GDragon Inspires me!
I
want to start of with saying that all of "BIGBANG" Inspire me there
songs I can relate to (in most cases) they write there lyrics from the
heart they sing with much passion. GDragon is the leader though and so
there is more info on him and he has worked the longest with YG out of
the Group.
Kwon Ji Yong he is 23 he is known as the one
with the best style in the Group. His Voice is a very unique Voice and
very appealing. His Religious Views are Christian, now I know alot of
people would say that he doesn't seem that way or he is setting a bad
example, but think of him as you would anyone else. Every Christian goes
through ups and downs, at times we are close with Jesus and other times
we ignore him, it's not the way it should be but that's the way it is.
Maybe something horrible will happen and he will become close again but
lets pray it happens without any horrible thing. He knows Jesus. I was
inspired by BIGBANG long before I knew any of the members were
religious. So I find it cool to find out his beliefs! So to those
asking"Is Kwon Ji Yong a Christian?" or "Is GD a Christian?" YES...YES
HE IS! :D :3 :) ~(^o^)~
Kwon JiYong
One of my Favorites of BIGBANG!
His stylist, hair designer, manger,
photographer, choreographer all say that he’s a born-celebrity, but he
also had the time of a flower bud before being a full-blown flower.
How did a five-year old boy, Kwon Ji-Yong become the best idol-star G-Dragon. Style& reveals it now.
“In the beginning, he frequently went to Dong-Dae-Moon and Yi-Tae-Won”
- Stylist, Jieun (29)
- Stylist, Jieun (29)
Entered YG in 2000, was in charge of
styling 1tym, Lexy and more, and was in charge of Big Bang since 2006
of documentary production.
“When I was placed with Big Bang, the
company wanted each member to be recognized even when saw from far
away. Similar images between members were prohibited. Based on hiphop
style, the overall concept was formal manliness collaborated with
casual idol-image, and being unique’
The another thing the company wanted
was that the differences between ‘everyday-look’ and ’stage-look’
should be as minimized as possible. Because if the gap between is too
large, people do not think them as ’stylish’.
Because they pay attention on fashion
in everyday lives, all the members are rated as fashionista.
Especially, Ji-Yong and TaeYang learned a lot from JinuSean and 1Tym
while being trainees at YG for 6 years. In the beginning, they could
not ask where JinuSean and 1Tym got their clothings and accessories; so
they went to Dong-Dae-Moon and Yi-Tae-Won themselves to find them out.
Little things like this became essential studies. Even now, Ji-Yong
calls me when buying his own clothings to ask whether they are still in
season. Some fans think Ji-Yong was born with all the talents. However,
Ji-Yong in my mind, is ‘a genius who tries really hard’, whether it be
music or fashion. He has broad spectrum of interests, and is always
full of curiosity. Even when he is really busy, he is never behind in
collecting information on fashion and music over internet. Maybe that’s
why he never gains weight (smiles).
When styling Big Bang, I never let them
wear something you can get easily in Korea. Before their new
performances take place, I usually buy something unique from abroad.
However, if all the wardrobe collection is 10, only 2 of them are
store-bought, and the rest 8 are custom-designed by the styling team. 4
stylists, including me, buy everything from the fabric to accessories,
and design.
There are members who look better with
more stuffs added on, and there are members who look better with less.
Ji-Yong is a case where layered styles glow. He is also the one who
says ‘no’ seldomly with suggested style. If there is a clear concept,
he can pull off unique shorts, red pants to green suit. Because of his
versatility, usually the ‘insane items’ go to him. Physically, he is
lean and skinny, and not tall. However, because his shoulders are
broad, and arms and legs are long, he is able to pull off just about
anything. He also has lean bone structure, so he can also wear female
clothings.
Ji-Yong was born with a fabulous skin.
Make up artists are in awe when they see his skin. He has nice surface,
and little pores; he does not need to do too much esthetics.
Thankfully, he has been using the lotion I recommended since from his
debut.
Sometimes people ask me, ‘how did
Ji-Yong become the style-icon he is in today?’. There are people who
just wear the given clothes, and there are people who understand the
concept of the clothes and make them their own. Ji-Yong is the latter
one. He understands the clothings perfectly, and comes out with the
appropriate faces and motions himself. Versatile expression and
gestures, those are the essential qualities which made him the style
icon of today.”
——————–
“A determined leader, who can even produce coldness”
- Manager, Kim Nam Gook (28)
- Manager, Kim Nam Gook (28)
Was Gu Hye-Seon and Se7en’s manager
before, and became Big Bang’s manager since 2007. Since three months
ago, became Ji-Yong’s personal manager.
“I have a personal memory with Ji-Yong.
Not too long ago, I was going to resign due to personal reasons. I told
the company about it, and it was accepted. Ji-Yong was in Japan for
work, and called me as soon as he was back in Korea. He said, ‘You
can’t do this to me, you can’t never quit’. Without hearing my reasons,
he just hung up. I was startled at first, but it got to me that this is
his way of showing his affection. Hence, I ‘could never quit’ and am
still working (smile).
People say that he’s ‘cold’. It is
something he created himself, because he constantly realizes himself as
a team’s leader and recognizes the responsibilities. For example, when
Big Bang has a stage performance, there are the 5 members, 4 stylists
and a manger team moving at the same time. At this time, Ji-Yong is at
the centre of decision making. So, he has to work strong and think
sharp. However, in everyday life, he smiles a lot, plays a lot, likes
to eat yummy food and has a huge interest in fashion, just like his
peers in 20s.”
——————–
“Used to dance so fiercely, split his pants many times”
- Choreographer, Lee Jae Wook (31)
- Choreographer, Lee Jae Wook (31)
In YG in 1990s, and was in a dance team for JinuSean, 1Tym and Se7en. Became choreographer since 2005.
“Ji-Yong was a born dancer. He could
feel the beat, had a sense of style, learned fast, and knew how to
apply the learned skills. Before Big Bang’s debut, when i first met the
members, I thought his dance ability was the best. Although the first
is Tae Yang (since Ji-Yong has lyric making and composition to take
care of as well), he still collaborates ideas the most for dances. The
choreography for ‘Sunset Glow’(Sunset Glow MV) and ‘Last Farewell’ (Last Fairwell) were filled with
ideas of Ji-Yong. Ji-Yong and Tae Yang danced the most fierce; whenever
they are in tighter clothing, they split their pants the most.
