Power – The declaration of the “King of K-pop” after 7 years of absence
“Guess who’s back? – He’s our boy – GD” The introduction of Energy plays, signaling the official return of the “King of K-pop.” It took 7 years for G-Dragon’s beloved fan community to hear new music. Each time, hope turned to disappointment and, in the end, they exploded with joy when G-Dragon confirmed the new single Energy it would be released at 6:00 PM on October 31, 2024 (Korean time).
G-Dragon himself knows how long the audience has been waiting for him. This is the reason that pushed him to return this year, the Year of the Dragon, a symbol that embodies the name G-Dragon, although he still has much to achieve.
6pm on October 31, 2024 (Korean time) is not a random time; G-Dragon chose this specific moment to release his new song to mark 88 months since his last EP, Kwon Jiyong. When put together, we have 18:00 and 88 months, which corresponds to the date and year of birth of the “Dragon”. This fateful number has always been skillfully incorporated into G-Dragon’s musical products, showing his interesting and multi-layered artistic mentality as Korea’s number one star.
G-Dragon chose the exact time of 6:00 PM on October 31, 2024 (Korean time) to release his new song to mark 88 months since his last product.
With a duration of 2 minutes and 47 seconds, shorter than most tracks from previous titles or lead singles, Energy is a pure hip-hop piece about G-Dragon’s identity. An unparalleled statement of power, perfectly suited to his uncompromising personality, accentuated by impressive trumpet sounds. The word “power” is repeated strategically, not simply to lengthen the song or fill the beats.
With his true hip-hop strengths, G-Dragon allows his incredible rapping skills to “carry” the entire song. As for uniqueness, G-Dragon claims he still has no rivals after nearly two decades in the industry.
The most striking aspect of Energy lies in his lyrics, full of sharp and profound satire. G-Dragon uses the term “Übermensch” in the introductory line, “When GD’s in the house (Übermensch)”, along with the letter “Ü”, which appears several times in the music video (MV). This is a deeply significant detail. In philosophy, “Übermensch” refers to a “superman,” a superior human being. However, “Übermensch” is not the same as Superman. An “Übermensch” does not need to possess supernatural powers; he is simply a person who transcends himself, finds strength in adversity and thus becomes master of himself. This reflects G-Dragon’s 20-year journey in the industry. The recurring image of “Ü” in the MV could very well be the central concept of the next album.
We also need to discuss the media criticism in the song Energy. This is the first MV that G-Dragon shot in one continuous shot, using a single camera angle to showcase his performance skills and convey emotions through expressions and body movements. The MV was made in a set designed to mimic a broadcast studio, where G-Dragon “brazenly creates chaos”. Notably, he is wearing the glasses he used when he went to the police station to assist in the investigation into illicit substances.
Boldly declaring himself the GOAT (the greatest of all time), G-Dragon stands strong after countless trials across two decades of activity. The media has elevated G-Dragon into the clouds but can just as easily tear him down. This rap was written right after G-Dragon was criticized for an unfair drug charge in late 2023.
“You are a limited edition Gen 2, a masterpiece of this century”; “Like a flying dragon’s masterpiece, wherever it lands is hot” – if it weren’t for G-Dragon, who else could confidently declare itself a second-generation masterpiece, achieving success everywhere?
The answer is none. G-Dragon knows who he is and where he is. Even after an absence of 7 years, the throne remains unchanged. It must be acknowledged that only G-Dragon can rap Energy without making the message “embarrassing”.
There are still doubts
The effect that G-Dragon created with Energy it’s proven by the numbers. Seven years without solo music, G-Dragon still beats the latest digital music algorithms, debuting at #2 on MelOn, South Korea’s largest music streaming platform. In China, the song Energy sold 100,000 copies just 5 minutes after its release on QQ Music, the country’s largest online music platform. After more than an hour, G-Dragon achieved Platinum certification from QQ Music; Energy is the fastest K-pop single to reach this milestone in 2024.
The effect that G-Dragon created with the Power is demonstrated by the numbers.
In recent days, the keyword “Quyền Chí Long” has dominated Weibo hot search. In Vietnam, G-Dragon and the song Energy were among the most discussed keywords in the two days from October 31st to November 1st, according to YouNet Media statistics. Causing a stir across Asia, G-Dragon proves that while form may be temporary, class is forever.
However, G-Dragon’s return still raises many doubts. First, there are concerns about the song itself. Since the teaser was released, Energy received mixed reviews in South Korea. Many believe it has a rather old-fashioned sound; even though he is still G-Dragon, he lacks the trend he once led. The keyword “difficult to digest music” even reached the top spot in Weibo’s most frequent search, indicating how much attention this opinion has garnered.
People are wondering if G-Dragon has become a has-been.
Despite making waves in the digital music realm across Asia, G-Dragon’s international success seems less favorable. On Spotify, Energy it did not create a significant impact. The official MV on YouTube has only garnered 12 million views after more than 2 days of release, a relatively disappointing figure for one of K-pop’s top stars.
From this arises questions about whether G-Dragon became a “has been”. In his home country of South Korea, the throne may still be secure. But in the position of “GOAT” that he confidently claims to be, his international influence cannot be compared to that of younger groups like BLACKPINK.
Clearly, G-Dragon is not the “king” of streaming platforms. However, the status of a “king” is not measured solely by numbers. G-Dragon is vindicated by what he has created and what audiences anticipate. Whether 7 or 10 years have passed, the Korean people still want G-Dragon to return.
Even before announcing the release date, G-Dragon was confidently at the top of searches, “killing” every top search in South Korea. He released music spontaneously, even promoting it in peculiar ways, but still made audiences overlooked the deception, leading to the ultimate goal of hearing new music from G-Dragon.
Is G-Dragon out of time? We have to look at how it is received. Not every name will be honored with a major Asian award, having to “make peace” a decade after they were scorned in a rap battle. MAMA, once a proud recognition that elevated the status of Korean stars, now seeks G-Dragon to enhance its recognition. Rap that criticizes the media, but the media doesn’t abandon him; this is the true caliber of a “king”.
From the birthplace of K-pop, G-Dragon may not be as internationally famous or viral as younger artists
Source: K14
