Biography of G-Dragon

G-Dragon is a South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and fashion icon. He rose to fame as a member of the K-pop group Big Bang, which debuted in 2006.

He is known for his unique fashion sense, and he has been credited with influencing fashion trends in South Korea. He has also been recognized for his songwriting abilities, having written and produced many of Big Bang’s hit songs, as well as his own solo music.

In addition to his music career, he has also been involved in various other ventures including acting, modelling, and designing his own fashion line. He has won numerous awards for his music, including multiple Mnet Asian Music Awards and Golden Disc Awards.

Early Life and Education

G-Dragon, whose real name is Kwon Ji-yong, was born on 18 August 1988, in Seoul, South Korea. He grew up in the city’s affluent district of Gangnam, and was raised by his mother and grandmother after his parents divorced when he was a child.

He showed an early interest in music and began training in singing and dancing at a young age. He was discovered by YG Entertainment, one of the biggest entertainment companies in South Korea when he was just 12 years old.

After joining YG Entertainment as a trainee, he spent several years honing his skills and preparing for his debut. He was eventually chosen to be a member of the boy band Big Bang, which was formed in 2006.

He enrolled at Kyung Hee University in 2008 to study post-modern music. However, he later dropped out due to his busy schedule and instead pursued his education through online courses at Gukje Cyber University. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in Leisure Sports Studies from Gukje Cyber University in 2013.

He later enrolled at Sejong University and graduated in 2016 with a master’s degree in Content and Retail Distribution.

Career

G-Dragon did debut as a child performer at the age of six as part of the group ‘Little Roo’Ra’.

‘Little Roo’Ra’ was a five-member group that debuted in 1994 with the album ‘Amen’. He was only a dancer in the group. However, the group disbanded soon after their debut, and he eventually became a trainee under SM Entertainment before moving on to YG Entertainment and debuting with Big Bang.

He became a trainee under SM Entertainment at a young age and trained there for five years, specializing in dancing. He left SM Entertainment before debuting with any group or as a solo artist.

After leaving SM Entertainment, he became interested in hip-hop music and enrolled in classes with the underground hip-hop crew, ‘People Crew’, where he trained in rapping and songwriting. In 2001, at the age of 13, he made his debut as a child rapper on the album ‘Daehanminguk Hip Hop Flex’ under the name ‘Ji-Yong’.

Later, he went on to debut as the leader of the Big Bang and became one of the most influential figures in the Korean music industry. As a member of Big Bang, he was the rapper, main songwriter, and composer for many of the group’s songs. Big Bang became one of the most successful K-pop groups of all time, winning numerous awards and setting records with their music.

Big Bang won Artist of the Year awards at Mnet Asian Music Awards in 2008, 2012, and 2015. They also won the Best Worldwide Act award at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards, becoming the first Korean group to win a category at the event. Additionally, they won Artist of the Year awards at the Seoul Music Awards and Melon Music Awards.

G-Dragon and the group released several EPs and albums, including ‘Hot Issue’, ‘Stand Up’, ‘Remember’, and ‘Tonight’. Their music achieved widespread popularity, and some of their most successful digital albums in Korean music history include ‘Alive’ and ‘Made’.

Their single ‘Loser’ won the 30th Golden Disc Award for Digital Song of the Year in 2016, and ‘Bae Bae’ won the 13th Korean Music Award for Best Pop Song in 2015. The group’s success in the Korean music industry earned them the titles of ‘Kings of K-pop’ and ‘Nation’s Boy-Band’.

Solo Performances

In August 2009, G-Dragon released his first solo album titled ‘Heartbreaker’, which sold over 275,000 copies and became a massive hit. The album won the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards for Album of the Year, and its singles ‘Breathe’, ‘A Boy’, ‘Hello’, and ‘She’s Gone’ became chart-toppers around the world.

In 2010, he collaborated with T.O.P to release an album called ‘GD & TOP’. The album included hit singles such as ‘Oh Yeah’, ‘High High’, and ‘Knock Out’, which all reached the top three positions on the Gaon album chart. The album was a commercial success, selling over 130 thousand copies.