Before debut, they used to practice
over 14 hours a day. As seen in the documentary, when the choreography
is complete, it’s Ji-Yong’s turn to fine-tune it with the members. Even
now, to determine the entries and so on, Ji-Yong decides with the
members.”
——————–
“Mohawk-inspired hair style was Ji-Yong’s idea”
- Hair Designer, Kim Tae Hyun (38)
- Hair Designer, Kim Tae Hyun (38)
Was Ji-Yong’s hair designer since his trainee days.
“During the performing days, he
frequents the salon almost every day. Even when the members change
their hair styles often, they get treatment every other week; so their
hair stays healthy. Ji-Yong has the best skin complexion just like a
baby. He rarely puts up makeup, unless he is on the TV.
The styles of five members cannot be
the same, one cannot outshine the others, the hair colours must go well
together… The more the members be fashion icons, the more I need to pay
attention and study.
When a title song is decided, the
stylist decides an overall concept for styling, and I create the hair
styles for each member. Ji-Yong likes to change himself often.
The ‘duck’ hair style (the one he did
during Lie performances) was created with partial extensions on his
bangs. His hair was too short to tie up, but he really wanted it. The
Mohawk-inspired hair was decided because the clothings were too normal.
Even back in 2001 (when Ji-Yong first came to him for hair styling), he
wanted to be different from everybody.
Ji-Yong becomes lovely with bang hairs.
When he puts on the Mohawk-inspeared style, his expressions also gets
stronger. It has been almost 10 years since we’ve known each other (Kim
calls the members as ‘babies’). However, every time he is in front of
the camera, he shocks me. He knows how to show off both the clothing
and hair style, and portrays it with his face and body expression. How
can you not like someone like this.
He is warm-hearted, and know how to
treat people nicely. He’s someone who moves the side dish trays I
cannot reach while eating.”
——————–
“Can change expression depending on the clothing in a split second”
- Photographer, Lee Jung Woon (29)
Came to YG in 2004, was Se7en’s photographer. Recently worked with Big Bang with various projects.
“It was in 2004 when I first shoot
Ji-Yong. He looked like a little smart off any street; he brought
little props for the photoshoot. I thought he was overdoing it, but the
result was spectacular.
Ji-Yong has good front face. Strong
looks, various expressions can be obtained by photographing from the
front; and I usually do. Since the first encounter, I could feel his
strength and pride through the camera lens. That look still stayed till
now, although the feel of it changed.
Before, he used to pose with things
others put on him. Now, regardless of what he is wearing, he knows how
to express himself freely. For example, if he was waiting for a black
suit and a colourful suit arrives instead, he doesn’t lose his cool. He
just changes his shoes that match ith the suit, and changes the
hairstyle according to the suit. The wit cannot be represented without
pride and strength. His pros and cons is that he has a lot of desire
(to be better) and has too much fire and passion. Sometimes, when the
photoshoot is finished, he wants me to take photos with his own ideas.
Sometimes, i want to control him as a photographer (smiles).”
Ji-Yong’s Works
G-Dragon was recognized as a successful
producer with hit songs such as ‘Lie’ and ‘Last Farewell’. ’Lie’,
especially, was originally his solo song, but it was chosen as the
title song in Big Bang’s first mini album ‘Always’. He has been a part
for lyric making and composition for almost all the songs Big Bang
released. According to Korea Music Copyright Associatoin, there are 52
songs in total (including remix songs) that bear his name.
——————–
This is GD's Part of the BIGBANG documentary!
This is part of the BIGBANG documentary (the start) and it focuses on GD.
Leader of BigBang and In reality Leader of Kpop
Music Videos
Heart Breaker (hes heart broken!!)
Breathe (Happy face gloves ~Cute!)
Butterfly (~(^//////////////^)~)
A-YO (This is GD!)
Shes Gone (bye ~(ToT)v)
GD Interviews
There
are a lot of ways to describe G-Dragon (Real name: Kwon Jiyong, 23).
But not many people know the story behind it; the story of the boy who
consistently ran towards his pure and only dream of music, the hidden
story of the hard times living in a slightly different world to others.
Through this long interview, we found out what he went through to become
the much loved leader and artist of a group, from a young boy who just love
music and dancing. People who have been close to G-Dragon for
a while, said he is ‘very precise and sincere’. He even checked minor
details on album jackets and checked the view of the stage from the third
floor in concert venues.He is a target of criticism at the
moment because of one of his performances at his first solo concert. The
sexy performance of his song ‘Breathe’ has stirred up much unneeded
controversy.
JiYong-”I’m a mainstream singer and I think it’s right
that I have to follow the public’s standards. Even if it wasn’t my
intention, if it was a bit over the top and people found it offensive,
it’s my fault. I just wanted to leave a strong impression on my fans
because it was a concert performance not a publicly televised music
show. It’s sad and disappointing that the reactions were different to
what I intended.”
It was an emotional experience for Jiyong
to prepare his first solo concert. It was a stage he had dreamed about
for 10 years since the young age of 13, when he first entered YG
Entertainment. He concerned himself with all the minor details; the
images on the projector, the stage, the views from every corner of the
audience. Performing as Big Bang was nerve wracking too, but performing
as an individual singer by himself in a solo concert meant so much to him that it can't be described in words.
”It seems like this solo
concert was the thing I was running towards all this time. It might be
because I’m young, but after my first concert I thought ‘I have no
regrets’. But I went on the internet the very next day and only the
‘suggestive’ bits had been magnified. I was crushed.”
He
confessed he felt total frustration and despair when he saw that only
one aspect of the concerts that he had put his all into had been
magnified. Was it really too much for him to want to show his audience
varieties, especially when it was the only chance he had?
”I
wondered ‘Am I destined to be bashed no matter what I do?’, and forced
laughter came out rather than tears. I didn’t want it to turn out like
this. I just wanted to show a variety of different images of me to my
audience. I showed a lot of different images at the concert, I showed
cuteness, liveliness, stylishness. Why would they exaggerate that one
part? The titles of the articles by the media were all so severe. I was
upset and ashamed that my parents might see them.”
