G-Dragon Wiki, Age, Biography, Height, Wife, Family, Images, And More
Kwon Ji-yong (; born August 18, 1988), also known as G-Dragon (), is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, and fashion designer known as the "King of K-pop." G-Dragon has won numerous awards, including seven Mnet Asian Music Awards, six Melon Music Awards, two Korean Music Awards, two Golden Disc Awards, and two MBC Entertainment Awards. Furthermore, in 2013, he was the first and only solo artist to receive the Mnet Asian Music Award for Artist of the Year.
G-Dragon was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, and rose to prominence as the leader of the South Korean group Big Bang, which went on to become one of the world's best-selling boy bands. In 2009, he released his first solo album, Heartbreaker, which was commercially successful, becoming the best-selling album by a Korean soloist at the time and earning him Album of the Year at the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards. In 2010, he collaborated with fellow BigBang member T.O.P for the album GD & TOP. His debut EP, One of a Kind (2012), yielded three singles: "One of a Kind," "Crayon," and the chart-topping "That XX." At the 2013 Seoul Music Awards, the EP was named Best Album. In 2013, he embarked on his first solo worldwide tour, becoming the first Korean soloist to tour Japanese dome arenas. Kwon Ji Yong, his 2017 EP, produced the number one single "Untitled, 2014," and the accompanying concert tour Act III: M.O.T.T.E became the largest tour ever conducted by a Korean soloist.
G-Dragon was named the most influential person under 30 in Asia's entertainment and sports by Forbes in 2016. He is widely recognized for his influence on youth culture, fashion trends, and music in South Korea. G-Dragon has written or co-written 23 Gaon Digital Chart number one songs, the majority of which he has also co-produced.
Life and work
Beginnings of a career, 1988-2008
The main article is: The Big Bang Theory (band)
G-Dragon was born in Seoul, South Korea on August 18, 1988. G-Dragon began his career as a member of the group Little Roo'Ra at the age of six. Following the release of the group's Christmas album, their record company terminated their contract, which shocked G-Dragon. Despite promising his mother that he "wouldn't [try to become a singer] again," he was scouted by SM Entertainment while on a family ski trip. Before leaving, he was a trainee at the record label SM Entertainment for five years (from the ages of eight to thirteen).
A friend introduced G-Dragon to the American rap group Wu-Tang Clan during his third grade year. He became interested in rapping after hearing their music and began taking classes. He met Lee Hee sung, a member of another South Korean hip hop group X-teen, who tried to turn G-dragon into Korea's Bow Wow, after attending a summer school hosted by the South Korean hip hop group People Crew, which he joined after begging his mother. Under the tutelage of People Crew, he took part in the 2001 release of the Korean hip-hop album Korean hiphop Flex, becoming the youngest Korean rapper at 13 years old. Despite the fact that he wrote his own lyrics, he admitted that his English was poor and that the story behind the lyrics was just another "I'm young, but I'm the best" story. Furthermore, before G-Dragon moved away, he and future BigBang member Choi Seung-hyun were "neighborhood friends from middle school" and would frequently dance and rap together. Having piqued the interest of Sean of the YG Entertainment hip-hop duo Jinusean, he recommended G-Dragon to Sean's record label's CEO Yang Hyun Suk. G-Dragon spent the first year of his contract with the record label cleaning the studio for the other artists and fetching water bottles during dance practice.
He went by the stage name G-Dragon ("Ji" is pronounced like "G", and Yong is Korean for "dragon"). He appeared on the albums of other artists and even released several singles with Dong under the moniker "GDYB." After YG Entertainment abandoned the plan in favor of a boy band, G-Dragon contacted Choi, who auditioned. G-Dragon, Dong (who went by the stage name Taeyang), and Choi (who went by T.O.P) were paired with three other members (Jang Hyun-seung, Daesung, and Seungri).
The group's formation was documented on television, but Jang was dropped before their official debut. The now-debut quintet's was a moderate success, with their first album selling over 100,000 copies and featuring G-first Dragon's solo recording, a cover of Maroon 5's single "This Love." G-increased Dragon's involvement in the production of the EP Always in 2007 marked a musical departure from their previous material. He wrote several songs, including the lead single "Lies," which became the group's first number one hit. Their subsequent EPs followed in the footsteps of their predecessors: Hot Issue gave birth to "Last Farewell," while Stand Up gave birth to "Day by Day," both of which were chart-topping singles written by him. After producing the majority of BigBang's material, G-Dragon became involved in the production of Taeyang's debut extended play Hot (2008), following which he recorded a "Part Two" to the EP's lead single "Only Look at Me."
