Global music icon and former Big Bang leader, G-Dragon, has finally broken his silence and directly responded to the persistent and mounting criticism concerning the quality of his recent live performances.
He chose to address the highly sensitive topic during his “G-DRAGON 2025 WORLD TOUR [Ubermensch]” concert held at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on December 12.
This public acknowledgement, which marks the first time he has openly discussed the matter in such a forum, was a significant moment for both the artist and his dedicated fanbase.
The controversy surrounding G-Dragon ’s stage skills has intensified in recent months, fueled by several high-profile public appearances.
The most recent incident occurred at the 2025 MAMA AWARDS in Hong Kong , where he performed his new track, ‘DRAMA,’ alongside classics like ‘Heartbreaker’ and ‘Untitled.’
During this showcase, his performance was met with severe backlash from critics and general audiences.
Reports highlighted that his actual voice was barely audible throughout the set, and he was frequently observed dancing or simply holding the microphone without delivering the vocals live.
The heavy reliance on AR (recorded backing vocals), which essentially carried the performance, led to widespread disappointment, particularly given his status as one of K-pop’s most revered artists.
This MAMA performance followed other disappointing instances. Last year, G-Dragon was criticized after his first return to a public broadcast year-end stage in eight years at the SBS Gayo Daejeon.
G-Dragon (Credit: YouTube)
During that event, his performance was deemed unsatisfactory by many due to being visibly off-beat, and his vocal delivery—characterized by a raspy, unconventional style—was criticized as unintelligible.
Furthermore, at a solo concert in Goyang in March of the previous year, the artist sparked outrage when he kept his audience waiting for an extended period, arriving 74 minutes late.
To compound the issue, once the heavily delayed concert began, he proceeded to skip entire sections of several songs, leaving fans feeling short-changed and disrespectfully treated.
It was against this background of repeated public scrutiny that G-Dragon chose to confront the issue head-on during his recent Seoul concert. Pausing the show, he directly asked the thousands in the audience,
“Are there any grounds for controversy today?”
His question was met with passionate roars of support, but he quickly continued with a mix of defiance and resignation that captured the complexity of his feelings.
“If so, that’s a shame. Even if there are, please bear with me,” he stated, before offering a blunt justification for his approach: “I’m just doing what I do, and I’m just working hard at it. If you don’t like it, then don’t.”
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of his commentary was the expression of confusion over the timing of the widespread criticism.
He noted the irony of the situation given his long career, stating,
“It surprises me that a controversy would arise now, after I’ve been doing this for 19 years.”
This comment reflects his long-standing position as a senior artist whose artistic choices and performance style have historically been accepted, if not celebrated, by his core audience.
When loyal fans attempted to console him by shouting out the word “Perfect,” G-Dragon maintained a degree of critical self-awareness. He was quick to temper their praise, responding,
“Oh, it’s certainly not perfect. I also have many stages where I feel regret. It’s not about being perfect, but just working hard day by day.”
He concluded his public statement with a more measured assessment of that evening’s show, noting that his performance capability is often contingent on his physical condition.
“It depends on my condition, but today was just ‘adequate’. I could hit ‘like’ on it,” he summarized, giving a simple, modern assessment of the stage that night.
While G-Dragon had previously hinted at his own dissatisfaction by using simple gestures, such as “thumbs down” emojis on videos of his criticized performances online, this direct, raw engagement with the audience at the Gocheok Sky Dome was a defining moment.
It marks a shift from indirect acknowledgement to an open dialogue with the public about the challenges and expectations faced by a veteran performer.
The final show of his ‘G-DRAGON 2025 WORLD TOUR [Ubermensch]’ encore concert was scheduled to wrap up the following day in Seoul, concluding a tour where the shadow of performance critiques had loomed large.
Fans viewed his remarks as an intentional dismissal or “erasure” of BTS’s groundbreaking contributions to the worldwide music scene.
The controversy stems from an interview conducted by Billboard (or a similar publication) where Bruno Mars was promoting his highly successful collaboration with BLACKPINK’s Rosé, the song “APT.”
The Core of the Controversy
The specific quote that ignited the fan outrage centers on Bruno Mars’ assessment of K-pop’s global breakthroughs.
He stated, in essence, that Rosé’s success with “APT.” felt like the first major international K-pop phenomenon he had witnessed since PSY’s “Gangnam Style” back in 2012.
Bruno Mars and BTS (Credit: YouTube)
The quote is summarized by news outlets as:
“No one says it, but I feel like Rosé is the first time we’ve seen this. The last time we’ve seen something to this effect was ‘Gangnam Style.’”
Mars went on to praise Rosé, suggesting that she was an artist who introduced Korean culture and music to a global audience, including himself, in a unique and “magic” way.
Why Fans Are Upset
For the ARMY, comparing the timeline of K-pop’s global expansion by jumping straight from “Gangnam Style” in 2012 to “ APT .” in 2024 (or late 2023/early 2024, depending on the song’s release) felt like a complete dismissal of the 12 years of monumental global achievements spearheaded by BTS.
- Erasure of Impact: Fans argue that BTS was the primary group responsible for turning K-pop into a global force, achieving historic milestones that fundamentally changed the industry’s perception of Korean artists in the West. These achievements include:
- Multiple No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 (e.g., “Dynamite,” “Savage Love Remix,” “Life Goes On,” “Butter,” “Permission to Dance”).
- Multiple No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200.
- Sold-out stadium world tours across North America and Europe.
- Grammy nominations and performances on major US television programs.
- Paving the Way: The fan community feels that BTS’s work was the essential bridge that allowed later groups and soloists, including Rosé’s collaboration, to achieve success in the Western market.
By only mentioning “Gangnam Style” and Rosé, Mars is perceived as downplaying BTS’s role as the “paving stone.”
The Response
The backlash was swift and intense. “Bruno Mars” and “BTS” quickly trended on social media platforms.
- Fan Action: Angry fans criticized Mars for “discrediting BTS” and “erasing their influence.” Some called for a boycott of his music, urging others to block him on streaming platforms like Spotify and to stop supporting his future projects.
- Defense of Mars: Others, including neutral observers and fans of Rosé, defended Bruno Mars, arguing that he was simply speaking from his own personal experience and was praising Rosé’s current success and unique artistry, not attempting to provide a comprehensive historical lecture on K-pop. They pointed out that an artist collaborating with someone is naturally going to give high praise to their partner’s work.
Ultimately, the controversy highlights the intense passion within the K-pop fandom and the sensitivity around recognizing the artists who opened doors for the genre on the global stage.