Though the
people who attended the concert and watched the whole thing could
easily tell he’d poured his heart and soul into it, but what about the
others who only read the biased articles magnifying only the ‘suggestive’
parts in their compressed, fragmented articles? It would’ve added to
the prejudice people already have of him.
”I was thoughtless. But
regardless of that, I wish people wouldn’t judge by one small fragment
of the whole picture. The song ‘Breathe’ is about not wanting to wake up
because the woman of your dreams keeps appearing. It’s about dreaming,
and I was trying to express getting lost in my dreams. That’s why the
bed was there, but in the end what the public saw was a ‘sex
demonstration’. I was embarrassed and confused; that was when I finally
thought ‘This isn’t me, but I see now that it looked that way to the
people.’”
Anyone who has been on the internet knows the
modern world distorts everything. Many people will also agree that it is
wrong to judge a decade of precious passion and effort of an artist
based on a single screen cap.
”Whether I’m being criticized or
complimented, in the end I think they’re still giving me their interest
and attention. I have to humbly accept it when people point out my
faults because it’ll help me improve myself. I guess the only way I can
be make up for it is by doing well in my next album. I’ve decided to
brace myself and put my all into the Big Bang album which will be
released this year.”
It's a widely known fact that G-Dragon (Kwon Jiyong, 23) was part of the
"Mini RooRa" group when he was younger. As a part of the "Mini RooRa"
Kwon Jiyong was literally like an 'Angel With Lost Wings' [one of
Roora's hit songs]. We asked him what it was like for him to enter show
business at such a young age.
"My first time on TV was on
MBC's "BboBboBbo"( the first clip in this ) [popular kids' show]. The spot that all the kids
wanted to be in was next to the "BBomi Unni" [host of the show, changes
every few years] but because I danced so enthusiastically (I've loved
dancing ever since I was little), that spot always belonged to me.
I think that's where RooRa's management company first saw me. This was when the RooRa sunbaenims [seniors] were promoting 'Angel With Lost Wings' and they came up with the whole "Mini RooRa" idea. We wore the same outfits and went on concert tours with them. We even released a Christmas carol CD even though our accents were really bad. (laughs)"
I think that's where RooRa's management company first saw me. This was when the RooRa sunbaenims [seniors] were promoting 'Angel With Lost Wings' and they came up with the whole "Mini RooRa" idea. We wore the same outfits and went on concert tours with them. We even released a Christmas carol CD even though our accents were really bad. (laughs)"
As
time passed and RooRa's popularity began to fade, "Mini Roora" came to
break apart. And the young G-Dragon was very shocked by this.
"When
they said there wasn't gonna be a "Mini Roora" from tomorrow on, I was
really shocked at a young age. I thought we'd keep going and I would
become a singer just like that. I remember telling my mum that I don't
wanna do stuff like this anymore. That's when I started studying and
going to cram schools like normal kids.”
But even though he
tried to hide them, it seems his star qualities still made him stand
out. When he went skiing with his family and coincidentally came to
participate in a dance competition there, he out-shined a lot of older
hyungs and came first. The host of that event happened to be Lee Soo
Man, president of SM Entertainment company. He recognised G-Dragon's
talent and took him in as an SM trainee. The five years he spent
training under SM was about the same period as when H.O.T came to
popularity and S.E.S, BoA and Shinhwa were preparing for debut.
"When
I signed a contract with SM and came in as a trainee, it was before the
company became so big and famous so instead of coming to practise every
day, I would come maybe once a month or even once every three months.
The people at SM probably don't remember me though. I didn't stand out
very much since I was only enthusiastic when it came to dancing. And I
had 'Prankster' written all over my face, though I wouldn't consider
myself good looking now either. I could dance a bit but I wasn't a very
good singer so I think it must've been difficult for the company to do
anything with me at the time. I remembered sitting on the Shinhwa hyungs'
laps and playing with them, though I doubt they remember. (laughs)”
G-Dragon,
who didn't have a clear musical goal even as an SM trainee, received a
huge shock in 3rd grade when he first heard Black music at his best
friend's house. The music that he was particularly drawn to was that of
the Wu-Tang Clan. He naturally came to find an academy where he could
learn to rap freestyle, which also happened to be where People Crew
practised.
First Year in YGAfter hearing the American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan’s music, G-Dragon
found an academy that taught how to rap freestyle. It also happened to
be where People Crew(MC Mong's was a former member) regularly practised
and he soon became close with the hyungs in People Crew.
“When
they saw a little kid had come to learn to rap, the hyungs were amazed
and found me really cute. I appeared on a cable programme that the
hyungs hosted and played around a bit on TV. I was given many learning
opportunities, like getting to take part in the ‘2001 Korean HipHopFlex’
Album.”
As the youngest rapper at the age of 13, it
would’ve been a huge deal for G-Dragon to be able to take part in an
album made by the greatest Korean hip hop artists of the time.
“During
the production of the HipHopFlex album, I wrote my own lyrics and
recorded them. The hyungs saw my lyrics and said “That’s pretty good”.
But since I ‘d never lived overseas or anything, my English sucked so
the content of my rap was really typical. You know, something along
the lines of ‘I may be young but I’m the best’. (laughs)”
To
think that the young G-Dragon featured in the title track and wrote his
own solo track, the album became a chance to introduce the world to
the child called G-Dragon. It was around about the same time when Bow
Wow was popular in America and young artists like BoA and Ryang Hyun
Ryang Ha were starting to appear in the Korean music industry. YG
Entertainment’s President Yang Hyun Seok didn’t let this child rapper
slip through his fingers.
“I heard that JinuSean’s Sean hyung
saw me and tipped off President Yang Hyung Seok. Perry, one of the main
producers also liked me and said he would try producing for me. When I
first went to meet the President, I was so nervous that ‘OMG I’m meeting
Yang Hyun Seok’. Cos I’d liked Yang Hyun Seok best out of ‘Seo Taiji
and Boys’. I liked how fashionable he was, like wearing gloves with
short sleeve T-shirts, and he was the best dancer too. But as soon as I
saw him, it really broke the image I’d had of him. Even from far away I
could hear someone’s slippers dragging across the ground, and then when
he got to me, he said “So you’re here” in that unique accent of his. He
seemed more like an uncle from the neighborhood than Seo Taiji and
Boys’ Yang Hyun Seok.”
