G-DRAGON
G-DRAGON Details
Kwon Ji-yong (Korean: 권지용; born August 18, 1988), best known as G-Dragon (지드래곤), is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur, known as the "King of K-pop". Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, G-Dragon made his debut in 2006 and rose to prominence as the leader of the South Korean boy band BigBang, which went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands in the world.
In 2009, he released his first solo album Heartbreaker; the album and its title track of the same name were 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. This was followed by a collaboration with bandmate T.O.P for the album GD & TOP in 2010. His first EP One of a Kind (2012), spawned three singles: "One of a Kind", "Crayon", and the chart-topper "That XX". The EP earned Best Album at the 2013 Seoul Music Awards.
In 2013, he embarked on his first worldwide tour as a solo artist, making him the first Korean soloist to tour Japanese dome arenas. His 2017 EP, Kwon Ji Yong, yielded the number one single "Untitled, 2014", and the supporting concert tour Act III: M.O.T.T.E became the largest tour ever conducted by a Korean soloist. In 2023, G-Dragon officially departed YG Entertainment after 20 years of activities, signing to Galaxy Corporation under his real name.
Widely recognized for his influence on youth culture, fashion trends, and music in South Korea, G-Dragon was included in Forbes list of the 2030 Power Leaders List for three consecutive years, Ilgan Sports's list of the most influential entities in K-pop in 2013, and was named amongst the best boy band members of all time by The Guardian. G-Dragon has written or co-written 23 number one songs on the Gaon Digital Chart most of which he has also co-produced. G-Dragon is the recipient of numerous awards, including seven MAMA Awards, six Melon Music Awards, two Korean Music Awards, two Golden Disc Awards, two MBC Entertainment Awards, among other awards. Additionally, he is the first and only solo artist to receive the MAMA Award for Artist of the Year in 2013.