In September 2013, he released an album called ‘Coup D’etat’ with six tracks that all reached the top 10 positions on the Gaon Digital Chart. The song ‘Who You?’ even reached the first position. This album won G-Dragon the ‘World’s Best Album’ award at the World Music Awards and sold over 226 thousand copies. The album features famous artists like Missy Elliott, Baauer, Sky Ferreira, and Diplo. Later in November 2013, G-Dragon’s albums ‘One of a Kind’ and ‘Heartbreaker’ received Gold certification from RIAJ and sold over 136 thousand copies.

In 2014, he collaborated with Taeyang on the song ‘Good Boy’ which reached the top of Billboard’s ‘World Digital Songs’ chart. He also worked with Skrillex and Diplo featuring CL for the song ‘Dirty Vibe’ which reached 19th place on Billboard’s ‘Hot Dance/Electronic Songs’ chart.

He toured with his band in 2015 and 2016 and released a single called ‘Mapsosa’ with Taeyang and Hwang Kwanghee, which reached the 2nd position on the Gaon Digital Chart. In 2017, he released a solo EP called ‘Kwon Ji Young’ on a USB flash drive, which topped the Billboard’s World Albums chart and Japan’s Oricon Digital chart, with over 1.1 million sales.

The single ‘Untitled, 2014’ also reached number one on major Korean music charts, and the album topped the iTunes album charts in 39 countries. It received Platinum certification from China’s Ku Gou music streaming and download service.

In 2014, he collaborated with Taeyang on the song ‘Good Boy’, which reached the top of Billboard’s ‘World Digital Songs’ chart. He also worked with Skrillex and Diplo featuring CL for the song ‘Dirty Vibe’ which reached 19th place on Billboard’s ‘Hot Dance/Electronic Songs’ chart.

Achievements

• Winning multiple awards as a member of the boy band Big Bang, including the Mnet Asian Music Awards, Golden Disc Awards, and Korean Music Awards.
• Winning awards for his solo work, including the Mnet Asian Music Awards for Best Male Solo Artist and Album of the Year.
• Being named one of the ’50 Reasons Why Seoul is the Best City’ by CNN in 2017.
• Being listed in Forbes’ Korea Power Celebrity list multiple times, which ranks the most influential celebrities in Korea.
• Having his fashion sense and style recognized, including being named the ‘Most Stylish Icon’ at the 2012 Style Icon Awards.
• Collaborating with international artists such as Missy Elliott, Skrillex, and Diplo, and performing at major music festivals around the world.
• His songs top charts not only in Korea, but also in Japan, China, and various countries around the world.

Military Life

G-Dragon began his mandatory military service on 27 February 2018 and underwent basic training at South Korea’s 3rd Infantry ‘White Skeleton’ Division in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province. After completing his basic training, he was assigned to serve as a regular soldier.

On 26 October 2019, he was officially discharged from his military service after completing his mandatory service period of approximately 21 months. His discharge was met with much anticipation and excitement from his fans, and thousands of VIP Big Bang fans gathered to welcome him back at the headquarters of the South Korean Army’s Ground Operations Command in Yongin, southeast of Seoul.

Personal Life

G-Dragon is known for being a private person when it comes to his personal life. He has not shared many details about his relationships or romantic life publicly. However, he has been linked to several high-profile women in the past, including Japanese model and actress Kiko Mizuhara and Japanese actress Nana Komatsu, but he has not confirmed any of these relationships publicly. Similarly, there have been rumours of a past relationship between the South Korean singer and actress Sandara Park and him, but neither party has confirmed these rumours.

Net Worth and Lifestyle

Regarding his net worth, it is estimated that G-Dragon’s net worth is around $30 million.

As one of the most prominent figures in the Korean entertainment industry, his lifestyle is often in the public eye. He is known for his distinctive fashion sense and has been recognized as a trendsetter in the Korean fashion world. G-Dragon has collaborated with several fashion brands over the years, including his own brand, Peaceminusone.

