G-DRAGON has made a powerful return to the music scene, topping real-time music charts and reasserting his status as a “K-pop pioneer” with his comeback.


G-DRAGON’s digital single POWER, released worldwide on October 31, quickly rose to No. 1 on real-time music charts such as Melon, Genie, Bugs, and Vibe, marking the return of a legend. In particular, on Melon, POWER reached over 83,000 users within five minutes of its release, landing at No. 2 on the Top 100, showing his immense popularity despite a seven-year hiatus. 


G-DRAGON co-wrote POWER along with top producers Tommy Brown, Theron Thomas, and Steven Franks, who have produced hits for artists like Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Ciara, Chris Brown, and Missy Elliott, lending POWER an internationally acclaimed level of quality. The song’s witty lyrics, set to a highly addictive beat, are quintessentially G-DRAGON. He stated, “Music is power to me,” and through lyrics like “I got the power, the power, power, flying 88,” he conveys both his pride as a K-pop icon and a satirical commentary on media influence.


The music video, which reached over 150,000 views within an hour of release and ranked third in trending music shortly after, is filled with G-DRAGON’s daring style and overwhelming energy, keeping viewers captivated with his signature swagger and clever gestures. Major foreign media have also focused on G-DRAGON’s comeback. 


Billboard published an article highlighting his partnership with the American independent label EMPIRE, further emphasizing his global influence. Billboard stated, “Superstar G-DRAGON, a pioneer of K-pop, marks the ‘beginning of a new era’ with this deal.” EMPIRE’s founder and CEO, Ghazi Shami, praised him as “a cultural giant who laid the foundation for K-pop’s global dominance.”


Meanwhile, G-DRAGON is scheduled to perform at the 2024 MAMA AWARDS on Saturday, November 23. Fans around the world are eagerly awaiting his comeback stage.


Written by Mun Wan Sik
Translated by Lee So Yun