YG’s Yang Hyun-suk Demonstrates Leadership Through Actions

YG Entertainment’s Yang Hyun-suk has recently garnered attention for his recent moves. G-Dragon (real name Kwon Ji-yong), a member of the group BIGBANG, continues his activities with his new agency, Galaxy Corporation. G-Dragon received the trademark rights for his stage name “G-Dragon” and “GD” from his former agency, YG Entertainment, without any compensation.

Galaxy Corporation stated, “Galaxy Corporation now holds the trademark rights for ‘G-Dragon’ and ‘GD,’ thanks to Yang Hyun-suk’s generosity in transferring the rights without any compensation.”

G-Dragon debuted with BIGBANG under YG Entertainment in 2006. From the beginning, he used the stage name “G-Dragon,” derived from the English translation of the Chinese character for “dragon” in his real name, Kwon Ji-yong, and also used the abbreviation “GD.” With the transfer of trademark rights, he can continue using these names without restriction.

Transferring trademark rights without compensation is quite unusual in the entertainment industry. It is not uncommon for artists to face issues with their stage names or group names when ending contracts, often leading to disputes over trademark rights. Yang Hyun-suk’s decision is seen as a grand gesture recognizing the time and effort both artists and fans have invested. Similarly, 2NE1, who also ended their contract with YG, continues to use their stage names despite moving to different agencies.

Thanks to Yang Hyun-suk’s leadership and substantial decision, 2NE1 will reunite for a full group concert to mark their 15th anniversary. This concert, their first in 10 years and 7 months, will kick off in Seoul in early October, followed by shows in Osaka and Tokyo in November and December. Yang Hyun-suk announced the comeback through YG Entertainment’s official YouTube channel, stating, “2NE1 was YG’s first successful girl group. The members expressed their desire to hold a 15th-anniversary concert, and we had a joyful meeting to make it happen this year. We’ve booked venues for early October in Seoul and later in Osaka and Tokyo.”

Despite the sudden nature of the decision making it challenging to secure venues both domestically and internationally, efforts were made to coordinate bookings. YG Entertainment noted, “Typically, booking large venues requires months of advance planning. Although we explored options for this year, most large venues were already fully booked. We were fortunate to secure the Olympic Hall, but it’s unfortunate that we couldn’t accommodate more fans. We’ll deliver a high-quality performance and hope to bring better news in the future.”

Yang Hyun-suk’s leadership will continue to make an impact in the latter half of the year. YG Entertainment is preparing for BLACKPINK’s domestic official event to celebrate their 8th anniversary. BLACKPINK will attend the ‘BLACKPINK WORLD TOUR [BORN PINK] IN CINEMAS’ press conference at Times Square, Yeongdeungpo, Seoul on August 9. Meanwhile, BABYMONSTER, who debuted this year and captured public attention, is expanding their global activities. Interest is growing in whether BABYMONSTER can establish themselves as a leading rookie girl group in 2024 through their diverse activities.