2009–2011: Solo debut and commercial success
G-Dragon appeared alongside Taeyang and T.O.P on Lexy's song "Super Fly" from her album Rush in 2009. Later, he worked with the Japanese boy band W-inds. on their single "Rain Is Fallin'/Hybrid Dream." Heartbreaker, his first solo album, was supposed to be released in April of that year, but it was pushed back to August. The album featured collaborations with several artists, including Teddy from 1TYM, Taeyang, Kush, CL, and Sandara Park from 2NE1. It also marked a change in G-appearance, Dragon's as he dyed his hair blonde to match the album's concept. The album sold over 300,000 copies and won Album of the Year at the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards, thanks to its lead single of the same name, an electronic pop song that sold nearly five million downloads. G-Dragon was accused of plagiarism by Sony Music shortly after the release of Heartbreaker, when his tracks "Heartbreaker" and "Butterfly" were alleged to be similar to Flo Rida's "Right Round" and Oasis' "She's Electric," respectively. EMI, the record label that released "Right Round," on the other hand, stated that they saw no similarities between the two songs.
On March 6, 2010, YG Entertainment announced that they personally contacted Flo Rida's representatives and requested that he appear on G-live Dragon's album, Shine a Light, which Flo Rida agreed to. G-Dragon held his first solo concert at Olympic Gymnastics Arena in December 2009 to promote his album. The concert's title, Shine a Light, was inspired by the lyrics to his song "A Boy." Following complaints of obscenity and suggestive content, the concert sparked a backlash. The Korean Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Family Affairs later requested that prosecutors investigate whether G-Dragon or YG Entertainment violated obscene performance laws during his concert. On March 15, 2010, he was found innocent and acquitted of all charges.
G-Dragon and T.O.P released their collaboration album GD & TOP in November 2010. Prior to the album's release, the duo held a worldwide premiere showcase for their album at Times Square in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, which was also livestreamed on YouTube. The duo released three singles to promote their album: "High High," "Oh Yeah," and "Knock Out" (Korean: ; Revised Romanization: "Ppeogigayo"). All three singles were commercially successful prior to the album's release: "High High" reached number one on several music programs, while "Oh Yeah" peaked at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart. The album was released on Christmas Eve and debuted at number one on the Gaon Album Chart, with 200,000 copies pre-ordered.
G-Dragon also collaborated with Park Myung Soo at the 2011 Infinite Challenge Seohae Ahn Highway Song Festival. On June 2, 2011, they released their song "Having an Affair," which featured Park Bom from 2NE1. The song went on to become the second most downloaded song on the Gaon Music Chart in 2011.
G-promotional Dragon's activities were halted after he tested positive for marijuana. Though a urine test in August came back negative, testing the content of his hair in October revealed a weak positive for marijuana. Because it was his first recorded offense with a minuscule amount of the drug, an indictment was issued, but he was not charged. He later claimed that he accepted a cigarette offered by a fan at a party in Japan in May, but threw it away after realizing it was not a normal cigarette. He made his first public appearance after the scandal with his group at the 2011 MTV EMAs.
2012-2013: Breakthrough years and Big Bang's return
G-Dragon, along with T.O.P., made an appearance in the Japanese version of Pixie Lott's album Young Foolish Happy while working on new solo material. On September 15, 2012, his first extended play, One of a Kind, was released to positive reviews, debuting at number one on the Billboard World Album Chart and reaching number 161 on the Billboard 200 Chart. To promote the album, three singles were released: the top-five hit "One of a Kind," which earned him Best Hip Hop and Rap Song of the Year awards from the Korean Music Awards and the Rhythmer Awards, respectively; the number one "That XX," and the top-three hit "Crayon," which was named the best K-Pop single of the year by Spin Magazine. The album sold over 200,000 copies, making it the best-selling solo album in Korea since his debut album, Heartbreaker, was released in 2009. At the 14th Mnet Asian Music Awards, he was named "Best Male Solo Artist," and at the 22nd Seoul Music Awards, he was named "Record of the Year" for One of a Kind. In 2013, G-Dragon embarked on the One of a Kind World Tour, making him the first Korean solo artist to hold a four-dome tour in Japan and the second Korean solo artist to have a world tour (the first being Rain). The tour cost $3.5 million to produce, making it the most expensive tour in Korean history at the time. The tour took place in eight countries and 13 cities, with a total of 27 concerts attended by 570,000 people.
At the KCON 2013 concert in Los Angeles in August 2013, G-Dragon performed "Shake The World" as an intro to "One Of A Kind," "Feat. Missy Elliot" (Missy Eliott Ver.), and "Crayon."
