G-Dragon

*note to non-kpop fans: if you know nothing about kpop, here's the single most important thing you need to know.

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When his record company terminated his contract, Kwon Ji Yong faced the greatest disappointment of his five year old life. It’s safe to say he has since bounced back. Twenty two years later, Kwon Ji Yong, who goes by G-Dragon or GD for short, has seemingly conquered the Asian music industry, reigning as the king of K-pop.

Like any memorable king, his journey was filled with hard-won battles (though mostly against himself); but, like any revered king, he maintained a fierce determination and unwavering faith in himself. From a young age, GD knew he wanted to be a star. However, he was rejected from multiple companies before finding his way to YG Entertainment, where he trained in singing, dance, rap, and composition for six years. This is a typical path for aspiring Korean pop artists: acceptance into one of the major entertainment companies as a trainee, working tirelessly to polish their craft for years in the hope that at the end of the road is a debut as part of an “idol” group.

I was at first resistant to Korean pop; it was too foreign, too flashy. It felt methodical and therefore superficial. What was the point if I didn’t know any Korean? But I saw one music video for a group named EXO and I was hooked. There was something I couldn’t pinpoint that drew me to K-pop, something beyond the sharp dancing and pretty boys. Perhaps it was that I finally found an industry with entertainers who looked like me; maybe it was because there was something commendable about its principal that talent is born from hard work. Nevertheless, the more I explored this new terrain of music, the more I came to realize that G-Dragon is the perfect embodiment of K-pop’s style and spirit.

His song entitled “Who You” opens with a simple piano chord which bounces off his peculiar pronunciation. From there he layers on other sounds and eases complexity into the melody, creating a song that is dynamic and lively, that makes you bounce in your seat. The song is like a rollercoaster: it brings you to new heights, takes you for a loop, speeds down the tracks, and finally the thrilling ride slows to a stop, blood rushing through your ears, exhilarated.

Like the song, G-Dragon began his career with the simple wish of becoming a star. After multiple rejections, sudden changes in direction, and shoddy living conditions he emerged more certain of his dream and more confident in his performing abilities. His humble beginnings also taught him how to adapt. Since his debut G-Dragon has constantly changed his style, in music and in fashion. From pop to hip-hop to ballad to EDM and everything in between, he has collaborated with the likes of Grammy-winning artist Missy Elliott, Skrillex, and Diplo. With each album release, he reinvents a new version of himself, his changing looks and concepts documented through his music videos. The mystique of G-Dragon is that he leaves fans, and even critics, wondering “What’s next?”

Also a fashion icon, he sits front row at fashion shows around the world and rubs elbows with Karl Lagerfeld. Known for his bizarre and quirky style, every fashion choice from his hair color to the style of his hat is meant to make a statement. The versatility of his imagination and his dedication to continual evaluation and innovation can only be described as chameleonic. He is unapologetic about his self-expression and I find this to be his most admirable trait. For a child who grew up with immigrant parents and desperately wanted to fit in, G-Dragon’s brazen pride is a strong inspiration of self-confidence.

At this pivotal point in my life where I am beginning to find my own identity, his success is a comforting reminder that you can always reinvent yourself, and still exude unprecedented originality.

#gdragon #kpop #music #gd