If there are two things I love, it is kdrama and GD, and both are rocking my world right now. Unfortunately, I was not in LA, but of course saw the performances coming out of KCON 2013. G-Dragon rawked it, effortlessly cool, the right balance of hip hop and kpop. I always love the urban, chill version of him onstage.
Can’t wait for the rest of his album to drop! But he DID drop Pt.1, plus the intro MV Coup d’État, and both are ah-mah-zing. I love the layers of visual explosion that always accompany his videos. In Coup d’État, he’s talking about his money, his fame, and all his badassery, but the video takes the promise of world domination even further, beyond the realm of music...into a Gothic mind warp...to give us witness to G-Dragon overthrowing underlords, too?
His vid is all dark fantasy, a landmine of symbolism, an homage to himself and his already notorious legacy, a high concept extravaganza that is both surreal and evvvil—in the best way. Is he the king of the kpop underworld now, too? Yes, he is! If there is a kpop scene among the demented and decaying, I am sure this would be the version of GD reigning there. Either way, he makes it clear he won’t be kept imprisoned by chains of any kind, in the real world or a fantasy one. People can shoot at him out of fear of the unknown, but he’ll only rise up stronger, and knock down the wall with a pebble built of his indomitable will!
What makes GD such a fascinating artist is his aggression against conformity, his willingness to experiment with music beyond borders and into the crazy. Sometimes to iffy results, but mostly toward awesome. And there is no doubt the madness is his own, it is that original and bizarre. I think that is why he also appeals so much to international fans, his independent spirit, full of vigor and color, but not in a way that feels formulaic or contrived by a machine. He’s genuine. This is his vision, his world, and we’re just marching to the beat of his empire. Man, this autumn promotion period is going to be great. And is it just me, or did Jiyongie just drop Jung KyungHo’s hip hop soundtrack? Well, providing a killer drug dealer from a Heartless City can have an inner rap groove...

Ok, I’ma stop gushing about GD. I won’t apologize for it though!

Dramas I will spoil after the jump: Master’s Sun (Eps 7-8). I am still watching Who Are You, but I have little to say on it, other than Kim JaeWook continues to be a handsome spectral figure. Oh, and I had to officially drop Goddess of Fire. I hit my tolerance. Sorry, Bummie, I guess your cloak of fake flowing locks isn’t shield enough from the cracking pottery logic of your show.
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