After extensive touring, G-Dragon returned to the studio to record his second studio album. Missy Elliott, a Grammy Award-winning musician, will be featured on the album, according to YG Entertainment. Coup d'Etat (2013) was released in two parts online, with the full album arriving in stores on September 13th. It features collaborations with Diplo, Baauer, Boys Noize, Sky Ferreira, Siriusmo, Zion.T, Lydia Paek, and label-mate Jennie Kim. At the KCON 2013 in Los Angeles, G-Dragon and Missy Elliott performed the song "Niliria." Six tracks from Coup d'Etat made the Gaon Digital Chart's top ten, including the number one "Who You?" "Crooked," his first solo music video to surpass 100 million views on YouTube, was the album's best-performing single, with over 1.8 million digital downloads. Billboard named the title track "Coup d'Etat" one of the game-changing EDM tracks of 2013. G-Dragon became the first Korean act to have multiple entries on the Billboard 200 with the release of the album. G-Dragon won four awards at the 15th Mnet Asian Music Awards, including Best Male Solo Artist, Best Music Video for "Coup d'Etat," Best Dance Performance for "Crooked," and the highest award, Artist of The Year, thanks to the success of Coup d'Etat. At the World Music Awards, he won World's Best Entertainer and World's Best Album.
On October 17, 2013, G-Dragon returned to the Infinite Challenge music festival in Imjingak for the second time, composing and performing the song "Going to Try" with comedian Jeong Hyeong-don.
New albums and rising success in 2014-2016
G-Dragon wrote and produced songs for other YG artists in 2014. He wrote "Good to You" for 2NE1's album Crush. He also contributed to Taeyang's second album Rise, writing and producing the lead singles "Ringa Linga" and "Stay With Me," and performing on the latter. G-Dragon and Taeyang formed a duo in November 2014 to release the single "Good Boy," which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart, marking the third time a Korean act topped the chart after PSY and 2NE1. The single was downloaded over 1.2 million times in South Korea, and the music video surpassed 100 million views on YouTube, making BigBang the first Korean male group to have three videos with this many views. G-Dragon collaborated with Skrillex and Diplo on the song "Dirty Vibe," which features labelmate CL, in December of the same year. The single reached No. 15 on Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronic Songs and No. 21 on Dance/Electronic Digital Songs, making them the first Korean artists to do so. In 2015, he wrote and produced a song for Welcome Back, YG's new rookie group iKon's debut album.
G-Dragon spent the majority of 2015 and 2016 touring with his band in support of their third Korean album, performing in front of over 3.6 million fans over the course of two years. In 2015, he returned to the Infinite Challenge music festival for the third time in a row, this time with bandmate Taeyang. The duo collaborated with ZE:Hwang A's Kwanghee on the single "Mapsosa," which peaked at No. 2 on the Gaon Digital Chart and sold 1.1 million copies by the end of the year, making it one of the year's best-selling songs. He returned to the show the following year for the Muhan Company special, in which he made his acting debut. In addition, he appeared alongside British rapper M.I.A. in Baauer's debut album Aa's song "Temple." The song reached No. 36 on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Digital Songs and No. 26 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, making him the first Korean male artist to chart on both charts twice.
2017–present: Return to work after military service
G-Dragon appeared on Zion.song T's "Complex," which peaked at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart on February 1, 2017. He also appeared as a guest rapper on IU's lead single "Palette," from her self-titled album, which topped the Gaon Chart for two weeks in a row. After his band's promotional activities concluded, G-Dragon began planning the release of his new album, as well as a solo concert tour.
The single "Bullshit" was supposed to be the lead single leading up to the release of his second self-titled EP. To avoid further controversy for the artist's record label, "Untitled, 2014" was released to radio instead due to bandmate T.O.P's marijuana scandal and the single's provocative name. Kwon Ji Yong was released in USB flash drive format on June 8, bypassing the traditional method of releasing music on CDs, drawing criticism from Gaon, which refused to recognize it as an official album. Later that year, Gaon reversed its decision, recognizing the unconventional format as legal. He topped iTunes charts in 46 countries, the most for a Korean album, including the US iTunes chart. Kwon Ji Yong was also the first Korean soloist to top the iTunes worldwide album and European iTunes charts. Kwon Ji Yong became his best-selling album in the United States in just one day, becoming his third entry on the Billboard 200 and his first number one on the Heatseekers Albums. Furthermore, the EP became his third chart-topper and the first by a Korean soloist to spend multiple weeks at the top of the Billboard World Albums chart. In China, the album sold over 760,000 digital units in a single day on QQ Music, the country's largest music site. It sold one million copies in six days, making it the fastest album to do so and the best-selling album of the year so far. Act III: M.O.T.T.E, his second world tour, began on June 10, 2017 at Seoul World Cup Stadium and visited 29 cities in Asia, North America, Europe, and Oceania. The tour was attended by 654,000 people worldwide, making it the largest tour by a Korean artist in the United States and Europe, as well as the largest concert tour ever conducted by a Korean solo artist. YouTube Premium released a behind-the-scenes documentary look at the tour in September 2018.
