# G-Dragon
**G-Dragon** (지드래곤; born **Kwon Ji-yong**, 권지용, in 1988, in Seoul, South Korea) is a South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter, and producer, the leader and main rapper of the boy group BIGBANG and a chart-topping solo artist in his own right[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502). Frequently described in the music press as "the King of K-Pop", he blends dance-pop, rap, and R&B, and has written and produced much of BIGBANG's material as well as his own[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1988, Seoul, South Korea; birth name Kwon Ji-yong (권지용)[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502) |
| Solo debut | August 18, 2009, with the album *Heartbreaker*[2](https://ygfamily.com/en/artists/g-dragon/profile) • [1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502) |
| Group role | Leader, main rapper, and producer of BIGBANG, which debuted in Korea in 2006[3](https://www.ygex.jp/en/bigbang/profile/) |
| Signature group hits | "Lies" (2007), "Last Farewell", and "Haru Haru" (2008), all written by G-Dragon[3](https://www.ygex.jp/en/bigbang/profile/) |
| Solo albums | *Heartbreaker* (2009), *Coup d'Etat* (2013), *Übermensch* (2025); EPs *One of a Kind* (2012) and *Kwon Ji Yong* (2017)[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502) |
| Current label | Galaxy Corporation (with EMPIRE for *Übermensch*), after leaving YG Entertainment[4](https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/g-dragon-ubermensch-review-3841389) |
| Fashion | Operates the brand PEACEMINUSONE[5](https://factrace.kr/persons/big-bang-2006) |
## Early career and trainee years
G-Dragon entered the entertainment industry at the age of six as a member of the short-lived group Little Roo'ra, and later signed on as a trainee with [SM Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/sm-entertainment)[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502). After first appearing under the name G-Dragon on the *Hip Hop Flex* compilation in 2001, he joined [YG Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/yg-entertainment), made featured appearances on other artists' tracks, and recorded as one half of the duo GDYB with fellow trainee Taeyang[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502). The two subsequently became part of BIGBANG, where G-Dragon would write and produce a significant share of the group's material[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502).
## BIGBANG
BIGBANG debuted in South Korea in 2006, and within about a year became the country's most influential pop group on the strength of songs written by G-Dragon: "Lies" and "Last Farewell", followed by "Haru Haru" in 2008[3](https://www.ygex.jp/en/bigbang/profile/). The group expanded to other Asian countries from 2007, entered Japan in 2008, and made its major Japanese debut in June 2009 with the single "My Heaven"[3](https://www.ygex.jp/en/bigbang/profile/).
In Japan the group's touring scale set records. After drawing about 455,000 people to 19 shows in six cities, BIGBANG became the first foreign artist to headline its own six-dome tour there, in 2013 and 2014, gathering roughly 800,000 attendees[3](https://www.ygex.jp/en/bigbang/profile/). G-Dragon's light-edged rap style, paired with T.O.P's heavier delivery, was described by the group's Japanese label as a defining fusion of the group's sound[3](https://www.ygex.jp/en/bigbang/profile/).
## Solo career
G-Dragon made his solo debut on August 18, 2009, with the album *Heartbreaker*, a top-ten hit on the Gaon chart[2](https://ygfamily.com/en/artists/g-dragon/profile) • [1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502). He followed it with the live recording *Shine a Light* (2010), the *One of a Kind* EP (2012), and his second album *Coup d'Etat* (2013), all of which topped the Korean chart[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502). *Coup d'Etat* also won World's Best Album at the 2014 World Music Awards[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502).
His second EP, *Kwon Ji Yong*, arrived in June 2017. The only physical format it received was a [USB flash drive](https://www.edgepedia.org/usb-flash-drive), yet the five-track release reached number one on both the Billboard World Albums chart and Japan's Oricon digital chart, a dual first for a Korean artist that made G-Dragon the first to accomplish it[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502).
High-profile collaborations ran alongside his own releases, including "Good Boy" with Taeyang, "Dirty Vibe" with Skrillex, Diplo, and CL, and "Temple" with Baauer and M.I.A.[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502).
