Taeyang, a member of the K-pop group Big Bang, said Monday that there is no rivalry between him and fellow member G-Dragon. 

“Jiyong (G-Dragon) is amazing, but I don’t feel the way many people do about him as I am always by his side. I thought I wanted to produce an album that does not lag behind his, but there is no competition between us,” he said at a press conference in Seoul.  

G-Dragon and Taeyang have been at the forefront in terms of solo activities among the group members, and fans and media outlets have made it an intense two-way race. 

Taeyang is to unveil the lead single “Eyes, Nose, Lips” from his new album “Rise” at midnight on Monday, seven months after he released his previous single “Ringa Linga.”

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)