In 2015, a head to head showdown between the most popular k-pop boy groups set the k-pop world on fire. BIGBANG released its new songs “BANG BANG BANG” and “WE LIKE 2 PARTY” on June 2, while EXO released “LOVE ME RIGHT” just 24 hours later.
The battle between BIGBANG and EXO was a matter of pride of the two biggest k-pop agencies, YG Entertainment and SM Entertainment, and the two agencies provided full support to the top class boy groups. By the way, their thoughts about the battle were a little bit different. Let's see what YG and SM were thinking about the head to head showdown between BIGBANG and EXO.
The release of “BANG BANG BANG” and “WE LIKE 2 PARTY” was a part of BIGBANG's special comeback project. BIGBANG released “LOSER” and “BAE BAE” on May 1, and the group was scheduled to release single albums every month of the year, which means the release of “BANG BANG BANG” and “WE LIKE 2 PARTY” was an already planned event. BIGBANG and YG were dreaming of making 2015 the year of themselves.
However, EXO's sudden comeback was beyond their expectations. Do you remember that 2NE1 released its new album right after Girls' Generation made a comeback in 2014? 2NE1 and YG took advantage from the strategy, making SM and Girls' Generation so embarrassed at that time. But in 2015, Yang Hyun Suk got what he deserved. When SM announced that EXO will release its new song on June 3, YG was embarrassed because EXO was nothing to sneeze. Before the head to head showdown between BIGBANG and EXO, YG clamed BIGBANG’s superiority over EXO by emphasizing that BIGBANG is the group who shows better live performance. YG never wanted to lose the battle.
A battle between BIGBANG and EXO was SM's revenge for YG because SM got a wound when 2NE1 released its album around the same time as Girls' Generation in 2014. So, before EXO released “LOVE ME RIGHT,” SM considered everything carefully and derived a conclusion that the head to head showdown between BIGBANG and EXO will bring benefits.
First, BIGBANG debuted in 2006 and EXO debuted in 2012, which means EXO has nothing to lose even if the group loses a battle with its senior k-pop group. Korea still has a Confucian system of seniority, and it sometimes taken for granted that juniors lose their competition against seniors.
Second, between the two groups, who do you think will have better chance to win No.1 trophies on various music chart shows? Yeah, it's EXO because EXO has numerous enthusiastic fans who can vote for them, while BIGBANG’s fans are older than EXO’s and they usually are not very active in voting for BIGBANG. In addition, EXO has a high record of album sales thanks to the enthusiastic fans. So, that was what SM was thinking about the battle. SM wanted to show that EXO can beat BIGBANG to win No.1 trophies of k-pop chart shows.