After this Yang Hyun Seok went on to
persuasively describe his plans for G-dragon to the young GD and his
mother, and when his mother had left the room he half-threatened GD to
‘”whine and beg to join YG when your mum comes back”.
“I went
home and cried so hard that my mother let me sign a contract with YGE.
At the time when I was 13, a few of YG’s active artists were JinuSean,
1TYM and Lexy. When I first went into the office I think Dongwook
(Se7en) hyung, who was dressed all hip-hop and cool, was playing around
with some of the employee nunas. They were some of the prettiest people
I’d ever seen.”
G-Dragon started off by cleaning the practice
room. Mopping the floor, cleaning the mirrors with newspaper and
running errands for the sunbaes [seniors] became G-Dragon’s job.
“I
would watch the sunbaenims practise and give them water during their
breaks, collect plates left after eating delivered food, and cleaned
like hell for a year. When I arrived I would clean for an hour, practise
for about two hours and cleaned for another hour. That was my routine.”
Just
before he turned 14, G-Dragon featured in the title track of Perry’s
solo album and was able to experience performing on stage by appearing
on live music shows and doing concerts with the hyungs. It was during
this time that he met fellow Big Bang member Taeyang, who was chosen to
play the role of the other half of mini-JinuSean.
GDYB During Trainee Days
So G-Dragon Real name Kwon Jiyong), along with current fellow Big Bang
member Taeyang (Real name Dong Youngbae) came to play the role of the
younger JinuSean for their music video for ‘A-Yo’. These two thirteen
year old children with a common interest in music quickly became
friends.
“When I first saw Youngbae, there was just something
about him that made me think “Huh! Who’s he?” We became friends just
like that. We’ve never had a fight before, maybe because we have totally
opposite personalities. When I was younger I was really withdrawn and
came to gain confidence during puberty, but Youngbae was really out
there when he was young and has now become quiet and serious. The young
Youngbae was so full of energy and confident, he said to President Yang
Hyun Seok “I want to join YG” with no hesitation whatsoever.”
The
next month, Taeyang went to the President’s office in the YG
Entertainment building and said “I’m here because it’s been a month and
you haven’t contacted me”. President YG liked how daring he was and took
him in as a trainee. To G-Dragon, Taeyang joining YG meant the
appearance of a friend who he could lean on during his tough trainee
days. Though they were the same age, they became close friends, who
could look each other for support rather than rivals.
“Even
mopping is better when someone else is doing it with you. We had loads
of fun back then. A lot of good memories. Even now, when we’re alone we
laugh and cry as we talk about when we were little. It makes me happy.”
There
were a lot of hard times during their trainee days. Their futures were
not guaranteed and even the smallest hurts were agonising at times.
“Since
we were the maknaes [youngest], there were a lot of hard times. We
would go as guests to sunbaenims’ [senior] concerts or be ‘substitutes’
if anyone pulled out at the last minute. Once, Wheesung hyung was meant
to be a guest at Se7en hyung’s concert but he couldn’t go because of his
schedule so we were sent instead. We had to take our own clothes too.
We would take a huge bag full of clothes and catch the subway along with
people going to see the concert, then we’d perform and catch the subway
back with the same people going home. We would hear them whisper “Hey,
aren’t they those kids from the concert?”. It was kind of embarrassing
cos although we looked cool while performing, we always looked so sloppy
afterwards.”
One time, they had to wait at the Jamshil
Station for the whole day with their huge bags. The manager who was
supposed to pick them up from the station and take them to the concert
(as dancers substitutes) had totally forgotten about them.
“Hyung
said he’d come by 11am but it was 6pm and he still wasn’t here. We
didn’t even know his phone number. But back then if we were told to
wait, we had no choice but to wait. So we were waiting for ages but
decided to go back home on the last train. The next day we met him and
asked what happened, and he said “I forgot.” The dancers had come after
all so he’d forgotten about us. We just said “Oh, I see” and went back
to cleaning, but we were so sad.”
G-Dragon became angrily
determined to be properly acknowledged within the company and debut.
"I was hesitant to join Idol Group"During his YG trainee days, G-Dragon (Real name: Kwon Ji Yong, 23)
dreamed of forming a hip hop duo with Taeyang (Real name: Dong Young
Bae, 23) The company was also silently planning to tie the two together
to make a group.
”I think it was when I was in my second year
of high school. They said they were going to make a group called ‘Big
Bang’. When I first joined YG, I signed my contract as an individual so I
practised as hard as I did thinking I would go solo or do a duo with
Taeyang, but then they go and tell us we’ll be in an IDOL GROUP called
‘Big Bang’. This was back when I had prejudice towards ‘idol’ groups, so
it made me wonder ‘Why idols from a company based on hip hop?’”
Being
told he would debut as part of an ‘idol’ group came as a huge shock for
G-Dragon, who had hoped to debut ‘YG Family style’.
"I didn’t
want to dance the same dance as others. I wanted to dance my own dance.
I’m not prejudiced towards ‘idol’ groups now, but back then Taeyang and
I thought “We didn’t hold on through all those hard times for this,
this isn’t what we wanted”. Wearing the same clothes, dancing the same
dance. I didn’t even want to think about it. The two of us talked a lot
about things like ‘Do we have to move agencies?’ and ‘Is this really
the right way for us?’”
The first member to join after the
confirmation of ‘Big Bang’s formation was Top (Real name: Choi Seung
Hyun, 24). G-Dragon played a large part in getting Top to become a
member of ‘Big Bang’.
”Top hyung was originally my friend. He
was a neighborhood friend from intermediate. We became friends dancing
and rapping in the neighborhood together and grew apart when I moved,
but I contacted him again [about Big Bang]. Top hyung said “Awesome,
that’s my dream”, and we made a demo CD together. He would make it and
mail it to me, then I would see if it fit YG’s style. After going back
and forth a couple of times like that, I took it to the President and he
said he wanted to meet Top hyung.”
