KUALA LUMPUR: G-Dragon of popular K-Pop group Big Bang recently posted a cryptic message on his Instagram account that has raised speculations about whether the 31-year-old idol will be leaving the music outfit which has been around since 2006.
According to the Korea Times, the Big Band leader, whose real name is Kwon Ji-yong, wrote: “Live for yourself. Let the world turn without you. It’s not the end of the world without you. Don’t take yourself too seriously.”
Although the group’s agency, YG Entertainment, has not released any official announcement on the matter, a spokesperson from the company had recently said: “I haven’t received any messages about the group’s future activities. I think the members have to be discharged from the military first. We will come up with a statement when it is ready.”
The rumours of the rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer’s potential exit were intensified by fellow bandmate T.O.P’s Instagram post that also hinted at his own retirement from the entertainment industry.
In the post, T.O.P simply wrote: “Yes! God! I have no plans to come back.” The idol was apparently responding to a comment suggesting that he should take some time for self-reflection and not return to show business.
In July 2017, T.O.P, 31, was given a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, for smoking marijuana multiple times in 2016.
G-Dragon was also embroiled in a marijuana scandal for allegedly smoking the drug at a club in Japan in 2011. He began serving his mandatory military service in early 2018 but became mired in controversy after allegedly receiving preferential treatment while enlisted. He will be discharged next Saturday.
One of the biggest K-Pop bands around, Big Bang originally formed as a five-member group consisting of G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, Daesung and Seungri.
Last March, Seungri left the band and retired from show business after a nightclub he owned became involved in a shady series of sex, drugs and corruption scandals.
Taeyang and Daesung, who are also serving in the military, are expected to be discharged in November.