Q:Your first World Tour is almost at an end and it’s hot! Although you still have some shows left, how do you feel to successfully end your tour?
My first world tour was last year's BIG BANG world tour. And I was still half worried and half excited to visit new places for my concert but it was really fun touring around. Personally I never have time to travel but as I was on this tour, I could rest during break times and hang out with staff. I’m glad I could make many memories. For me it was like a school field trip. I was also glad that I got love everywhere I went.
Q:Even if it’s overseas, I think people will still recognize you!
So I can’t really go everywhere as I wish. So I play at hotel swimming pools and go out to eat. It’s still fun. I feel like I can bond with my staff a little more.
Q:Even though you toured with the BIG BANG members, I think it was still like a new challenge to be touring as a solo.
Since it was a concert right after BIG BANG’s I was worried. Although I was worried that I might harm the good reputation of BIG BANG’s successful world tour, I saw the potential in me and I had a firm belief that it’s worth the try. Pressure and worries are only there in first few concerts and as my body got used to the atmosphere, I got more relaxed and it becomes like a practice. I just have to play and have fun on stage. I came up to a conclusion that that’s better for me and also to those who are watching me, so I have emptied my mind and decided to just enjoy.
Q:Are you the type that doesn’t get stressed easily? No matter what, with busy schedule, it’s normal for celebrities to have stress. I wonder how you relieve your stress.
Hmm, it depends on what kind of stress it is. For example, if I get stressed out about musical things, I must relieve it with music. Whether I can or not, I keep writing songs. I get relieved when I can finally write a good song that I can be satisfied with. It’s like my occupational disease. Just like any people my age, I relieve stress by chatting and drinking with my friends. I watch movies or just blankly stare at nothing. When I spend time with my non-celebrity friends I feel relaxed because I feel like a normal person, not a celebrity.
Q:GD is an artist that has a huge image of a “Creator”. Where does your creativity come from? From what do you get inspirations?
I get inspirations from ‘people’. That’s why I enjoy meeting others. I especially get a lot of inspiration as I eat and talk with others. Sometimes I watch movies or read and get inspirations from a certain quote or a word. It's kinda late but I really like the movie "Midnight in Paris" by Woody Allen.
Q:I also wanted to warp time to the golden age of arts and meet them.
Q:I think you’re someone who gets into something pretty deep once you get into it. What have you been into recently?
I get addicted to different things every time. Last year I rode skateboards the whole year. I think I’ve been reading comics (mangas) all this year.
Q:What are you manga preferences, boy mangas? Or like Hero comics like Marbles comics?
I like long mangas like "One Piece". I like reading classics like "Slam Dunk", so I recently re-read it. I’m thinking about buying the "Dragon Ball" series. I really like old animes and mangas.
Q:If you were to compare yourself to an anime character who would it be?
I would compare myself to "One Piece". I think I’m like “Luffy,” living a life as a boy and as a man at the same time. Oh yeah, and my fans used to tell me that I look like "Whang Bo Rayong" from "Audition".
Q:Including today, we can see that you concentrate very well during shootings. There was nothing to correct. I thought maybe you could even start acting. Are you willing to try in that field?
If I had the opportunity I would try acting but I’m not that confident. Watching dramas and movies, I think the tone of your voice is important as an actor, but I have a really thin voice. I tried to say some lines but it was just so weird. So I’m good at acting in Music Videos because I don’t have to talk. Haha!
Q: Since you’re interested in many fields, you probably have other fields that you wanna challenge yourself in.
Since I like clothes I want to try the fashion industry. But, just like how I worked in the music industry for over 10 years, there are people who worked hard in the fashion field, so I’m careful to say this. I just hope to get help from them or even help them and try in fashion industry. All I can say now is that I’m in the preparation stage
Q:It was a big issue because of your invention of a new flavor and designing of the new label (for Vitamin Water). Was this a new challenge for you too?
Since I like Vitamin Water so much, I said yes right away. When I went to New York a long time ago for music mixing work, I first discovered Vitamin Water. Then it came out in Korea so I’ve been like living with it. And I was interested because it’s not like a clothes or shoes ad that I’ve done before but it was a lifestyle brand. It was something that I liked, and I could be beyond just a model and I could design the label and even invent a flavor. First it sounded like a lot of work so I thought it would be a hassle. But when they told me that the slogan of this project was ‘Be Glaceau’ I asked “What is being like Glaceau?” and they said “Being G-DRAGON!” When I heard that I thought I have to do this.
