Kwon Ji-yong (Korean: 권지용; born August 18, 1988), also known by his stage name G-Dragon, is a South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and fashion designer, known as the "King of K-pop". Kwon officially debuted in 2006, as the leader of the South Korean group, Big Bang, which went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands in the world.
His first solo album Heartbreaker and its title track of the same name, released in 2009, 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. G-Dragon collaborated with Big Bang bandmate T.O.P to release the album GD & TOP in 2010. His first EP One of a Kind (2012), was critically acclaimed and had three singles: "One of a Kind", "Crayon", and the chart-topper "That XX". The EP earned Record of the Year 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. G-Dragon was awarded Artist of the Year at the 2013 Mnet Asian Music Awards following the success of his second album Coup d'Etat (2013). 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.
Widely recognized for his influence on youth culture, fashion trends, and music in South Korea, G-Dragon was named by Forbes in 2016 as the most influential person under 30 in Asia's entertainment and sports. G-Dragon has written or co-written 23 number one songs on the Gaon Digital Chart (equivalent to the Billboard Hot 100), most of which he has also co-produced.
