K-pop legend G‑DRAGON (born Kwon Ji-yong) has made history by becoming the youngest recipient of the prestigious Okgwan Cultural Merit—one of South Korea’s highest honours for cultural contribution. The award was presented at the 16th annual Korea Popular Culture & Arts Awards, held on October 23 in Seoul, where he was honoured alongside fellow recipients including voice actor Bae Han‑seong and the late comedian Jeon Yu‑seong.
In his acceptance speech, G-DRAGON reflected on his journey from the age of six, when he went to an audition holding his mother’s hand. “Since that day I have kept the same dream,” he said. During his teens he became a singer, in his twenties he received recognition, and now in his thirties he is receiving this major cultural merit award, making him excited for what his forties will bring.
He also expressed his pride in being a singer and shared that the senior artists he looked up to were like shining stars in his nights, and now “I’ve become one of those stars.” With 2026 marking the 20th anniversary of BIGBANG, he said he wants to share this honour with his fellow members.
G-DRAGON emphasised the power of music transcending language barriers: “I believe music has a force that can be felt even when language doesn’t reach.” He added that what matters most is knowing exactly what to show on stage and whether the audience can clearly see what the artist intends. He said he wants to be remembered as an artist who established a signature style across generations and eras.
Closing his remarks, he shared a personal nightly ritual saying “Good night, have a good dream” before sleep. He explained that this simple phrase carries a power that moves hearts. “A good dream becomes real eventually, and calls forth new dreams. Even if it doesn't become real, the heart that dreams makes life shine." He wished everyone a good dream tonight.
The Okgwan Cultural Merit is awarded to individuals with outstanding national influence and social contribution in fields such as performance, broadcasting and the arts. G-DRAGON’s receipt marks both his personal achievement and recognition of how far Korean pop culture has come.
He also continues to represent Korea on the global stage, recently serving as an ambassador for the 2025 APEC Summit in Gyeongju and touring internationally with his “Übermensch” world tour that spans Asia, the Americas and Europe.
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