BigBang’s G-Dragon is a certifiable OG, K-pop genius – but what was going on with the sushi hair?
As he approaches his 32nd birthday we look back at an inimitable artist who started out in the Korean entertainment business at only 8 years old – and went on to shape the K-pop genre in his own image
The world would be bleak without G-Dragon. Known as BigBang’s leader, style icon and all-round musical genius, GD has brought colour to the K-pop world with his no-holds-barred, out of this world, limitless personality. He’s the first and only solo artist who has won the Daesang award at the prestigious Mnet Music Awards (MAMA) and is regarded as a seminal musical legend for his music and creativity, thrashing conventions or not caring what others may say.
Here are five things that make him truly one-of-a-kind.
He was a trainee at two of Korea’s top agencies
In an episode of Wide Entertainment News, G-Dragon revealed that he first trained with SM Entertainment when he was eight, before moving to YG Entertainment at 13. G-Dragon started out very young and is one of the idols who has trained the longest.
He has turned a bulldog clip into a cool accessory
G-Dragon has a massive influence in the fashion world. Just after he was discharged from military services, he launched his collaboration with Nike, the Air Force 1 Paranoise Collection, and it sold out worldwide in minutes. In China the shoes were gone in 0.06 seconds, Allkpop reported.
The style icon often gains attention for his unusual yet effective style, such as using bulldog clips, safety pins and other office supplies to customise his looks. He eventually made bulldog clips the trademark item of his own label, Peaceminusone.
3. His self-titled album was released through a USB format and was not recognised by top album charts