G-Dragon began his two-year mandatory military service on February 27, 2018, by enrolling as an active duty soldier in the 3rd Infantry Division's boot camp in Gangwon province, where he was scheduled to be discharged on October 26, 2019, after completing the requirements. G-Dragon was officially discharged from the military on October 26, 2019.
G-Dragon became the first Korean musician to collaborate with Nike in November 2019 for the Nike Air Force 1 Para-Noise, shortly after his release.
G-Dragon signed a contract to model for the famous beverage brand Chapai in China's Nongpushan on May 4, 2020. G-Dragon and Big Bang made their comeback on April 4, 2022, when they released their first song in four years, "Still Life."
Artistry sMusic
G-production Dragon's discography is predominantly hip hop, with influences ranging from Wu-Tang Clan to American singer Pharrell Williams. Influences include Jinusean, Fabolous, and Kanye West. He took part in the annual hip hop Flex album at the age of 12 in an attempt to kickstart his career as a hip hop artist. G-Dragon produced mostly hip hop songs for BigBang's albums when they first debuted before branching out and experimenting with electronic music, which became the new music trend in Korea. While the band continues to incorporate a diverse range of genres into their materials, G-solo Dragon's efforts and the two sub-units he is a part of (GD & TOP, GD X Taeyang) contrast BigBang's sound.
His first album, Heartbreaker, was a blend of dance, hip hop, and R&B, while GD & TOP were influenced by acoustic, hip hop, and electronic music. The song "Crayon" from the EP One of a Kind is a mix of hip hop and electronic music, whereas "One of a Kind" is a mix of hip hop and pop-rap. G-second Dragon's album, Coup d'Etat, is noted for its eclectic mix of hip-hop, dubstep, rock, electro, and pop, with Billboard magazine's Jessica Oak describing the title track, which was co-produced by American DJs Diplo and Baauer, as a slow tempo trap influenced song. The song also incorporates a sample from Gil Scott-"The Heron's Revolution Will Not Be Televised." Meanwhile, "Crooked" was described as "synthed-up, deliriously catchy pop-punk" with a "neon-bright" sound that fuses "heavy drumbeats and metal guitar riffs" and features a "heavy bass line and fully amplified sound at the chorus." G-Dragon combines rap and singing in the song. "Niliria" was noted for its ethnic and surrealist sound.
With the exception of its lead single, "Untitled, 2014," which is a ballad, Kwon Ji Yong continues to feature songs in the hip-hop and R&B genres. Despite being primarily a rapper, G-Dragon only sings over a "single piano accompaniment," with Fuse's Jeff Benjamin comparing the song to Adele's "Someone Like You" for its simplicity. The intro, "Middle Fingers-Up," features a piano riff overlaid with a trap beat. Act I., also known as "Bullshit," is a multi-layered hip-hop track with a pulsating chorus and abrupt beat and rhythm changes. Act II, or "Super Star," is a slow jam infused with trap, featuring brassy drums, Middle Eastern horns, lilting synths, and a backing chorus. "Divina Commedia," the outro, is an experimental alt-R&B track that samples "Veridis Quo" from Daft Punk's 2001 album Discovery.
Themes and lyrics
G-Dragon writes the majority of his lyrics, explaining that "each feeling [in creating the music] is different," and that he uses his emotions to direct the lyrical content and song composition. G-Dragon has stated that he injects "a sense of eeriness" throughout his songwriting process when writing songs that resemble horror films, such as "She's Gone," "Window," and "That XX." G-music Dragon's is "daring by K-pop standards, wildly innovative by any standard," according to Spin magazine, and the rapper appears "unafraid of constantly pushing forward."
