K-pop star G-Dragon secures trademark rights ahead of comeback
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G-Dragon is preparing for a return to the music scene, but the exact timing of his comeback has not been revealed.
PHOTO: GALAXY
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SEOUL – K-pop star G-Dragon has taken a significant step towards his long-awaited comeback by securing the trademark rights to his stage name from his former agency, YG Entertainment.
YG has transferred the rights to “G-Dragon” and “GD” to his current agency, Galaxy, without seeking compensation.
The 35-year-old rapper joined Galaxy after his contract with YG ended in 2023.
“Thanks to the generosity of chief executive producer Yang Hyun-suk of YG Entertainment, we received the trademark rights without any cost,” a Galaxy official confirmed on Aug 1.
G-Dragon – whose real name is Kwon Ji-yong – is now serving as a visiting professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kaist).
The singer’s appointment is aimed at expanding the global competitiveness of South Korean culture by incorporating the latest science and technology developed at the university into K-content, according to Kaist.
G-Dragon is preparing for a return to the music scene, but the exact timing of his comeback has not been revealed. His last solo release was the EP Kwon Ji Yong in June 2017.
The singer debuted in 2006 as a member of K-pop group BigBang, gaining immense popularity with hits like Lies (2007), Sunset Glow (2008) and Fantastic Baby (2012). He established a successful solo career with songs like Heartbreaker (2009), One Of A Kind (2012) and Crooked (2013).
In the K-pop industry, disputes over transferring stage names and group names often arise when artistes change agencies.
For instance, boy band Highlight had to give up their original name, Beast, when they left their agency Cube Entertainment in 2016. They managed to reclaim it after seven years in April 2024.
However, the practice of K-pop agencies amicably transferring trademark rights of group names to the members is becoming more common.
In April 2023, Woollim Entertainment transferred the trademark rights for the group name Infinite and their fan club name Inspirit to the members of Infinite, who have established Infinite Company to continue their group activities.
Similarly, GOT7 left JYP Entertainment in 2021, but the agency transferred the trademark rights to the band members. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
