G-Dragon confesses he had dark thoughts when backed into a corner during his career

On the October 30 episode of tvN’s 'You Quiz on the Block,' G-Dragon, a K-pop icon, made an appearance and captivated viewers with his storytelling.

During the show, G-Dragon shared, “I once considered stopping album releases. I’ve lived as G-Dragon for over 20 years, but only around five years as Kwon Ji Yong. I’ve received a lot of love and don’t lack anything, but I wondered if I was truly happy—I should be." 

He continued, "Despite receiving so much love, outside the stage, I rarely left my studio. Everything was centered there; it became my entire world, like in the movie The Truman Show. I was doing so well that it was hard to ask for support. It felt like I’d be seen as complaining from a place of privilege. Looking back, I don’t think I’d do it again.”

G-Dragon went on, “These days, I’m living as Ji Yong so much that it feels like it’s time to find G-Dragon again. It feels like I’m getting back to my usual routine—cameras, makeup, shaving, wearing dress shoes, and meeting other celebrities. I’m just starting the comeback process, so I’m happily taking things step by step. About ten years have passed since I was in my twenties, so I’ve allowed myself to lighten up in a good way."

G-Dragon also touched upon the struggles he faced living in the spotlight as one of the top celebrities in South Korea. He shared, " After living such a flashy life for more than half of my life, situations outside my control arise. I try to manage as much as I can, but I often feel backed into a corner with no answers. I know I should avoid thinking of it as a dead-end and imagine there’s space behind me, but at times, it really felt like I was being cornered. I couldn’t move forward, and I feared that if my mental state deteriorated further, I might start having dark thoughts, so I forced myself to stay centered. I didn’t want to keep repeating those struggles as I did before. Back then, I think my issue was trying too hard to overcome hardship.”

During this episode, G-Dragon also gave an extended preview of his upcoming pre-release single "POWER." He explained that he wanted to express the impact and power the media has these days in a satire of some sort through his new music.

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