On the afternoon of November 23, 2024, during the ‘2024 MAMA AWARDS JAPAN’ held at Kyocera Dome Osaka, G-Dragon made his long-awaited return to the stage after 9 years since his last appearance at the 2015 ‘MAMA AWARDS’.
G-DRAGON’s solo return with his new song was highly anticipated even before it began. Host Kim Tae-ri excitedly announced, “I too was waiting for this moment. Are you all ready to dive into the show? signaling the start of G-Dragon’s phase.
During the performance, junior artists such as SEVENTEEN, ZEROBASEONE, aespa and MEOVV stood up, clapping and waving as they enjoyed the show. Even after the members left the stage, fans continued to chant “BIGBANG! BIG BANG!” for an encore. Kim Tae-ri, holding a glow stick, was seen laughing but then became shy when the camera caught her.
BIGBANG’s stage didn’t end there. After changing clothes, the members performed “BANG BANG BANG” and “FANTASTIC BABY”, raising the energy and receiving an overwhelming response from fans and other artists sitting in the audience.
This performance was especially significant, as the three members had surprised fans with a stage at Taeyang’s solo concert in September, marking the first time the trio performed together since 2015. The “MAMA AWARDS” marked their official reunion as a full group for the first time. time in 9 years.
G-dragon together with Taeyang and Daesung performs at MAMA 2024
BIGBANG 😭 everyone in the audience was shocked to see all 3 members pic.twitter.com/NoLfMzYcCe
— ✩*.ﾟ𝒌𝒊𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒚 ⋰˚☆ (@kimreyes) November 23, 2024
With the rousing applause and excitement, there is a growing expectation that BIGBANG’s entire group comeback will continue beyond this performance.
Meanwhile, “HOME SWEET HOME” rose to third place on the Melon TOP100 after just an hour of its release. It also took the top spot on Melon HOT100, reached the top spot on Vibe’s rising country chart, and topped Bugs’ real-time chart, quickly dominating major Korean music charts. The next day, it moved to second place on the Melon TOP100 and first place on YouTube’s trending music chart, solidifying its widespread popularity.
Furthermore, “HOME SWEET HOME” made an international sensation, entering foreign charts despite the sudden release. As of November 22, it reached number one in three countries – Finland, Kyrgyzstan and Norway – on the iTunes charts, and charted in the top 10 in nine other countries, including Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Macau, India, Peru, Japan, Mexico and Spain, demonstrating BIGBANG’s enduring global influence.
Notably, according to QQ Music, China’s largest music streaming platform, “HOME SWEET HOME” surpassed 58,000 concurrent listeners, reaching number one on the real-time chart by 8:00 PM on the 22nd. The song is also topped the album bestseller chart, ranked second on the Peak Trend Chart, and ranked third on the real-time search chart, demonstrating its popularity in the Greater China region.
The song’s title, “HOME SWEET HOME,” carries a message of return from the fans’ side, suggesting that the group never truly left. The lyrics, including lines like “Sing an old song again after a long time,” “Don’t say you’re alone,” “Where am I, where are you,” and “HOME SWEET HOME HOME SICK HOME,” strike a deep emotional chord. The line “It’s time to ‘ROCK-ON'” in the climax creates anticipation for G-Dragon’s future endeavors, suggesting a new beginning.