## Military service and return
G-Dragon served his compulsory two-year military service and returned to music in 2022 with BIGBANG's chart-topping single "Still Life", which he co-wrote[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502). He then left YG Entertainment, his professional home since his trainee years, and signed with Galaxy Corporation[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502).
His comeback single "Power", released on October 31, 2024, was his first solo release in more than seven years, since the 2017 EP *Kwon Ji Yong*[6](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20241031006600315). A second 2024 single, "Home Sweet Home", featured his BIGBANG bandmates Taeyang and Daesung[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502).
## Übermensch and the 2025 world tour
*Übermensch*, released on February 25, 2025, is G-Dragon's third album and his first full-length release in 12 years, issued through Galaxy Corporation and EMPIRE[4](https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/g-dragon-ubermensch-review-3841389). The title borrows [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://www.edgepedia.org/friedrich-nietzsche)'s concept from *Thus Spoke Zarathustra*; in a press statement G-Dragon described the record as embodying "a stronger and more resilient version of oneself"[4](https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/g-dragon-ubermensch-review-3841389). The album entered the South Korean chart at number two, and its single "Too Bad", a collaboration with [Anderson .Paak](https://www.edgepedia.org/anderson-paak), became another number-one hit[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502). In the United Kingdom, *Übermensch* peaked at number 93 on the Official Albums Chart while reaching number 1 on the Official Independent Album Breakers Chart and number 4 on the Official Independent Albums Chart[7](https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/g-dragon-ubermensch/). Guest contributors included [Nile Rodgers](https://www.edgepedia.org/nile-rodgers), who played a guitar solo on "Take Me", and Diane Warren, who co-wrote "Drama"[4](https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/g-dragon-ubermensch-review-3841389).
The album was supported by the G-DRAGON 2025 WORLD TOUR [[Übermensch](https://www.edgepedia.org/ubermensch)], which reached Japan's Tokyo Dome on May 10 and 11 and Kyocera Dome in Osaka on May 25 and 26, 2025[8](https://gdragon.jp/en/). Around the same time he broadened into television as host of the reality-style variety show *Good Day*[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502).
## BIGBANG's 20th anniversary
BIGBANG, now reorganized as the trio of G-DRAGON, TAEYANG, and DAESUNG, announced its comeback at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2026, where leader G-Dragon told the audience that the group had completed a new album for its 20th anniversary and would begin a world tour in August[9](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260420010700315). The BIGBANG 2026-2027 WORLD TOUR opened at Goyang Stadium from August 21 to 23, 2026, with every seat sold out, and spans 33 performances across 19 cities through February 2027[10](https://ygfamily.com/en/news/report/7553) • [11](https://artist.ygfamily.com/ARTISTS/BIGBANG/concert/worldtour/index.html). It is the group's first standalone tour since 2017[9](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260420010700315).
## Fashion and influence
G-Dragon's reach extends beyond music into fashion and art. A Korean academic study credits him as the first second-generation idol to be recognized as a fashion icon, a status he has retained[12](https://repository.sungshin.ac.kr/bitstream/2025.oak/4516/2/%EC%8B%9C%EB%8C%80%EC%A0%95%EC%8B%A0%EC%9C%BC%EB%A1%9C%EC%84%9C%EC%9D%98%20%EB%8F%85%EC%9D%BC%20%EB%B0%98%EB%8D%94%ED%8F%AC%EA%B2%94%20%EC%9A%B4%EB%8F%99%EA%B3%BC%20%EC%B5%9C%EA%B7%BC%20%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%20%EB%8C%80%EC%A4%91%EC%9D%8C%EC%95%85%20%EB%8F%99%ED%96%A5%20%EB%B9%84%EA%B5%90%20%EC%97%B0%EA%B5%AC%20-%EC%84%B8%EA%B8%B0%EC%A0%84%ED%99%98%EA%B8%B0%20%27%EC%B2%AD%EB%85%84%27%EC%9D%98%20%EC%83%81%EC%A7%95%EB%93%A4%EA%B3%BC%20%3C%EB%B0%A9%ED%83%84%EC%86%8C%EB%85%84%EB%8B%A8%3E%EC%9D%98%20%EC%9E%90%EA%B8%B0%EC%83%81%EC%A7%95%ED%99%94%EB%A5%BC%20%EC%A4%91%EC%8B%AC%EC%9C%BC%EB%A1%9C-.pdf). He operates his own brand, PEACEMINUSONE[5](https://factrace.kr/persons/big-bang-2006), and a 2015 capsule collaboration with the Italian shoe designer Giuseppe Zanotti is cited as an early signal of K-pop's entry into European fashion[13](https://welcon.kocca.kr/cmm/fms/CrawlingFileDown.do?atchFileId=FILE_3722fa32-e444-4557-91d6-6649d21d169f&fileSn=1). AllMusic's biography summarizes his standing as a chart-topping songwriter, rapper, and producer in both group and solo contexts[1](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502).
