Kwon Ji-Yong is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, businessman, and BIGBANG’s leader. His stage name, G-Dragon, is another name for him( shortened as GD). GD first gained popularity as a member of the 2006 YG Entertainment Big Band ensemble that also included T.O.P., Taeyang, Daesung, and Seungri. He played a key role in the group because he worked on the album’s production, lyrics, and music.
GD is a well-known solo artist; his first album, “Heartbreaker,” went on to become the best-selling album of 2009. He is also regarded as a style icon because of his innovative abilities and polished appearance.
| Real Name | Kwon Ji-Yong |
| Stage Name | G-Dragon |
| Profession | South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, businessman, and BIGBANG’s leader |
| Well-known for | album’s production, lyrics, and musician |
Early Life Of GD
Kwon Ji Yong was born in Seoul, South Korea, on August 18, 1988. According to the Chinese calendar, he was born in the Year of the Dragon.
His father’s name is Kwon Young Hwan, and he is extremely proud of his son. GD is very close to his family. Once he achieves the “Mom’s Best Son” title on Mother’s Day. Kwon has one older sister, Kwon Dami, a married parent with a child. He occasionally models for his sister, whose sister owns the fashion store Rare Market.
GD attended the Middle and High Schools of the Seoul Korean Traditional Arts. He studied at Gyeong Hee University with a focus on modernist music.
| Date of birth | August 18, 1988 |
| Place of birth | Seoul, South Korea |
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Ethnicity | Not known |
| Religion | Not known |
| Father name | Kwon Young Hwan |
| Mother name | Not known |
| Siblings | 1 (Kwon Dami) |
Career of GD
First, he spent five years (8 to 13) as a trainee for SM Entertainment, during which time he improved his dancing skills. He signed up for Under People’s Crew classes because he was inspired by the Wu-Tang Clan rap group’s music. In 2001, he made his rap debut as a young performer, appearing on the album “Daehanminguk Hip Hop Flex”.
GD joined YG Entertainment
Next, GD joined YG Entertainment as a trainee for six years after being recommended by the CEO of the record label. He and Dong Young-bae, also known as Taeyang, considered going under the moniker GDYB for their first release as a pair rap group. The record company decided to make a group band, so auditions were held.
Therefore, he was chosen as the group’s standout performer. He was a rapper, composer, and songwriter. In 2008, 2012, and 2015, the group won Mnet Asian Music’s Artist of the Year awards. The group won Best Worldwide Act at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards.
Most Popular Digital Albums
In addition, the digital albums titled “Hot Issue,” “Stand Up,” “Remember,” and “Tonight & Alive” by GD and his band are the most well-known in Korean music history to date.
Their singles “Loser” also took home the 13th Korean Music Award, and “Bae Bae” were honored with the 30th Golden Disc Award. The group went by the names “Kings of K-Pop” and “Nation’s Boy Band.”
Also, The Korean Times praised GD’s performance and called him “a great singer-songwriter” because of his writing and composition abilities. They were the first group from Korea to appear on Forbes Magazine’s Celebrity 100 listings.
Therefore, he was chosen as the group’s standout performer. He was a rapper, composer, and songwriter. In 2008, 2012, and 2015, the group won Mnet Asian Music’s Artist of the Year awards. The group won Best Worldwide Act at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards.
GD Solo Performer
Additionally, GD’s debut solo album, “Heartbreaker,” was released in August 2009 and sold over 275 thousand copies. The album won Album of the Year at the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards, and the singles “Breathe,” “A Guy,” “Hello,” and “She’s Gone” peaked at the top of charts worldwide.
Then, together, GD and T.O.P released the album “GD & TOP” which featured the number-one songs “Oh Yeah,” “High High,” and “Knock Out,” which were earned in the top three spots on the Gaon album chart in 2010.
