It was your first solo album in 7 years and 4 months...
Has it been that long~~~
I thought the song might be a bit divisive~ haha
They swept the charts in 15 countries... As expected, GD power lol
I see people wearing bojagi all the time these days. Is this really becoming a trend?
'Pop culture icon' G-Dragon swept various charts after releasing the single ' POWER ' on the 31st of last month.
As of the 1st, it ranked 1st on the iTunes Top Song charts in 15 countries including Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Vietnam, and also topped the daily single chart on China's QQ Music. As of the 7th, it is maintaining the top 3rd place on Melon. The music video also surpassed 10 million views in just one day of its release, proving its popularity that makes up for its hiatus.
Is this what the Truman Show feels like?
He put his feelings about last year's rumors, including the drug accusation, into the lyrics of "Power." He expressed the rumors that quickly spread online through patchwork videos in the lyrics, "Kids say I'm so sweet/ They shut my mouth with their comments and replies... I spread a lot of pictures and shout out ." The lyrics, "I don't give a shh, laugh and donate a million dollars/ Ask about the abuse of power, be lenient, genius, chronic disease, force majeure," imply that he founded a drug eradication foundation and donated money after suffering the humiliation of being falsely accused.
The music video resembles the movie 'The Truman Show' (1998). Truman (Jim Carrey) is a person who lives in a huge reality show where his daily life is broadcasted live around the world. G-Dragon, who has always been exposed to the media since his debut as a member of 'Little Rula', sympathized with this main character.
The music video begins with the 'power' lights turning on as if to signal the start of a broadcast, and includes scenes from a variety show set that G-Dragon appeared on, a news studio, etc. Like a scene from a movie where Truman leaves a set with white clouds painted on a blue sky, it ends with G-Dragon opening the door leading out of the set, jumping up and down, and having fun.
He satirized the power of the media with lyrics and videos. He appeared on the entertainment program 'You Quiz on the Block' ( tvN ) and said, "I've been a trainee since I was 6, debuted at 19, and will be old enough to enlist in the military next year, but I've only lived as Kwon Ji Yong for 4 or 5 years. The rest of my life, I've either been a trainee or G-Dragon. I've never left the studio in my daily life. I think 'The Truman Show' was like this. I know that many people like me and love me, but at the same time, there was a side of me that I didn't want to show, and many thoughts overlapped."
“I am beautiful because I am me”
The song is witty with lyrics that pay homage to Beyoncé's " Run the World " (2011), which sings of the female power that rules the world, and Dr. Dre's " Nuthin' but a ' G' Thang " (1992), one of the biggest hits in hip-hop history.
The grammar of 'Power', which tells a popular story based on the identity of '88' and 'dragon', reminds us of G-Dragon's previous work 'One of a Kind'. In order to fill the 7-year gap, he focused on connecting with the public rather than following trends or trying something new that had never been done before. It is evaluated that he gave the public a sense of joy by first bringing out the familiar. He also wrote in the lyrics, "I am beautiful because I am myself."
Kim Do-heon, a pop music critic, analyzed, “It’s a genre that was popular in the 2010s when G-Dragon was active. The intention of this song is to bring out the witty and confident image that the public remembers of himself,” and “It will have a special meaning for those who remember G-Dragon from that time, and to today’s listeners, it seems like a single that foreshadows his future activities.”
Will bojagi fashion become popular?
G-Dragon has a strong image as a trend maker as well as music. Trends start with his comebacks. The items he has made popular so far are diverse, including high-top sneakers, baggy pants, men's tweed jackets, beanies, and wolf cuts. Recently, inexpensive items in the 10,000 won range, such as scalp massagers and acupressure slippers, captured on his SNS (social network service) have become a hot topic online.
On the 4th, G-Dragon, who arrived at Incheon Airport in a Tesla Cybertruck to attend the Chanel '2024/25 Cruise Replica Show' held in Hong Kong, caught attention with a bojagi wrapped around his cap. He was also wearing a bojagi when he entered the country on the 7th. His bojagi fashion has been frequently featured in recent appearances such as music videos and choreography videos. With his creative attempt to style it like a high-quality scarf, attention is being drawn to whether he can create a new trend this year.
G-Dragon is continuing his new album promotions along with his world tour. He gave a spoiler of the eight-track album with the music video for "Power," and in September, he announced that he would showcase a concert that has never been seen before by incorporating KAIST technology. In June, G-Dragon was appointed as a visiting professor at KAIST's Department of Mechanical Engineering to research "entertech" (an industry that creates new added value by combining technology with intellectual property rights and content, which are the core values of entertainment). Choi Yong-ho, the Chief Happiness Officer of his agency Galaxy Corporation, said, "We discussed various ideas while watching G-Dragon at the Sphere Dome in Las Vegas."