But Top’s chubby
appearance at the time lead President Yang Hyun Seok to draw the
conclusion that he was unsuitable as a member of an ‘idol group’ and
sent him back. However Top returned 6 months later, having changed
beyond recognition.
Bigbang nickname was "What do we do"The first member of Big Bang aside from G-Dragon (Real name: Kwon
Jiyong, 23) and Taeyang (Real name: Dong Youngbae, 23) to be mentioned
was Top (Real name: Choi Seunghyun, 24). But YG Entertainment’s
President Yang Hyun Seok thought his chubby demeanor made him unsuitable
to join the group.
”Top hyung exercised like crazy for six
months and returned after losing a lot of weight. I asked ‘Why have you
lost so much weight?’ and he said ‘I exercised really hard because I
wanted to join YG’. He redid his audition and of course he made it this
time.”
Next came Seungri (Real name: Lee Seunghyun, 20) who
was eliminated in the last round of an Mnet programme called ‘Battle
Shinhwa’, then Daesung (Real name: Kang Daesung, 22) who was chosen for
his bright smile.
”Hyunseung, who is currently a member of
Beast was originally one of our members too. The 6 of us including
Hyunseung practised together and lived together for a while. At first it
was difficult at first to have six people who had led completely
different lives to live in one house; our personalities clashed and
there was a lot of intimidation. But during the happy times, it really
felt like we’d become a family. I think it took about a year and a half
though. I think it’s thanks to those times that we can understand each
other just by looking at each others’ eyes now.”
They
overcame the bickering to build teamwork, and plans for Big Bang’s debut
were launched. The company decided to create a ‘survival’ documentary
showing the candidates for Big Bang. They planned to show the existence
of the group and gain fans by airing ‘Real Docu BIGBANG’ through Gom
TV.MTV Korea, which turned out to be a success.
”As well as
the uncommon fact that YG was making an idol group, the survival-style
documentary program seemed to interest fans too. Since that was back
when there weren’t any ‘real variety’ shows. It was before our debut so
we all felt really pressured at the time. We were being watched by
millions of people and we didn’t even have our own song or dance as a
group! People at YG would always look at us and say ‘What do we do with
them?’, and soon our group’s nickname became ‘What do we do’. (laughs)”
Hyunseung
was eliminated in the end, and the remaining members received a huge
shock. However they concentrated on making an album as fans watched and
waited, and slowly created the image of Big Bang.
The Popularity after DebutSo after raising awareness of their existence through "Real Docu Big
Bang", a documentary showing the survival-style process of creating a
skill-based idol group, Big Bang started preparing an album with the
hopes of debuting in 2006. At that time, G-Dragon (Real name: Kwon
Jiyong, 23) had no choice but to study for his college entrance exams
and prepare his album at the same time, each of which is difficult
enough on its own.
"'Singers are stupid, they're just puppets
of their agencies'... I didn't like prejudices like that. I wanted to be
a singer who could express his thoughts. President Yang Hyunseok
thought the same, so he wouldn't let me practise if I didn't get over
80% in any school tests."
Even as he concentrated on
practising, G-Dragon refused to become careless in his school activities
and relationships with his friends.
"Like everyone else, I
would cram at the last minute whenever there was a test. I would stay up
the whole night the day before and then go to school the next day. I
was too sneaky for my own good...(laughs). I didn't like how people
think celebrities think they're too good to have normal friends, so I'd
approach kids first and make friends with them. I acted like a bit of an
idiot sometimes; I'd always pester my friends to buy me food too.”
G-Dragon,
who could apparently seem like "a bit of an idiot" when he wasn't
focusing on his work, was able to maintain a normal and healthy
relationship with his school friends.
"During exam periods, my
friends helped me a lot by lending me their notebooks and stuff. My
teachers would always cheer me on about preparing to become a singer
too, and my parents were so proud that I wasn't abandoning my
schoolwork. For these reasons, even though it was hard at the time, when
I look back on it I think I did the right thing."
Thanks to
the help of many people combined with the effort of the members, they
managed to debut successfully. But although they became so much more
well-known after their debut, G-Dragon felt like his popularity wasn't
his own.
"Because of our abrupt popularity so soon after our
debut, there were a lot of people saying things like "it's because of
the company" and "that just shows what the agency is capable of". Since
it is true that no matter how talented the singer is, it's difficult for
them to gain popularity if they're signed to a small agency. I was
relieved to receive some spotlight after working in the industry for so
long, but I thought to myself that I must never get too cocky.”
As
a matter of fact, G-Dragon was actually worried about his sudden
popularity as he had watched the ups and downs of the entertainment
industry from a young age. After deciding that skill was the only way he
would be accepted by the public and survive, he decided to become a
harsh and criticising leader to his team.
"Lies" for BigbangAfter their debut, the group ‘Big Bang’ received much attention for
being a “skill-based idol group”. Since they did their own writing,
composing, choreography and even styling, they were considered ‘new
concept’ idols. This group that wore black clothes with painted faces,
tilted hats and looked like they belonged in a dark alleyway soon gained
the nickname of ‘the Dark Idols’.
”Early after our debut, I
made all the members work even harder. It was my job as a leader, so I
had no choice but to play the bad guy. When people see me outside of
work they say I’m a fool, but when I’m working I calculate everything
because I’m very timid like most blood-type A’s. I keep telling myself
that I have to pay attention and be serious. People tell me that I get
this look in my eyes when I’m working.”
During break times,
he’s just an immature hyung who likes playing annoying pranks but when
they’re working, he’s scary and doesn’t hesitate to give criticism.
Though he’s usually more disarranged than his maturer dongsaengs Daesung
and Seungri, he’s a strict perfectionist when it comes to work.
”I
practised really hard, and wrote songs furiously. I actually wrote
‘Lies’ to use as my solo piece. ‘Cos we were really into house music
[techno/electronica] at the time. President Yang had gone to Japan or
Hong Kong then so I emailed the song to him. I was embarrassed because
I’d just written it and I thought he’d criticise it but he called not
even 5 minutes after I’d sent it. He said ‘This is it! This is the one.
I’m really sorry but forget your solo and let’s use it as a Big Bang
song. It’s going to be the title track.’”