According to The Guardian, his songs are notable for "more in-depth themes such as self-destruction and narcissism." The lyrics in his song "A Boy" were written in response to the negative criticisms leveled at him following his 2009 plagiarism scandal, with the artist refusing to give up on his career despite the setbacks. "Crooked" was written to express his natural punk attitude, describing a man "full of angst and despair" who demands to be left alone while spending the night "like a 'crooked-minded person,' because in the end, he's alone and doesn't need anyone's'sugarcoated sympathy.'" His use of explicit language in "That XX" sparked outrage, and the song was deemed unsuitable for listeners under the age of 19, with compromised words replaced by beeps in the music video. "One of a Kind," from the EP of the same name, is often regarded as one of his best works, with Ize magazine listing it as one of the most memorable songs written by G-Dragon, commenting that it raised his status as a hip-hop musician. Kwon Ji-"Middle Yong's Fingers Up" addresses the dwindling number of his personal relationships and his ever-shrinking social circle, whereas "Bullshitlyrics "'s are self-referential, referencing "Crayon" by name while the canine onomatopoeia recalls the title track from his previous album Coup d'Etat. In "Untitled, 2014," he takes a more remorseful approach, apologizing for "his past actions, asking for forgiveness and the chance to see his ex again even if it's just one more time or in his dreams" in what has been described as "a letter to a past lover."
As a producer for BigBang, he also explored other themes: "If You" was inspired by the artist's love, "Bae Bae" was inspired by the work of British artist Francis Bacon and the eroticism in his paintings, and "Loser" was written in an attempt to humanize the group. To set himself apart from other artists and composers, G-Dragon admits to "giving twist and turn at every corner and evoking different story" with each part of his music, admitting that while the chorus is the most memorable part of the song, he wants all of the parts to be remembered. G-Dragon has produced songs for other artists, including bandmates Taeyang, Seungri, and Daesung's solo careers, as well as YG Entertainment label-mates iKon and 2NE1. He is frequently referred to as a "perfectionist" who is extremely critical during recording sessions.
The stage presence and performances of G-Dragon and his alter ego have been well received. Billboard claimed in a review of G-One Dragon's of a Kind World Tour that he was a "highly-energetic performer" who was pushing boundaries with this tour, which was described as "vibrant" and a "Michael Jackson-level affair." According to MWave, G-Dragon demonstrated his uniqueness by "bursting forth in his own style and personality all throughout the concert." The rapper "filled every corner of the stage perfectly with his solo presence," according to the critic. Act III: M.O.T.T.E., his second world tour, received rave reviews from critics and fans and was noted for being more intimate. Riddhi Chakraborty of Rolling Stone India praised the singer-rapper for delivering "precise choreograph" with "unwavering enthusiasm and brutal honesty" in a review for one of his performances in Thailand, while Kimberly Lim of The New Paper noted how G-Dragon "performed gravity-defying and slick moves" at one of his concerts in Macau.
His productions are described by Billboard K-Town as large-scale, dramatic, and infused with his personality, frequently incorporating a live band alongside professional dancers, various costume changes, stage light manipulation, and the use of pyrotechnics. G-stage Dragon's outfits have also received attention, with Dazed magazine noting that the singer-rapper has the "rare ability to play loose and wild with his sartorial choices" to put together outfits that turn the "ridiculous into sublime, the impractical into the necessary." G-Dragon explains that his "stage outfits are loud, outspoken, glamorous, and fancy," and that they are very different from his "normal day to day clothing," preferring to wear "loud and outspoken" clothes when performing rather than a more casual style off-stage.
G-Dragon revealed during the promotion of his EP Kwon Ji Yong that he created the alter ego G-Dragon to keep his stage persona separate from who he truly is. G-Dragon has been described as "glamorous, cocky, energetic" by Seoul Beats, in contrast to his "humble understated" personality in real life. He described G-Dragon as "full of self-confidence" and "a fancier and stronger person" in a 2017 interview with Elle, while Kwon Ji-yong is a "introvert guy" with "many thoughts in his mind." G-Dragon expressed a desire to distance himself from his alter ego after the release of Kwon Ji Yong and while touring for Act III: M.O.T.T.E, explaining to his fans that for the past few years he had been "living as G-Dragon, but now I want to live as Kwon Ji Yong." The third act of the concerts saw "the rather menacing G-Dragon melt away into the shy Ji Yong," according to Rolling Stone India.
Public perception
G-Dragon keeps a tight grip on his career, publicly opposing the idea of singers as "products" of the entertainment industry and criticizing agencies that do not give their artists creative control. The singer-rapper is known for reinventing his image and style over the years and is often referred to as BigBang's "most fashionable" member. While promoting Heartbreaker, his change in hairstyle by dyeing it blonde gained popularity among his fans and became one of the top hairstyles of the year. He has consistently changed his hairstyles over the years, from different colors to different cuts. Furthermore, his constant wearing of triangular scarves while promoting BigBang's EP Always became a trend among teenagers and were later dubbed "Big Bang scarves."