## References
1. [G-DRAGON Biography, AllMusic (Andy Kellman)](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/g-dragon-mn0002333502)
2. [G-DRAGON Profile, YG Entertainment](https://ygfamily.com/en/artists/g-dragon/profile)
3. [BIGBANG Profile, YG EX (Japan official site)](https://www.ygex.jp/en/bigbang/profile/)
4. [G-Dragon – 'Übermensch' review, NME (Rhian Daly, 26 February 2025)](https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/g-dragon-ubermensch-review-3841389)
5. [빅뱅 (BIGBANG) 최신 행보·검증 팩트, 팩트레이스](https://factrace.kr/persons/big-bang-2006)
6. [G-Dragon to make a comeback after over 7 years with 'Power', Yonhap News Agency (31 October 2024)](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20241031006600315)
7. [UBERMENSCH – G-DRAGON, Official Charts Company](https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/g-dragon-ubermensch/)
8. [G-Dragon Japan Official Website](https://gdragon.jp/en/)
9. [BIGBANG says it completed work on new album, to launch world tour in August, Yonhap News Agency (20 April 2026)](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260420010700315)
10. [New Song in Five Years, First Tour in Nine Years… BIGBANG, YG Entertainment Report](https://ygfamily.com/en/news/report/7553)
11. [BIGBANG 2026-2027 WORLD TOUR tour dates, YG Entertainment](https://artist.ygfamily.com/ARTISTS/BIGBANG/concert/worldtour/index.html)
12. [세대정신으로서의 독일 반더포겔 운동과 최근 한국 대중음악 동향 비교 연구, Sungshin University repository](https://repository.sungshin.ac.kr/bitstream/2025.oak/4516/2/%EC%8B%9C%EB%8C%80%EC%A0%95%EC%8B%A0%EC%9C%BC%EB%A1%9C%EC%84%9C%EC%9D%98%20%EB%8F%85%EC%9D%BC%20%EB%B0%98%EB%8D%94%ED%8F%AC%EA%B2%94%20%EC%9A%B4%EB%8F%99%EA%B3%BC%20%EC%B5%9C%EA%B7%BC%20%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%20%EB%8C%80%EC%A4%91%EC%9D%8C%EC%95%85%20%EB%8F%99%ED%96%A5%20%EB%B9%84%EA%B5%90%20%EC%97%B0%EA%B5%AC%20-%EC%84%B8%EA%B8%B0%EC%A0%84%ED%99%98%EA%B8%B0%20%27%EC%B2%AD%EB%85%84%27%EC%9D%98%20%EC%83%81%EC%A7%95%EB%93%A4%EA%B3%BC%20%3C%EB%B0%A9%ED%83%84%EC%86%8C%EB%85%84%EB%8B%A8%3E%EC%9D%98%20%EC%9E%90%EA%B8%B0%EC%83%81%EC%A7%95%ED%99%94%EB%A5%BC%20%EC%A4%91%EC%8B%AC%EC%9C%BC%EB%A1%9C-.pdf)
13. [음악 그 너머 – 이탈리아에서 떠오르는 K-POP의 문화적 위상, KOCCA (2025)](https://welcon.kocca.kr/cmm/fms/CrawlingFileDown.do?atchFileId=FILE_3722fa32-e444-4557-91d6-6649d21d169f&fileSn=1)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music scenes › East and Southeast Asian pop scenes › K-pop and the Korean popular music scene › Artists, groups, and people: K-pop and the Korean popular music scene › First- and second-generation idol groups and 1990s dance acts › Surnames symbols to J*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license