The first thing
G-Dragon felt was disappointment. He had been promised solo promotions,
and he didn’t know how long he would have to wait now. As an artist
and an individual, disappointment was inevitable.
”I’d spent
days and nights writing that song, and I had to rewrite it as a song the
group could sing together. He’d basically said ‘This isn’t your song,
it’s Big Bang’s’. I’d made the music since our first album, and as a
producer I did think that Big Bang was more important, but I still found
myself tearing up.”
So the 20 year old G-Dragon stared
vacantly out his window one dawn, watching the day grow brighter.
What's with President Yang?So once YG Entertainment’s President Yang Hyun Seok decided the song
G-Dragon had written for himself, ‘Lies’ would be used as a Big Bang
song, G-Dragon started to rewrite it for the group.
”I felt
so weak knowing I had to rewrite it from the beginning. Still, I did it
and showed the other members, worrying about whether they’d like it or
not. It was a lot different to the music we’d done til then so at first
the members just looked really blank after hearing it. I was sitting
there quietly thinking ‘They don’t like it? Oh well I can’t do anything
about that. Then Taeyang said ‘Let’s do it!’”
G-Dragon still
doesn’t know what emotions the other members felt at the time. Just the
fact that he was letting them hear a song he had written for his own
solo made him nervous. In other words, he was worried about what the
other members might think of the piece he had written based on his own
taste.
”I was nervous. Of letting them hear... But after
editing the lyrics and giving it to them so they could work out their
own parts, things unraveled nicely. Our President has crazy instincts.
If he tells us we should release something at a particular time or
something, it always gives us the best possible results.”
G-Dragon
would write countless songs and President Yang would listen and choose
the best. President Yang was usually more like an easy-going
neighborhood hyung or uncle but when it came to work he had the best
ear for music and trends.
”I think HyunSeok hyung has psychic
powers. (laughs) After listening to a bunch of songs, he’ll just sit
there without a word, rolling his eyes once in a while and he’ll decide
not only what songs to use but when to release them too. If I send him
all the songs I’ve written, he cuts them down. Sometimes he doesn’t even
listen to a song for a second. Rather than calculating it, he sort of
just goes ‘No not this’ or ‘I have a good feeling about this one’. Every
song he’s said he has a ‘good feeling about’ has been a huge hit. It’s
really scary and constantly makes me wonder ‘What’s with this person??’”
President
Yang is a good hyung, teacher, and secret hill to G-Dragon. Because he
himself was once a singer, he is a President who understands how his
singers feel. Their hardships, what gives them strengths...He has made a
good system based on these things.
”The music we want to do,
the clothes we want to wear, the performances we want to do..he lets us
do it all. In the end, ‘Lies’ turned out to be a huge hit because I did
what he said. hehe”
"I just don't know where it ends"Most of the songs G-Dragon has written have gone on to be huge hits
('Daebak' s). The song ‘Lies’ on Big Bang’s first mini album (released
in 2007) which he had originally written for himself became a massive
hit, as did ‘Last Farewell’, ‘Haru Haru’ and ‘Sunset Glow’ to follow.
”Even
though people kept telling us we’d become 'a huge hit', it didn’t feel
like it at all because we weren’t allowed to go out. The only places
we’d go were broadcasting stations, our dormitory and the practice
rooms. We were still nothing but kids and people continued to say “what
do we do with them?”. Even though we kept getting number 1, we didn’t
feel any different. When the audience cheered and clapped for us, we
just thought ‘it’s only because we’re singers’. Whenever we went on
stage people would clap, but we wouldn’t be able tell at all since we’d
be singing.” [poorly worded]
There’s a saying that
celebrities often hear, and repeat to themselves over and over again:
“next time is the most important”.
”I think that’s what’s
hardest about being a celebrity. Even if we do really well, it’s always
‘next time is more important’. Normal people might think being a
celebrity is easy, but it really isn’t.”
Even when they’re on
hiatus, celebrities can’t let their guard down. Anxiety in the form of
thoughts like ‘I must try even harder’, ‘I can’t give up now’, ‘The next
is always more important’ continue to taunt them.
”I just
don’t know where it ends. Whenever we see fans who say ‘Big Bang helps
us build our dreams’, I realise ‘Man this really isn’t just a joke’. I
feel increased responsibility.”
However the Big Bang members
aren’t really the type for excessive breaks anyway. When they’re given a
holiday, they spend the first couple of days at home before crawling
back to the practice rooms because they have nothing to do.
”It’s
not like we plan it or anything but even during our days off we see
each other dancing or writing lyrics...Practice is like a regular part
of our lives now. That’s why we write more songs than others and have
more to choose from. I think we’ve come this far because we don’t want
to disappoint our fans.”
Even through the times where he had
no choice but to run, G-Dragon learned to keep his balance with the
thought and determination not to disappoint his fans. We finally start
to feel and understand what it was he ran so hard for.
"After working as individuals, I think we've become closer"
It is uncommon for people to know the individual talents and names of each member in an idol group, especially now that they are pretty much flooding the music industry. If one person stands out, another tends to be shunted aside. But Big Bang is one of those rare groups where every member plays their individual role in the group so well that they stand out as a whole.
”If you look at normal idol groups, they
usually have one, or sometimes even up to three members who are given
all the attention and the rest of them kind of just blend in. And the
maknaes aren’t allowed to talk. But we take turns being the one in the
spotlight; it was me in our first album and Taeyang in our second.”
Because
Yang Hyun Seok believed that singer groups lasted longer if each member
was given a chance to show their individuality and ambitions, Big
Bang’s members were able to distinguish themselves by showing their
talents in various fields. It is also crucial for passionate youths like
them to be active in their lines of specialty.
”My forte
would be writing and composing while Taeyang’s is looking and dancing
like a foreign singer. To put it straight, he’s got style and a sort of
moderate beauty. Cute Seungri does his musicals, Daesung showed
prominence in variety shows and Top is becoming more and more determined
to show himself as an actor through dramas and movies.
After working as individuals, I think we’ve become even closer. We admire each other a lot more too and the topics of our conversations contain way more variety nowadays. We’re more relaxed now, not as in we’ve gotten cocky but as in we feel like we can see further now.”
