In a recent CNN New Year interview, Taeyang was asked, "You and BIGBANG played a pioneering role in making K-pop a global phenomenon. How do you feel now that K-pop has taken the world by storm?" He replied, "I'm glad that many juniors following us were able to open the door to the global market and perform on global stages through the path we paved. Rather than feeling like we've given them this opportunity, I feel our efforts have contributed in it and I feel good to know that."
However, after the interview was published, some BTS fans criticized Taeyang, leaving comments such as "BTS paved the way," "How can you say you opened the door when you had nothing?" and "BTS pioneered it."
https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/311/0001812791
-There's literally no group that they don't terrorize.
-ARMYs are so shameless...
-If it wasn't for BIGBANG, there wouldn't be BTS. They copied them so much...
-...;;ㅋㅋㅋ Someone stop them..
-ARMYs again...
-They're doing the "BTS paved the way" bullshit again?
-Ah... I'm getting BTSD.
-Why are they doing this to Taeyang?ㅠ
-My group went through this too. I-roaches are really something... Smh.
-You can't take BIGBANG's influence out of K-pop.
-They said Taeyang has nothing?? In what universe??
-It looks like they have no idea who BIGBANG is... Anyway, that fandom is delusional.
-These idiots... At this point, they're just doing it for fun now.
-It's true that BIGBANG opened the door for K-pop.
-ARMYs are so f*cking annoying.
