G-Dragon is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, producer and fashion designer considered by many to be “King of K-pop”.
He is the leader and main composer of boy band BigBang, one of the most successful and influential K-pop groups ever.
He is also a famous solo artist and brand ambassador of Chanel in Korea. He is known for his unique and innovative style, artistic abilities and stylized personality.
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- Full name: Kwon Ji Yong
- Nickname: G-Dragon
- Date of birth: August 18, 1988
- Age: 36 years old
- male
- Place of birth: Seoul, Korea
- Korean
- Profession: Rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, fashion designer
- Height: 177 cm (5’10”)
- Parents: Kwon Young-hwan and Han Gi-ran
- Siblings: Kwon Dami (sister)
- Spouse: Not applicable
- Children: Not applicable
- Relationship status: Dating Jennie (rumored)
- Net worth: 30 million USD
Early life and education
G-Dragon, currently 36 years old, was born on August 18, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. He has an older sister named Kwon Dami, who is a fashion entrepreneur.
He started his career as a child actor and singer and joined YG Entertainment as a trainee when he was 12 years old.
He was inspired by the music of rap group Wu-Tang Clan and studied rapping and songwriting.
He and trainee Taeyang were planning to debut as a rap duo called GDYB, but the record label decided to form a boy band instead.
He graduated from Seoul Korean Traditional Arts Middle and High School and majored in Postmodern Music at Kyung Hee University.
Personal life
According to information from the media, G-Dragon is currently dating Jennie, a member of girl group Blackpink.
However, neither of them confirmed or denied the relationship. They have been spotted together many times and fans have called them “JenKai“.
G-Dragon has several tattoos, including a dragon on his chest, symbolizing his stage name and the Chinese zodiac.
He is close to his parents and sister and often expresses gratitude and love towards them. He is also friends with many celebrities such as Psy, CL, IU and Pharrell Williams.
Career
G-Dragon officially debuted in 2006 as the leader and main songwriter of the boy band BigBang, along with TOP, Taeyang, Daesung and Seungri.
The group became famous thanks to their songs “Lies”, “The Last Farewell”, “Haru Haru” and “Wonderful Baby”“, topped the Korean charts and won many awards.
The group is also famous worldwide and has performed in many countries and regions such as Japan, China, Southeast Asia, Europe and North America.
The group is considered one of the best-selling boy bands in the world and one of the most influential artists in K-pop history.
G-Dragon also pursued a solo career and released his first album Heartbreaker in 2009. The album and title track of the same name were commercially successful, becoming the best-selling album by a Korean solo artist and earning him Album of the Year at the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards.
He also collaborated with bandmate TOP for the album GD & TOP in 2010, which spawned the hit singles “Cao Cao” and “Defeat”.
His first EP, One of a Kind, was released in 2012 and featured songs “One of a kind”, “Colored pencils”, And “That XX”. The EP won Best Album at the 2013 Seoul Music Awards.
In 2013, he embarked on his first world tour as a solo artist, becoming the first Korean solo artist to tour Japanese dome arenas. His second full-length album, Coup d’Etat, was released the same year and featured collaborations with artists such as Diplo, Missy Elliott, Baauer and Sky Ferreira.
His 2017 EP Kwon Ji Yong, released under his real name, yielded a number-one single “Untitled, 2014,” and the tour supporting Act III: MOTTE became the largest tour ever undertaken by a Korean solo artist.
In 2023, G-Dragon officially left YG Entertainment after 20 years of operation and signed a contract with Galaxy Corporation under his real name.
G-Dragon is also a fashion icon and brand ambassador of Chanel in Korea. He has his own fashion label, PEACEMINUSONE, which sells clothing, accessories, and art.
He has also collaborated with brands such as Nike, Ambush and 8 Seconds. He is widely recognized for influencing youth culture, fashion and music trends in Korea and beyond.
prize
G-Dragon has won many awards and honors, both as a solo artist and a member of BigBang.
Some of his notable awards are:
- Seven Mnet Asian Music Awards, including Artist of the Year (2013), Best Male Artist (2009, 2012, 2013) and Best Music Video (2012, 2013).
- Six Melon Music Awards, including Artist of the Year (2009, 2012), Album of the Year (2009, 2012) and Song of the Year (2012).
- Two Korean Music Awards, including Musician of the Year (2014) and Best Rap/Hip Hop Album (2010).
- Two Golden Disc awards, including Album of the Year (2009) and Digital Bonsang (2013).
- Two awards from MBC Entertainment, including Popularity Award (2013) and Special Award (2017).
Net value
According to various sources, G-Dragon’s net worth is estimated to be around 30 million USD.
He earns his income from music sales, tours, advertising and fashion business. He is the K-pop idol who earns the most royalties for his self-composed songs.
Argumentative
G-Dragon has faced a number of controversies throughout his career, such as:
- In 2011, he was accused of plagiarism with the song “Butterfly”, allegedly copied from Oasis’s song “She’s Electric”. He denied the charges and said the song inspired him but did not copy it.
- In 2012, he was investigated for smoking marijuana, which is illegal in Korea. He claimed that he did not know what he was smoking and that he was given the substance by a fan at a party in Japan. He was not charged but received a warning from authorities.
- In 2017, he was criticized for enlisting in the military, which some saw as a way to avoid scrutiny and public backlash. He enlisted in the army in February 2018 and completed his duty in October 2019.
- In 2019, he was caught up in a scandal related to the Burning Sun nightclub owned by fellow BigBang member Seungri. The club was accused of various crimes, such as drug trafficking, sexual assault, and police corruption. G-Dragon was not directly involved in the scandal, but some fans and netizens questioned his involvement and responsibility as the leader of BigBang.
Social Media
- Instagram: @xxxibgdrgn
- Twitter: @ibgdrgn
- YouTube: Official G-DRAGON
Filming
G-Dragon has appeared in several movies and TV shows such as:
- Show Me the Money 3 (2014) – Producer.
- Infinite Challenge (2015) – Guest.
- My Little TV (2015) – Guest.
- YG Future Strategy Office (2018) – Cameo.
- White Night (2018) – Documentary.
CD
- Hurt
- GD & TOP
- One of a kind
- Coup
- Kwon Ji Yong
He has also released the following albums and EPs as a member of BigBang:
- Big Bang Episode 1
- Always
- Hot issue
- Stand up
- Miss
- Tonight
- Alive
- Make
