G-Dragon Bets on the Future with a Staggering Stock Option Deal
Why the K-pop Icon Chose Vision Over Money in His Latest 200 Billion Won Galaxy Corp Deal
G-Dragon’s Revolutionary Deal
Renowned K-pop superstar G-Dragon (Kwon Ji-yong) has captured headlines with his latest venture involving a massive 200 billion Won contract with the innovative company, Galaxy Corporation. What sets this deal apart is not just the sum involved but the form it has taken. A hefty 100 billion Won, representing half of the contract, was granted as stock options rather than cash. This move reflects G-Dragon’s confidence in the growing prospects of Galaxy Corporation and his strategic decision to partner with the company for its untapped future potential.
Strategic Partnership and Future Prospects
The contract, signed in November 2023, came at a time when the company’s estimated market value was roughly 470 billion Won, making G-Dragon’s early equity interest stand in the low 2% range. Now, as Galaxy Corporation positions itself for a listing on the KOSDAQ, predictions of its valuation reaching upwards of the late 1 trillion Won mark abound. If fulfilled, this public offering could cause G-Dragon’s stock options to inflate to a staggering 200 to 300 billion Won.
According to Galaxy Corporation, the relationship constituted more than a simple agency contract; it established a groundbreaking partnership poised to embark on unprecedented ventures, demonstrating the pioneering spirit G-Dragon has come to symbolize as both an artist and a visionary.
An Artist Beyond Boundaries
G-Dragon’s decision serves as an illuminating example of choosing vision over immediate compensation. Demonstrating his broadening interests, G-Dragon was appointed in 2024 as an adjunct professor in mechanical engineering at KAIST. Moreover, he engaged in a cutting-edge project in April of the same year, transmitting his new song, “Home Sweet Home,” into space using satellite communication antennas—a testament to his innovative endeavors.
He also collaborated with Microsoft (MS) to create a music video powered by OpenAI, highlighting the convergence of entertainment and technology that defines Galaxy Corporation’s core business as an ‘Enter-Tech’ enterprise. The corporation has been working at the intersection of AI and metaverse applications within the entertainment industry, showing its ambitious drive towards establishing an ‘AI Enter-Tech Research Center’ in conjunction with KAIST.
The choices of an artist like G-Dragon, opting to weigh in on a company’s future potential, reflect a strategic and profound understanding of the entertainment industry’s transformation and the growing relevance of AI and metaverse technologies.
