Around 1994 he appeared on TV as a child actor and also worked with Little Roo’Ra, a children’s team modeled on the popular group Roo’Ra. In 2001, the year he turned 13, he took part in a hip-hop compilation album as its youngest member. He says YG Entertainment scouted him for that song. On Aug. 19, 2006, the year he turned 18, he debuted as one of five members of BigBang, on stage at the YG Family 10th anniversary concert.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 19, he became known when “Lies,” the title track of BigBang’s first mini album Always, which he wrote and composed himself, topped the music charts.
In 2008, BigBang won Artist of the Year at the MKMF for “Haru Haru.” On his birthday in 2009 he released his first solo album, Heartbreaker. Late in 2010 he released the unit album GD & TOP with T.O.P.
In 2011 he took part in making every track on BigBang’s mini album Tonight, and in October his indictment was suspended in a cannabis case. In 2012 he released the mini album One of a Kind and took part in writing and composing every track. In 2013 he released the full-length album Coup d’Etat and became the youngest grand prize winner at the Style Icon Awards.
In 2014 he released “Good Boy” with Taeyang as GD X TAEYANG. In 2015 BigBang began the MADE project, and the exhibition Peaceminusone: Beyond the Stage opened at the Seoul Museum of Art. In 2016 BigBang held its 10th anniversary concert at Seoul World Cup Stadium. In 2017 he released the solo album Kwon Ji Yong.
On Feb. 27, 2018, he enlisted for active duty. He was discharged on Oct. 26, 2019. In 2020, BigBang renewed with YG Entertainment a third time. In 2022, BigBang released “Still Life.”
In 2023 he was booked over a drug allegation and then cleared, with no referral to prosecutors, and at the end of the year he signed with Galaxy Corporation. In 2024 he released the solo song “Power” and won Music Visionary of the Year at the MAMA Awards. In 2025 he released the full-length album Übermensch, 11 years and 5 months after the last one, and toured the world. In 2026, BigBang released the 20th anniversary single “BiiiG” and began its 20th anniversary world tour.
G-Dragon (born Aug 18, 1988, real name Kwon Ji-yong) debuted on Aug 19, 2006, the year he turned 18, as a member of BigBang, and became known on Aug 16, 2007, the year he turned 19, when “Lies,” which he wrote himself, topped the music charts. He released his first solo album, Heartbreaker, in 2009, the year he turned 21.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
02 / QUICK ANSWERS
Q & AFrequently asked
- How old was G-Dragon when he debuted?
- He debuted on Aug 19, 2006, the year he turned 18, as a member of BigBang, on stage at the YG Family 10th anniversary concert. In 2001, the year he turned 13, he had taken part in a hip-hop compilation album as its youngest member.
- How old was G-Dragon when he became famous?
- On Aug 16, 2007, the year he turned 19, BigBang’s first mini album Always came out with the title track “Lies.” He wrote and composed it himself and it topped the music charts, and Star News said this set BigBang apart from other idol groups.
- When did G-Dragon release his solo albums?
- His first solo album, Heartbreaker, came out on Aug 18, 2009, the year he turned 21. The second full-length album, Coup d’Etat, came out in 2013, and the third, Übermensch, in 2025, the year he turned 37, after 11 years and 5 months.
- When did G-Dragon do his military service?
- He enlisted for active duty on Feb 27, 2018, the year he turned 30, and was discharged on Oct 26, 2019, the year he turned 31. He served in the artillery regiment of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, the Baekgol Unit.
- How old is G-Dragon?
- Born in 1988, he turns 38 in 2026 (38 as of Sep 21, 2026).