G-Dragon named visiting professor at KAIST

Singer G-Dragon / Courtesy of Galaxy Corporation

Singer G-Dragon, whose real name is Kwon Ji-yong, has been named as visiting professor at KAIST's mechanical engineering department.

His term will last until 2026, during which he will deliver lectures on leadership and organize cultural events for KAIST's undergraduate and graduate students.

KAIST said Wednesday that G-Dragon, also known as the leader of the K-pop boy band Big Bang, received his appointment certificate during the Innovate Korea 2024 event held at KAIST Sports Complex in Daejeon.

In his acceptance speech, G-Dragon said, "It is an honor to be appointed as a visiting professor at KAIST, a cradle for numerous scientific geniuses. I look forward to the great synergy, or 'Big Bang,' that will occur when my expertise in entertainment meets with top-notch science and technology experts."

As a visiting professor, G-Dragon plans to share his experiences and life as a world-renowned artist through leadership lectures, providing students with vision and insights into the world, along with inspiration and challenges to pioneer their own fields.

Although the exact dates for his lectures have not been set, he is expected to begin his activities within the year. Additionally, he will host cultural events and contribute to KAIST's international promotion as a global ambassador.

G-Dragon will also participate in joint research at the newly established Entertech Research Center (tentative name) within the mechanical engineering department.

The center will explore various projects, including digital twin technology for Hallyu artists like G-Dragon, convergence research on K-culture with artificial intelligence, robotics, the metaverse and the development of artist avatars using advanced technologies such as volumetric capture, motion capture and haptics.

G-Dragon's appointment as a visiting professor follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding last month between KAIST and G-Dragon's agency, Galaxy Corporation.

Galaxy Corporation has expressed its commitment to securing various scientific technologies for the global K-pop industry and announced plans to establish a joint research center with KAIST to strengthen their collaboration.

Since President Lee Kwang-hyung's inauguration, KAIST has appointed several cultural and artistic figures as visiting professors, including former SM Entertainment Chief Producer Lee Soo-man and opera singer Jo Sumi.

Lee Kwang-hyung said, "Professor Kwon Ji-yong is a pioneer and leader who has achieved global success in the cultural and artistic fields, sharing the DNA of KAIST. We expect that his activities will not only contribute to the global expansion and growth of K-culture with KAIST's science and technology but also serve as a valuable asset to KAIST members striving to become a world-class university."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.