Onwards From 2012
Moreover, in 2012, G-D released an EP called “One of a Kind,” which debuted at the top of the Billboard Global Albums chart. The album’s lead track was honored with two Korean Music and Rhythmer Awards for “Best Rap Song of the Year.”
Spin Magazine voted “Crayon” the best K-Pop song of the year, and this EP included the number-one single “That XX.” The album went on to sell over 200,000 copies by the end of 2012.
The six tracks from G-D’s “CoupD’etat” album, which was released in September, all charted in the top 10 of the Gaon Digital Chart, with the lead single “Who You?” GD won the title of “World’s Best Album” at the World Music Awards after the album sold over 226 thousand copies.
Also, he and Taeyang recorded “Mapsosa,” a song that peaked at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart, in 2015 in collaboration with Hwang Kwanghee.
Furthermore, he didn’t release solo CD; instead, he released a USB flash drive with the name “Kwon Ji Young.”
With more than 1.1 million sales, the album topped the world album charts on the Billboard website as well as the Oricon Digital charts in Japan. The album reached the top of 39 different countries’ iTunes album rankings, and the single “Untitled, 2014” reached its highest position on the main Korean music charts.
Social Media Accounts
Height, Weight, Star Sign, Age, and Net Worth
GD is 36 as of 2024. His height is 177 cm, and he weighs around 58 kg. His star sign is Leo, and his net worth is about $40 million.
| Age | 36 years old |
| Height | 177 cm |
| Weight | 58 kg |
| Star sign | Leo |
| Net worth | $40 million |
Personal Life
The idol’s personal life is constantly the focus of his followers’ attention. GD is presently dating Sandara Park, a singer and actress from South Korea. Before this, he was dating Japanese actress Nana Komatsu.
Highlights
Studio albums
| Title | Release Date |
| Heartbreaker | August 18, 2009 |
| Coup d’Etat | September 2, 2013 |
| Kwon Ji Yong | June 8, 2017 |
Collaborative albums
| Title | Year |
| GD & TOP | 2010 |
| “GD & T.O.P” Vol. 2 | Scheduled for release in 2022 |
Extended plays
| Title | Release Date |
| One of a Kind | September 15, 2012 |
| Coup d’Etat | September 2, 2013 |
| Kwon Ji Yong | June 8, 2017 |
Live albums
| Title | Year |
| “The Great” (BIGBANG Live Concert | 2008 |
| “2010 Big Show” (BIGBANG Live Concert) | 2010 |
| 2014 Big Bang +α in Seoul | 2015 |
| “MADE Series” (BIGBANG 2015 World Tour) | 2016 |
Singles
| Title | Year |
| This Love | 2009 |
| “A Boy” (with Park Myung-soo) | 2010 |
| Butterfly | 2012 |
| Untitled, 2014 | 2017 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is G-Dragon in the military?
G-Dragon was formally released from the military on October 26, 2019. G-Dragon became the first Korean musician to work with Nike on the Nike Air Force 1 Para-Noise in November 2019.
Q2. What makes G-D so wealthy?
G-D is estimated to have a net worth of USD 30 million by Celebrity Net Worth. His earnings from concerts, music royalties, and brand partnerships with companies like Chanel and BMW greatly increase his net worth.
Q3. Are IU and G-D friends?
Their relationship is genuinely pleasant and comfortable. GDragon’s solo concert tour began and ended in South Korea, with IU serving as the tour’s first and last guest. GD then accepted IU’s invitation to her concert in December, and despite his illness, he actually followed through on his promise (some say).
Q4. Who is the girlfriend of G-D?
Nana Komatsu, following reports that G-D was dating her after pictures from his personal Instagram account were leaked.
Q5. Who rules K-pop supremely?
G-D has been dubbed the “King of K-Pop” by Rolling Stone, Dazed, and Vogue, among other media outlets.
Must Read:
Kim Joon Bio, Age, Height, Personal Life, Career and Net Worth
Kang So-ra Bio, Age, Height, Personal Life, Career and Net Worth