Outside of his music and fashion pursuits, he has also been known to enjoy sports, particularly soccer and basketball. He has been spotted playing these sports in his free time and has even participated in celebrity sports events.

He is also known for his love of art and has been involved in several art-related projects throughout his career. He has worked on collaborations with artists and designers and has even been known to create his own artwork.

Overall, his lifestyle is a mix of creativity, fashion, and a passion for art and sports. He is known for his unique and individualistic approach to life, which has made him a beloved figure in the Korean entertainment industry.

Awards

• Mnet Asian Music Awards
  Artist of the Year (2009)
  Album of the Year for ‘Heartbreaker’ (2009)
  Best Male Solo Artist (2013)
• Golden Disc Awards
  Digital Single of the Year for ‘That XX’ (2012)
  Disk Bonsang for ‘Heartbreaker’ (2010) and ‘Coup d’Etat’ (2013)
• Seoul Music Awards
  Bonsang for ‘Heartbreaker’ (2010) and ‘Coup d’Etat’ (2013)
  Daesang for ‘Coup d’Etat’ (2013)
• Melon Music Awards
  Album of the Year for ‘Coup d’Etat’ (2013)
  Best Rap/Hip Hop for ‘Heartbreaker’ (2010) and ‘Coup d’Etat’ (2013)
• Korean Music Awards
  Best Rap and Hip Hop Song for ‘Light It Up’ (2010)
  Best Rap and Hip Hop Album for ‘Coup d’Etat’ (2013)
• World Music Awards
  World’s Best Album for ‘Coup d’Etat’ (2014)
• Melon Music Awards
  Best Rap/Hip Hop Song (2013, 2014)
  Artist of the Year (2013)
• Korean Music Awards
  Musician of the Year (2013), Best Rap & Hip Hop Song (2013),
  Best Rap & Hip Hop Album (2013)
• Golden Disk Awards
  Digital Bonsang (2008, 2010, 2012, 2013) Disk Bonsang (2013), Grand Prize (2013)
• Seoul Music Awards
  Bonsang (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013)
  Daesang (2013)
• Gaon Chart Music Awards
  Album of the Year – Physical (2012, 2013)
  Artist of the Year – Digital (2013),
  Song of the Year – August (2012)
• World Music Awards
  World’s Best Album (2014)

Interesting Facts about G-Dragon

1. G-Dragon has a diverse range of favourite colours, including black, white, grey, beige, red, and sky blue.
2. Most of G-Dragon’s tattoos were done by tattoo artist Carey Hart during Big Bang’s visit to the Hollywood Bowl and Danny of 1TYM’s birthday party in Las Vegas at the famous tattoo shop, Hart & Hurington Tattoo Parlor.
3. One of G-Dragon’s tattoos on his back reads ‘Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die’, which is a quote from a Vivienne Westwood t-shirt design.
4. Another tattoo on G-Dragon’s right arm reads ‘Vita Dolce’, which translates to ‘a better life’, while his left arm has a tattoo that says ‘Moderato’, which is a musical term that means ‘mid-tempo’.
5. G-Dragon has a tattoo on his left chest of a dragon ball with eight stars from the Dragon Ball series, which symbolizes his name and the eight stars representing the highest achievement.
6. G-Dragon has tattoos on his right and left flanks that say ‘Forever Young’ and ‘Mind Control’, respectively.
7. When asked about G-Dragon’s ideal type in Girls’ Generation, G-Dragon mentioned Yoona who he thinks is closest to it.
8. G-Dragon is a proud owner of two dogs, named Gaho and Jolie.

FAQs

1. What is the relationship status of G-Dragon?
   G-Dragon is Single.
2. How old is G-Dragon?
   G-Dragon is 34 years old.
3. What is the zodiac sign of G-Dragon?
   Leo G-Dragon’s zodiac sign.
4. What is the Instagram ID of G-Dragon?
   @xxxibgdrgn is G-Dragon’s Instagram ID.