Q:So what is it like to “Be G-DRAGON?” What’s something that only GD can show?
Honestly I don’t think there’s anything that I can only show. But I have something that I want to show. As I worked with Glaceau Vitamin Water, I learned that their slogan is “Global, Unique, Stylish, Trendy, and Creative” and these are words that people get from me. Just like this I want to show the good sides of me to people. Wherever I am and whatever I’m doing, I want people to say “If it’s GD, I can surely trust him”.
Q:That’s like your usual saying of “I want to make music that gives off good energy” But what do you mean by “Good energy?”
Hmm… It’s kinda hard to explain but, good energy for me is not necessarily positive and bright. You know that one moment when you concentrate while making music? Like in the office or in the studio, if you record with that certain feeling you got while writing a song/lyrics, you will end up with a satisfying product. Songs I made like that gives off that energy every time I hear it. And when everyone can feel that energy that’s what I call “Music that gives off Good energy”
Q:So that moment has all of your energy and inspirations?
Yeah. To me that’s the biggest energy source so when people listen to it, whether it is negative or positive, I believe that some kind of energy spreads through their body. When you concentrate on something and make something, that energy gathers to those who listen. That’s something that you can do against one’s will. So I consider that energy significantly while making music. Hit song makers also say that Hit songs come out in 5 or 10 minutes, and I think it’s because of the energy.
Q:You’re showing great talents as a producer. Do you have a concept team that you want to make?
I’m not sure yet. I’m still producing but making a new entertainment company or making a new artist sounds like such a far future. I’m still busy with myself and BIG BANG. If I do become a producer, it’ll be later when I have time. Now I’m just learning and it’s still just so much fun to go on stage with a song that I produced.
Q:I think music is something that you want to do more and do better as you listen and make more music. Of course, it’d be the same for all arts. You once said that something GD can do the best right now is Hip Hop, I wonder if you have more genres that you want to do well on.
I wanna do better in Hip Hop. Of course I like exploring new music but all that learning of new stuff melts into hip hop in the end. I won’t go and say that I wanna do heavy metal all of a sudden. But I want to blend in other music genres into hip hop. I feel like I still have a lot to learn in Hip hop and it is something I always want to do the best on!
Q:Many foreign medias and foreign staffs have praised you. Things like “GD is like a combination of Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga” or “GD is like the Korean Kanye West.” When you hear those things, I think you would feel proud but pressured at the same time.
Ah, that’s a SUPER BIG pressure. I think that’s too much of an overpraising. But it makes me feel like this at the same time. I like being compared to someone who is way higher than me but what I have to work on is not to hear “GD is like this person” but to work hard enough so that it’d be a compliment for new artists to hear “You’re like the 2nd GD” I think I can be something if I learn more from other artists and train myself more firmly. Even if it’s later in the future.
Q:As much as fans anticipated for GD’s solo, they’re all waiting for BIG BANG’s comeback. When are you planning to have a comeback?
BIG BANG’s comeback all depends on me haha, because I have to get my things together and start writing songs haha... So my head hurts a little. But BIG BANG does have a Japanese dome tour in November. We’re doing 6 dome tours, and I heard that we’re the 1st Korean artist to do so.
We go to Japan a lot because we get good reactions from them but I feel like we have to work harder for our Korean fans. It’s been almost 7 years since our debut, but we only have 2 original albums. There almost all mini albums…
Q: I heard that you spend a lot of your time in YG Entertainment. Do you guys chat a lot there? I’m asking this cause I’m genuinely curious, what do you guys talk about?
Isn’t it pretty obvious? What do girls talk about?
Q:Hm like Guys, Clothes, hair and etc?
It’s the same for us.
Q:Guys don’t usually talk about those things!
We all have similar preferences. Since we spent a lot of time together, we like similar things. Things like food preference, girl preferences, music preferences and culture preferences. So we talk about girls a lot and talk about music, life, and American shows that I watched yesterday.
Q:Oooh ‘Girl preferences’! May I ask who you’re ideal type is? I bet everyone’s curious!
This is a little too vague but I like girls with good sense. If you think about it, that’s a pretty hard thing. Even when you’re wearing a piece of clothing, it should have good sense and even when you say a word, it should sound like you have a good sense. Just like a really fashionable girl with a good sense? Those kinds of girls know how to take care of themselves and are usually nice to others. I think they also look smart.
Q:And pretty too?
Even better.
Source: @ShrimpLJY, @BIGBANGGisVIP and Weibo (via @soompi_BigBang)
Translation: @BIGBANGGisVIP
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