G-Dragon is known for his androgynous appearance, with the Korea JoongAng Daily referring to him as "a notable star fashioning genderless style," highlighting how his image deviates from the fixed gender type of men and women. His androgynous or gender-bending appearance, according to Vogue Magazine, defies a "society that maintains traditional, patriarchal values and a noted adherence to manufactured beauty ideals." He stated that when he collaborated with Italian footwear designer Giuseppe Zanotti to launch a limited-edition collection of men's and women's shoes, "It's not just girls and women who get excited about pretty shoes. You can feel the same way." Rushali Pawar of the International Business Times described G-fashion Dragon's as "quirky and experimental," while Taylor Glasby of the British magazine Dazed and Confused described his style as "fluid and far-reaching," calling him a "natural style chameleon." Vogue Magazine's Monica Kim praised his "uncanny knack for larger-than-life style that remains wearably cool." The New York Times' Joe Coscarelli describes him as "a style icon, a chameleon who often makes peak-era Lady Gaga look staid." He has contributed to issues of W, Dazed, Hypebeast, Elle, and Vogue, as well as editorials in Harper's Bazaar and Esquire, among other Asian publications.
G-Dragon admitted to being self-conscious about his role as a musician at first, stating that he "changed many things, including the tone of my voice, because I was conscious about my job when I was in front of others." G-Dragon recognizes the importance of his public image when promoting his materials, noting that "what the public perceives of is my doing, so it's my fault if I give off the wrong intention." He has become more relaxed in recent years, stating that he no longer "Make music or dress up to impress those around me. I don't make an effort to be conscious [about music and fashion] ".
G-Dragon was named the Best Dressed Celebrity of 2012 by The Chosun Ilbo, and in 2014, he was named one of New York's Best-Dressed Street Style Stars. G-Dragon was named to the Business of Fashion's 500 Global Fashion Leaders list in 2015 and 2016, making him one of five Koreans on the list and the only K-Pop act to make the cut. He was also the only Korean on Hypebeast's list of 100 Innovators.
Other business ventures
Business
As a gift to his family, G-Dragon built a pension hotel in 2012; fans can also stay at this hotel, which is now run as a business by his parents. G-Dragon officially opened his first cafe, "Monsant Cafe," on Jeju Island on October 20, 2015. Hyukoh, a South Korean indie band, was the first to perform at the café in September 2015. G-Dragon designed his second cafe, "Untitled, 2017," which was inspired by the title of his most recent single, as well as a bowling alley. It is part of YG Entertainment's YG Republique building complex, which includes the YG Town of Jeju Shinhwa World resort, for which he is an ambassador.
Commercial activities and endorsements
G-Dragon and BigBang are the highest-paid celebrities in Korea for endorsements, with an asking price of $1-1.5 million USD per endorsement in 2011. In August 2015, he was named the Asian face of Airbnb. In 2016, G-Dragon began endorsing Shinsegae, South Korea's largest retailer, and his merchandise was reported to account for over 49% of sales in the YG store. He also endorsed the Italian sportswear label Kappa for their 100th anniversary, for which he reportedly earned US$1.9 million. He was chosen as the face of Hyundai's Verna concept vehicle, and he appeared at a Beijing auto show in front of 10,000 fans. G-Dragon endorsed Vidal Sassoon in China in 2017, and he also joined Nike's Air Max Day global campaign and endorsed the Vapormax shoe, causing instant sell-outs across South Korean online stores. The same year, he was named the official ambassador of Jeju Shinhwa World, a luxury resort on Jeju Island. G-Dragon was chosen as the brand ambassador of Jeju Island's first premiere resort complex, Jeju Shinhwa World, in 2017. G-Dragon was directly involved in the development, designing, and planning of the resort complex's concept.
Art and fashion
G-Dragon collaborated with Ambush on a special collaborative release that included apparel and accessories in 2013. The collection emphasizes G-signature Dragon's crest by incorporating it throughout the release. G-Dragon collaborated with Chow Tai Fook Enterprises to launch a collection designed by himself in 2014. G-Dragon held an art exhibition called Peaceminusone: Beyond the Stage in 2015. The show includes 200 works by 12 domestic and international artists, including Michael Scoggins, Sophie Clements, and James Clar. The exhibition's goal, which has been in the works for over a year, is to bring together modern art and pop culture in order to "introduce domestic artists to the public, who are unfamiliar with art or who find art unapproachable." From June 6 to August 23, the exhibition was on display at the Seoul Museum of Art. He also collaborated with Giuseppe Zanotti, designing two unisex shoe styles.