After working as individuals, I think we’ve become even closer. We admire each other a lot more too and the topics of our conversations contain way more variety nowadays. We’re more relaxed now, not as in we’ve gotten cocky but as in we feel like we can see further now.”
While
the other members continued to show different sides of themselves in
their various fields, G-Dragon consistently worked on his solo album.
The thought that no one knows how many years it would be until his next
solo album, and that this might be the last chance to show Kwon Jiyong
as a person kept him going.
"My Solo Album was a Gamble"Kwon Jiyong’s ‘Heartbreaker’ saw the light of this world on August 18,
2009. This day also happened to be G-Dragon’s birthday.
”It
was actually scheduled to be out in April, but I didn’t like it. I
didn’t feel like a piece of work that I’d been looking forward to for
ten years; there was just something missing. I didn’t know how long it
would be till my turn to go solo came again. That one album was a gamble
for me.”
During the preparation of his solo album, Big Bang
started Japanese promotions. During the months they were active there,
if there was nothing on G-Dragon’s schedule for even a single day, he
would fly back to Korea to work on the album and fly back at night.
While the other members felt the freedom of being able to shop and have
fun without being watched or followed, G-Dragon was out of his mind
looking for performance outfits.
”Writing songs, buying
performance outfits, being at meetings via webcam. I think my album was
the only thing I was thinking about for 24 hours a day. I wanted to make
an album that I had contributed to as much as possible. I wanted people
to think not just that it’s been ‘made’, but ‘Kwon Jiyong made this’. I
even went a little over the top by concerning over things like font,
colour and decoration. I wanted to release an album that seemed more
like a wrapped up gift than a normal, standard CD. So that people can
open the case like a present and anticipate what might be inside, even
if its not expensive. I think the album designers might’ve thought I was
a bit weird; I would call in the middle of the night whenever I got a
new idea. (laughs)”
He became totally immersed in working on
his album.
”Heartbreaker is about being hurt by love. To
express that my heart had been crushed, I made all the dancers wear my
mask and do different dances. It was to show different emotions coming
out of the same face.”
He experienced a lot of differences to
when he was making an album with the other members. He had to fill in
every aspect himself, letting him mature more as an artist and realise
how valuable the other members really were.
”I learned so much
from making my album. I met with a lot of people from different fields.
It was also my turn to play the ‘Cutesy’ part that Daesung and Seungri
usually take responsibility for. But I had to show a serious side to the
higher ups. Anyhow, I was able to mingle with a lot of different people
and learned more interpersonal skills.”
When an artist
releases an album, they usually put all their effort into promoting it.
However promotion of G-Dragon’s album through newspapers and TV stations
was minimal as YG Entertainment considers performances more important
than promotions.
”I was really worried because we had barely
promoted. Then I found out about something called ‘Me2day’. It’s like a
blog. President Yang told me ‘This is the one way we have chosen to
promote. You can do your own promoting.’ He’s always like that. He’ll
open the road for us bit by bit and we have to find our own way through
it. Anyway, I started showing fans bits and pieces like an outfit for a
music video and a strand of my newly dyed hair. I wanted to be the one
to show them my music first before any music portal sites so I even gave
them 30 second snippets of a few songs. I kept thinking things like ‘If
they check for updates before they go to bed and there has been an
update, they’d be happy that they can talk about it the next day at
school, right?’ I think it was a heart-fluttering period for both me and
the fans.”
Thanks to G-Dragon, Me2day also received huge
popularity. The site that had only had tens of thousands of members
suddenly had hundreds of thousands. Again, G-Dragon started receiving
attention from a huge number of people but just as he felt like he was
starting to communicate with his fans, he was accused of plagiarism.
This was just one day before the release of his album.
"The Plagiarism Controversies were unbearable"
G-Dragon (real name: Kwon Jiyong, 23), whose heart had been aflutter in anticipation of his album’s release, felt despair. Just a day before its release his title track ‘Heartbreaker’ had been accused of plagiarism. His Me2day, which had thus far been a precious way for him to communicate with his fans now seemed like a cold-hearted and scary place.
”Regardless of whether it really is plagiarism or not, I
think having the label of ‘plagiarist’ itself is just disgraceful. On
the internet people were fighting about whether ‘It’s been plagiarised’
vs. ‘It hasn’t’; the company said they’d fly over to America to set
things straight. It seemed like there was going to be a huge legal
battle. Everything was just so hard for me. It makes me happy to sing
and dance in front of other people, that’s all. But the people seemed to
only pay attention to the bad stuff, I thought I was gonna go crazy.
But after contemplating for a while, I decided that singers should
answer to any controversies through their performances.”
He
realised no matter what he said could change anything. So like actors
speak through acting, he decided singers should 'speak' through their
performances.
”I think the only way I can take responsibility
for my music is through my performances on stage. I always told myself
that I’d apologise if I showed a disappointing performance to my fans. I
think if I try my best to make people happy, they’ll realise the truth
for themselves.”
Jiyong is used to being caught up in
controversy from a young age. Does he have some strange power to turn
little things into huge issues? But the attention he receives from both
fans and anti-fans are a driving force for him.
”If an online
news article about me is released, the first comment is always someone
bashing me. I’m human too, of course I check (laughs). The antis always
see them first and leave hateful comments. I’m actually thankful in a
way. If these people really hated me, they just wouldn’t pay any
attention to me at all. I think they keep checking my articles because
in the end, they still expect something from me. Something along the
lines of ‘I hate this guy, but I still can’t help being interested’,
maybe. Because of people like that I feel like I have to try even
harder.”
Popular singers just cannot be separated from the
public. Admiration and criticism are just opposite sides of the same
coin.
”Rather than thinking ‘Let’s see who wins then’ about
my antis, I think I just have to keep trying hard until they disappear. I
cant ‘beat’ the public since artists have to work together with them.
It’s like being a student. I feel like I’ve done my homework as a
student and now I’m hoping that my teacher will think I've done well.”
He’s
even got the providence of the public figured out. But though he may be
precocious, he doesn’t force himself to hide his pain from others.
”It’s
a hundred thousand times worse when you’re in the position of the one
being bashed. Korea is a small country so being in that position is
really disheartening. I did understand but it still hurt really bad.
