Speak of upbeat pop music from South Korea and names of some of the most sensational bands come up — BTS, BLACKPINK, TWICE and Big Bang. And, with the mention of Big Bang, it is impossible to miss out on its lead singer and rapper, Kwon Ji-yong, better known as G-Dragon. With successful albums, various solo endeavours and lucrative brand endorsements, G-Dragon’s net worth has seen upward growth, making him rank among the highest-paid artists in the Korean music industry.
A popular South Korean rapper, G-Dragon is also a well-established performer, record producer and entrepreneur. He started his music career with YG Entertainment in 2006 and paved the way to lead one of the greatest music acts. A decade later, he was featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list in 2016.
What originally started as a quintet, Big Bang is currently a four-member group. Although Daesung, Taeyang and T.O.P. have left YG Entertainment, they continue to be a part of the group. The band went into hiatus in 2018 as some members went for their military inscription and a member, Seungri, left after facing charges in a scandal. However, that hasn’t reduced the popularity of G-Dragon or the others. In fact, over the years G-Dragon’s net worth has seen a steady rise.
All about G-Dragon’s net worth, music journey, brand deals and more
Net worth of G-Dragon
According to Celebrity Net Worth, G-Dragon has a net worth of USD 30 million. Music royalties, concerts and brand collaborations with the likes of Chanel and BMW add significantly to his net worth.
In 2018, G-Dragon, reportedly made KRW 800 million (around USD 610,218) a year owing to songwriting royalties, which was quite a hefty amount when compared to other band members.
Big Bang stint and solo career
The multi-talented singer, songwriter and musician has an illustrious K-pop career, both as part of the Big Bang boy band and as a solo artist.
G-Dragon debuted at a very young age with the group named Little Roo’Ra. Later, he joined YG Entertainment as a trainee, and in 2006, became the leader of Big Bang. Several albums of the It K-pop group became international hits which boosted G-Dragon’s career and net worth. As per a 2018 Korea Herald report, he has over 172 songs copyrighted under his name, which include “Lies,” “Last Farewell” and the super hit track “Haru Haru” from the band’s mini albums, Always (2007), Hot Issue (2007) and Stand Up (2008), respectively.
In 2009, the K-pop idol released his first solo album, Heartbreaker, which became a huge hit and sold over 300,000 copies. It also bagged the Album of the Year award at the 2009 MNET Asian Music Awards. The following year, G-Dragon teamed up with his bandmate T.O.P and released the album GD & T.O.P. Its three tracks “Oh Yeah”, “High High” and “Knock Out” soared to the top three positions on the Gaon album chart as per reports.
In 2012, G-Dragon saw another bout of incredible success when his first extended play (EP), One Of A Kind, sold over 265,000 copies and took the apex position on the Billboard World Album Chart. The EP ranked 161 on the Billboard 200 chart and earned him the Best Male Solo Artist award at the 14th MNET Asian Music Awards. One of a Kind was also named the Record of the Year at the 22nd Seoul Music Awards.
The next year, G-Dragon went on a world tour with stops across 13 cities in eight countries. Coup d’Etat, his second studio album, also rolled out the same year and reportedly sold over 200,000 copies, making it one of his most successful albums. G-Dragon teamed up with Taeyang the following year and the duo released “Good Boy” which topped Billboard’s World Digital Songs chart.
G-Dragon dropped another EP titled KWON JI YONG in 2017. As per KpopStarz, it became an overnight sensation and sold out nearly 1.5 million digital units and reportedly topped the iTunes chart in the US and Europe. It also soared on Billboard’s World Albums charts and Japan’s Oricon Digital charts as per reports. The same year, the rapper set out on his second world tour — ACT III, M.O.T.T.E — spanning Asia, North America, Europe and Australia.
The bandmates parted ways for their military service post the release of “Flower Road” in 2018 and after a four-year-hiatus, the Korean music act released a single titled “Still Life” in 2022. The four members appear in the music video, albeit not together.
G-Dragon has collaborated with other noted musicians beyond the Korean fraternity such as Missy Elliott, Diplo, Baauer and M.I.A.
While it is difficult to quote an approximate figure, it is safe to say that G-Dragon’s estimated net worth rose quite high during these years. According to an NME report, the singer is looking forward to furthering his solo career. On 1 January 2023, he dropped a video where he discussed his plans for the ensuing year and revealed working on a new album. When rolled out, it will be his first solo release since the 2017 EP.
Brand endorsements
A much-loved K-pop star, G-Dragon has gone beyond just being a musician on stage. As a famous fashion icon, he is the face of several luxury houses which contributes to his massive net worth.
Often referred to as the ‘King of K-pop,’ G-Dragon became a brand ambassador of Chanel in 2016 and has been spotted at several Chanel events and shows. He also has his own fashion line called Peaceminusone (launched the same year) and even teamed up with Nike, as part of his fashion label, to create the Peaceminusone PARANOISE shoes which were reportedly sold for USD 200.
According to a Sportskeeda report, in 2011, the “Bae Bae” singer charged USD 1 million to USD 1.5 million per endorsement. The number rose to USD 1.9 million during his Kappa centenary anniversary deal. Besides these, he has appeared in campaigns for BMW, Nike, Colette, Vogue, Giuseppe Zanotti, Hyundai and Airbnb among others.
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G-Dragon has also dipped his toes into the food industry with investments in cafes and hotels. He owns a cafe on Jeju Island called Monsant Cafe, however, his second venture named Untitled 2017, closed down permanently.
Expensive assets
Media reports show the K-pop star to be interested in real estate as he spends millions on lavish properties. According to reports, in 2013, G-Dragon bought an apartment worth USD 27 million in the luxury building Galleria Foret. In 2017, he bought another building worth USD 8.8 million, the details of which are unknown.
The 2021 Sportskeeda report also mentions that G-Dragon resided in a penthouse costing over USD 7.6 million. The luxurious abode offers amenities like swimming pools, breakfast bars and golfing areas. An episode of KBS’ Entertainment Live revealed this information which garnered a lot of attention.
As one of the highest-paid K-pop idols, G-Dragon drives around in style and his car collection has some premium names. According to SCMP, he was seen arriving at the Incheon airport in a white Rolls-Royce Ghost worth around USD 600,000, for Chanel’s Cruise 2022-23 collection show in May. As per reports, he might also own a black version as he was seen arriving in it to the 2016 MBC show, Infinite Challenge.
Another of his favourite luxury vehicles is the Lamborghini Aventador. Reportedly, he has been spotted several times with this USD 560,000 model and it even featured in his “Who You?” music video in 2013.
Other expensive vehicles in his garage include a Bentley Continental GT (worth USD 330,000) and Super 73 electric bikes whose top models can range between USD 3,500 and USD 5,200.
(Main and Featured Image Credit: G-Dragon/ @xxxibgdrgn/ Instagram)
Trinetra is an ardent foodie and bibliophile who writes about films, travel, food and lifestyle. As a writer and literature student, slam poetry and storytelling are her go to jam. When not working, Trinetra is busy looking for her next place to visit or binge-watching Instagram videos for travel inspiration.
