G-Dragon (Kwon Ji Yong, 36) recently opened up about the difficult period he faced amidst drug accusations in a candid appearance on tvN’s You Quiz on the Block.
“I started as a trainee at six and debuted at 19. After 11 years of training and 15 years in the industry, I realized I’d only been living as Kwon Ji Yong for four or five years,” he reflected. “For over 20 years, I was either a trainee or G-Dragon, and I didn’t even know who I was anymore,” he admitted, recalling a time of confusion and identity loss.
During his extensive world tours, he described barely knowing which country he was in. “I was receiving so much love and lacked nothing, but I would wonder, ‘Am I happy? I should be happy, right? There’s no reason I shouldn’t be.’” He continued, “It was tough to stay mentally grounded. It felt like I was living in ‘The Truman Show.’ At the time, I was doing so well that it seemed ridiculous to ask for comfort—it would just sound like complaining. Even if I go back, I don’t think I could go through it again.”
G-Dragon playfully added, “These days, I live so much as Ji Yong that I feel it’s time to reconnect with G-Dragon. It’s like I’m finally returning to a familiar routine.” He went on, “I’m in the early stages of a comeback, and I feel good about taking it step by step. It’s been about a decade since my twenties, so I’ve let myself loosen up a bit in a positive way.”
In a behind-the-scenes interview, G-Dragon addressed rumors and past legal troubles. In 2011, he faced charges for smoking marijuana but was not prosecuted since he reportedly inhaled unknowingly, and the amount was minimal. Last year, he faced renewed allegations of drug use but was ultimately cleared of all charges.
Reflecting on the toll these rumors took, he said, “After living so flamboyantly for over half my life, things started happening that weren’t really my issues. I tried handling what I could, but it felt like I was constantly cornered with no answers. I should’ve just thought that there was space behind me, but all I could think was that I was boxed into a corner.” He added, “I couldn’t move forward, and being mentally exhausted, I was worried that I’d start thinking of dangerous things. So, I forced myself to keep my center.”
Meanwhile, G-Dragon also won a 1 million KRW prize (approx. USD 740) and donated it to the anti-drug foundation he established, JusPeace. The episode also gave fans a first listen to his upcoming single, Power. G-Dragon’s latest digital single, Power, will officially release on October 31 at 6 PM KST.
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