I’ve just grown wings to try and fly higher; I’ve come too far to fall
now and there’s no way back at this point anyway. I’m trying really
hard- I truthfully just want people to be more understanding and like me
more.”
"I like girls who are like 'cats' "“The lyrics and melodies of the songs I’ve written are all my own
experiences. Even just indirect experiences through talking to others or
watching movies and stuff. When I’m in love I can only think of happy
lyrics, while when I’ve just broken up only sad lyrics come to mind.
Songs like ‘She’s Gone’ are a collection of the emotions I felt while
watching particular movies.”
The songs G-Dragon (Real name:
Kwon Jiyong, 23) writes are all his own experiences. Anyone who’s sharp
would’ve picked up his true feelings while listening to his songs.
“I
think I have to write honestly so that the person listening can feel
what I feel. So they can feel the pain for themselves and be moved. I
don’t think it’s possible for someone to be touched by a piece of music
that’s been made up from nothing.”
He has, of course, been in
love. But the people around him just called it ‘cute puppy love’.
“I
thought I was in love but my closest friends still tell me ‘You’ve
never been in real love’. Maybe because I’m the type of person who
suddenly gets really crazy about something and equally suddenly gets
over it. Though I do date for a while...”
He’s also the type
of person who gives everything he has to the woman he loves. Even to the
point where it sometimes causes inconvenience to his work. He shows his
natural unmade self, wanting to be seen just as Kwon Jiyong, not a
celebrity; for this reason he is very open even in crowds.
“It’s
childish, but I did all that stuff like letting out balloons from the
trunk, and borrowing cafés for the day to do mini concerts. (laughs) I
didn’t want my girlfriend to think of me as a celebrity so I would go to
amusement parks with her with my face covered, and did everything she
wanted to do. People say I’m an idiot for not caring about causing
scandals. Even President Yang tells me that I have to be careful to meet
the right girl.”
His ideal type is a girl who’s ‘like a
cat’.
“I like girls who look have both looks and personalities
like cats. I’m attracted to girls who run away when I try to catch
them, but approach me and throw themselves in my arms when I stop
trying. Someone I can lean on. Someone who can control me from above? I
like girls who are fierce and strong. At least when I’m in love, I want
to be able to have someone to lean on and rest with.”
After
experiencing the sorrow of separating a few times, his thoughts on love
have changed.
”I can never break up with someone first. I just
can’t say it. If I start a new love in the future, I’m not going to
give my all right from the beginning. I want to love slowly now.”
"I'm close with DBSK sunbaes"
”Recently, I’ve been resting a lot since my solo concert. A lot of
the restrictions I had like no clubbing, no alcohol and no girlfriends
were abolished. I’ve been meeting friends and going clubbing, and going
shopping in DongDaeMoon in the early morning too. There was a photo of
me by an outfit so I asked ‘What are these clothes?’ and the person said
‘They’re G-Dragon style’, not recognising me. (laughs)”
”Recently, I’ve been resting a lot since my solo concert. A lot of
the restrictions I had like no clubbing, no alcohol and no girlfriends
were abolished. I’ve been meeting friends and going clubbing, and going
shopping in DongDaeMoon in the early morning too. There was a photo of
me by an outfit so I asked ‘What are these clothes?’ and the person said
‘They’re G-Dragon style’, not recognising me. (laughs)”
2009
was a significant year for G-Dragon (Real name: Kwon Jiyong, 23). It
was a meaningful year where he showed his own album and concert to the
world. He also knows best how to relax at the end of a significant
workload now that already it's been 5 years since his debut.
”I
used to try to speak and act all cool and sophisticated when I went to
award ceremonies but recently I went to this one just thinking it was
like a party. I wore jeans and took my puppy and had a great time. I met
a lot of other people and didn’t take much notice of the cameras. I
yelled out when I was having fun and had a good time being part of the
audience.”
He also became friends with many singers from
other management agencies. Especially SM Entertainment’s DBSK, their
sunbaes in both Japan and Korea.
”I’ve recently become close
with my sunbaes in DBSK. In the past there used to be a lot of unseen
rivalry between different agencies but since we’re both in groups we all
have a lot in common. Hero JaeJoong hyung approached me first. After
that I naturally became friends with Yoochun hyung and Junsu hyung and I
realised that I could be the dongsaeng too.”
He would pester
the DBSK hyungs to buy him food when they were staying in Japan, and
they gave him a lot of advice.
”I admired them because they’d
survived in a different country with different cultures. It doesn’t
matter whether people are SM or JYP or whatever anymore, I like
everyone. Sometimes it just comes to me that ‘Aww that person must’ve
been through a lot of pain’ or ‘I should tell this person this piece of
advice’. I think our hearts are all opening towards each other now. I
would like it if our hoobaes (juniors) would come up and talk to us too.”
But
he’s still in his youth and has fears about the future.
”I
have to keep going. This year Daesung and TOP’s solo albums will be out
and so will Big Bang’s at the end of the year. Though I doubt everything
will go exactly as planned. We’ll plan everything first and then adjust
the time of release depending on how fast production goes.”
As
the team leader, he has to keep in mind the other members’ activities
as well as the group’s.
”It’ll be a lot to handle for Daesung
to prepare his solo album on his own so I think I’m gonna have to give
him a lot of advice. Daesung will probably do R&B ballads. It’ll be a
bit different to Big Bang’s style of music. And TOP’s will definitely
be hip hop. I think I’m gonna help him work on a couple of the songs.”
Big
Bang plans to return in 2010 with a new album and new looks. As always,
the next is always the most important.
”We have to move
forward as Big Bang again. I think we were just standing on the spot for
the last two albums. It’s not that I didn’t like them, but they just
didn’t take off like I wanted them to. If I don’t like how this next
album turns out either, I’ll probably hate myself for it. We have to
move forward, even if it’s only half a step. Now that even Seungri is no
longer underage, I think in this next album we’ll be showing off more
of a manly image than a boyish one. (laughs)”
G-Dragon has
caught our unawareness by becoming a man. His bravery has hugely affected
our country’s music industry, and is creating a legend. What shape will
this legend of his take on? It’s time to sit back and watch his legend
unfold.
This part will be updated as Jiyong updays his "me2"
~2011 (Newest to oldest)
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