Days of biggest band in Asia may be numbered

Washington

THEY'RE one of the biggest boy bands in the world. Their concerts make One Direction's look poorly attended. Compared with their fans, Beliebers seem halfhearted.

They're Big Bang, and you've probably never heard of them.

For a decade, these five stylish, edgy guys have defined and redefined South Korean pop music. They've defied the idea that so-called K-pop is inevitably sugarcoated and factory-produced, and that boy bands are all about pretty faces and lip-synching.

But now, as Big Bang celebrates its 10th anniversary, fans are beginning to deal with the unthinkable: that Big Bang as they know it may not exist for much longer.

Thanks to the threat of North Korea, South Korea still has compulsory military service, requiring all men t…