G-Dragon Drops Entertainment Activities to Focus on New Album “Ubermensch”; Groups Full-Lineup Performance Also Planned

G-Dragon has announced he will cease appearing on TV variety shows in order to dedicate himself to producing his new album. Appearing on the March 9 episode of “Good Day,” he said, “If I’ve set something big in motion, I have to play my role,” adding, “I need to fulfill my duty, so why should I withdraw?” In an interview with the production team, G-Dragon explained the current stage of the new album’s creation. He stated, “It’s the time to create the most important track and figure out what needs to be done,” and noted that “when I just sketched out ideas before meeting the people involved, they were all songs in a grand or powerful style.” However, he reevaluated the direction during the creative process. “I thought too hastily about the song’s direction. I realized I might have envisioned something too formulaic. Since it’s an honor to get ideas from my friends, I simply erased the list I had prepared earlier,” he explained. G-Dragon said, “It’s time to start working now,” and confessed, “It’s a good kind of pressure, but since people say, ‘You said you’d do it, so you’ll handle it,’ it becomes even more pressuring.” This indicates that high expectations from fans and the music industry are adding to his sense of responsibility regarding the new album’s creation. Meanwhile, G-Dragon made a surprise appearance at Taeyang’s solo concert as part of BIGBANG, bringing together the group’s full lineup for a performance. On stage with Daesung during the concert, G-Dragon encouraged his members by saying, “Now we have to do this together. I’ve been waiting for you guys. You should give me some inspiration, right?” Taeyang gave an honest assessment, saying, “In my opinion, it’s not done at all yet. But it will be done—things are getting better now,” while Daesung expressed confidence in him by saying, “He has the ability. Moreover, he always meets deadlines perfectly.” G-Dragon drew musical inspiration from conversations with his members. He mentioned Jeong Hoon-hee’s “In the Flower Field,” which Hwang Jung-min mentioned, Cho Yong-pil’s “Song of the Wind,” and Kim Yeon-ja’s “From the Land of Morning” as potential tracks. Personally, he cited Doosi Kids’ “Telepathy” and Seo Taiji and Boys’ “Dreaming of Balhae” as reference songs. G-Dragon’s new album, “Ubermensch,” takes its title from philosopher Nietzsche’s philosophy and embodies the concept of an “evolved individual who transcends traditional limits.” The industry is paying close attention to this album, believing it will explore his personal growth and resilience while serving as an opportunity to reevaluate his role in the globalization of K-POP.