-time charts including iTunes and mu-no.
Daesung released mini digital album "RAINYRAINY" containing 4 songs on June 11 in celebration of his solo arena "D-LITE DLive Tour 2014 in Japan" which swept across ranking No. 1 to No. 4 on Japanese major real-time charts including iTunes and mu-no.
Daesung's first Japanese original solo album D'slove was released on July 16 and ranked No. 1 on Oricon Daily Album Chart on the day of release with total of 30,090 copies sold.
2015: "Encore !! 3D Tour [D-LITE DLive D'slove]"
On October 29, 2014, YGEX announced the decision to hold Daesung's solo tour encore performances which will be held at Yoyogi National Stadium on January 31 and February 1, 2015 and then at Osaka Jo-Hall on February 10 and 11.