In 2016, he designed his first street fashion collection in collaboration with the brand 8 Seconds, which is part of the Samsung C&T Fashion Group. The collection featured "genderless" designs that were appropriate for both men and women. G-Dragon launched his personal fashion brand, Peaceminusone, with his long-time stylist Gee Eun as an online store in October of the same year, with a collection that includes tees, caps, jewelry, and in-ear headphones. The line was later launched as a physical store at London's Dover Street Market and in Seoul. Peaceminusone collaborated with Ambush for a capsule collection of denim pieces in November, marking his third collaboration with the label. The following year, he appeared alongside Taeyang in the official campaign for Seoul-based fashion label Juun.FW16 J's collection. He also became a brand ambassador for French fashion house Chanel, starring alongside industry legend Pharrell in the label's Gabrielle bag campaign in 2017.
G-Dragon began doing pop-up shops for his brand Peaceminusone in 2017, beginning in Seoul. He then collaborated with the boutique Alchemist to launch a six-day pop-up in Miami. Throughout his second world tour (Act III: M.O.T.T.E), he made pit stops to do pop-up shops in places like Osaka and Hong Kong. Later that year, he collaborated with Vogue on another pop-up shop in Seoul, this time selling limited edition Peaceminusone X Vogue clothing. He also launched a collaboration with the French retailer Colette, which is now available on his online store. He collaborated with Nike in 2019 to release his Peaceminusone Para-Noise Air Force 1 sneakers. In 2020, a white version of the Peaceminusone Para-Noise Air Force 1 shoes was released. The new G-Dragon PEACEMINUSONE x Nike Kwondo 1 "Panda" is set to release in 2022.
Philanthropy
G-Dragon has long been a supporter of charitable organizations. Notably, at the end of his world tour in 2013, a booth was set up where fans could donate to help build a fishery in Haiti as part of a collaboration with YG Entertainment's With Campaign, with whom he had previously collaborated to help build a school in Nepal. At the same event, he and his fans from 14 countries donated 9.9 tons of rice, which was sent to help malnourished children, elderly people living alone, and others in need. Every year on his birthday, he reportedly donates $81.8 million (US$80,000). G-Dragon donated 50 million won (US$43,400) to Seoul National University Hospital in 2011 (when fans donated under his name) and in 2012 (privately by himself) to help children with diseases receive treatment. This was accidentally revealed in 2017 when his name was engraved on a plaque honoring those who had donated $100 million or more.
G-image Dragon's has been used to raise awareness for a variety of causes, including the UN Refugee Agency and the Red Campaign to Combat AIDS. In addition, in May 2017, a citrus tree forest named after G-real Dragon's name, Kwon Ji-yong, was officially opened in the city of Seogwipo on Jeju Island. Fruit from the forest will be donated to charitable events.
Awards and accomplishments
The main article is: G-list Dragon's of awards and nominations
Also consider: Big Bang Theory's list of awards and nominations
G-Dragon has received numerous awards, including seven Mnet Asian Music Awards, six Melon Music Awards, four Style Icon Awards, two Korean Music Awards, two Golden Disc Awards, and two MBC Entertainment Awards. G-Dragon won the Daesang award for Artist of the Year at the Mnet Asian Music Awards in 2013, becoming the first and only Korean soloist to do so. G-Dragon was honored with the Arena magazine award for Most Influential Men of the Year in 2008, and in 2013, he was honored with the Style Icon of the Year award at the Style Icon Asia, becoming the first solo singer to win the award without a tie. In 2015, he was named GQ Korea's Man of the Year. G-Dragon was also honored at the 2016 Pop Culture & Arts Awards, hosted by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, for his influence and success in music and fashion.
Legacy
The Korea Times described G-Dragon as a "genius singer-songwriter," and his role in producing many of BigBang's materials so early in their career was considered "unusual" at the time, as most K-pop bands are manufactured rather than self-produced. His participation has influenced how new idol groups interact with their music, with The Korea Times stating that his "unprecedented popularity" and recognition "has inspired many young idol-want tobes to become singer-songwriters." Zico, Be'O, Got7's BamBam, BTS's Jungkook, Astro's Rocky, Seventeen's S.Coups, Jaden Smith, Younha, One, Lee Seung-hwan, Kim Eana, DinDin, and Grimes, who claims that K-pop, particularly G-Dragon, has influenced her musical style "more visually than anything else." Woo Jin-young, the winner of Mix Nine, stated that G-"This Dragon's Love" inspired him to become a rapper.
His music has been praised by critics. The song "One of a Kind" is listed as one of the 28 tracks that shaped the genre in Korean music critic Kim Bong-book hyun's of the most influential Korean hip hop songs from 1989 to 2016. It was also the only solo artist's song to make The Dong-a Ilbo's 2016 list of the best male idol songs from the previous 20 years. Meanwhile, Spin named "Crayon" the best K-pop single of 2012, with David Bevan remarking that the song "almost felt too big for the occasion, too brash to have come from a boy band's leader." In 2013, "Crooked" was chosen as MTV Iggy's Song of the Year, with the website stating, "G-Dragon made a big splash in the world of K-pop and beyond with his solo album Coup d'Etat." From that album, 'Crooked' was the endlessly playable sound of him breaking big." At the age of 20, G-Dragon became the youngest person to be listed on The 10 Greatest Korean Composers in 2008. G-name Dragon's is currently listed on over 180 songs by the Korea Music Copyright Association. G-annual Dragon's earnings from song royalties were estimated to be more than $700,000 in 2015. In 2012, he was Korea's highest-paid touring singer-songwriter, earning the most from songwriting royalties. In 2018, he tied with YG Entertainment producer Teddy Park for the most royalties earned from the Korean Music Copyright Association for lyrics writing and song composition in the field of popular music. They both received Daesang awards for it, making G-Dragon the first and only idol to receive such an honor.
G-Dragon was named one of CNN's "50 Reasons Why Seoul is the Best City" in 2011 and topped Ilgan Sports' list of the "Most Influential Entities in K-Pop" in 2013. G-Dragon is a "phenom," according to collaborator Diplo, "bigger than the K-pop scene." For three years in a row, the rapper has been named to Forbes Korea's list of "Korea 2030 Power Leaders," most recently in 2014. In 2018, 35 executives from 35 South Korean music companies named G-Dragon the best soloist in Korea, and ABS-CBN named him their favorite K-pop idol leader, citing his creativity, dedication, and hard work. That same year, G-Dragon was ranked No. 11 on The Guardian's list of "30 Best Boyband Members," making him one of only two Korean artists to be included. G-Dragon has been dubbed the "King of K-Pop" by publications such as Rolling Stone, Dazed, and Vogue. Billboard, Vogue, and i-D dubbed him "the millennial Michael Jackson" because of his artistry, multi-hyphenate career, popularity, and level of influence. Despite his success as a solo artist and BigBang leader, G-Dragon has admitted that he didn't realize how famous he was until BigBang's first world tour.
In 2008, G-Dragon enrolled at Kyung Hee University to study postmodern music. Due to his busy schedule, he dropped out and instead majored in Leisure Sports Studies at Gukje Cyber University, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in 2013. G-Dragon earned a Master's degree in content and retail distribution from Sejong University in 2016. His plans for a doctorate were put on hold to accommodate his military enlistment. The Gazette Review estimated G-net Dragon's worth to be $40 million in 2018. According to Cosmopolitan Philippines, the rapper has over 21.2 million Instagram followers as of July 2022, making him one of the most-followed K-pop idols.
On February 27, 2018, G-Dragon began his mandatory military service. He was assigned as a regular soldier after completing basic training at South Korea's 3rd Infantry 'White Skeleton' Division in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province. G-return Dragon's from military service was anticipated by 3,000 VIP BigBang fans at the headquarters of the South Korean Army's Ground Operations Command in Yongin, southeast of Seoul. G-Dragon was released on October 26th, 2019.
Discography
Main article: G-Dragon discography
See also: Big Bang discography and List of songs written by G-Dragon
- Heartbreaker (2009)
- Coup d'Etat (2013)
- Coup d'Etat + One of a Kind & Heartbreaker (2013)
Videography
Main article: G-Dragon videography
Filmography
- 무한상사 (Muhan Company) as Executive Director Kwon (2016)
- The Act III: Moment of Truth The End as himself (2018)[280]
Tours
Main article: List of Big Bang solo concert tours
See also: List of Big Bang concert tours
- One of a Kind World Tour (2013)
- Act III: M.O.T.T.E World Tour (2017)
G-Dragon Biography
| Name | G-Dragon |
| Nickname | None |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of Birth | 18-Aug-1988 |
| Age in 2023 | 35 |
| Birth Place | Seoul |
| Country | South Korea |
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Height | 1.73 (m) |
| Weight | Unknown (KGs) |
| Profession | Rapper |
| Height | In Centimeters: 173 cm.
In Meters: 1.73 m.
In Feet Inches: 5'8" |
| Weight | In KG: Not known
In Pound: Not known |
| Eye Color | - |
| Hair Color | - |
| Marital Status | Yet to update |
Some FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) about G-Dragon.
- What is the Net Worth of G-Dragon?
The Net Worth of G-Dragon is $40 million.
- What is the Height of G-Dragon?
The height of G-Dragon is 1.73.
- Where is the birthplace of G-Dragon?
The birthplace of G-Dragon is Seoul
- What is the Date of Birth of G-Dragon?
The birthday of G-Dragon is on 18-Aug-1988.
- Is G-Dragon Married?
The marital status of G-Dragon is: Yet to update.
