Big Bang's G-Dragon Speaks out Ahead of Japan Tour

Boy band Big Bang embark on a tour of Japan from May 10 to 18, taking in Osaka, Nagoya and Chiba. It is the first large-scale concert by Korean musicians in Japan since the deadly earthquake and tsunami hit the island.

Some fervent fans of Big Bang have started a signature campaign to prevent their trip to "such a dangerous place." But Big Bang's leader G-Dragon on Friday said, "We couldn't call off concerts scheduled well in advance as Japanese culture takes promises very seriously, however grave the circumstances are." The 23-year-old pop icon is especially loved by teenagers and people in their early 20s.

Since their debut in 2006, Big Bang's songs have repeatedly reached the top of online and offline K-pop charts. Most of their major hit songs were written, composed, and produced by G-Dragon, who is also a fashionista, placing him in a different league from members of other manufactured bands, who are mainly chosen for their looks.

G-Dragon said he likes being a singer the most. "I find it most thrilling, no matter what reviews I get. I'm 23 now, and I think I spent half of my life practicing. I believe a pagoda built over 10 years takes 10 years to crumble, and one that took five years to build takes five years to crumble. Since I practiced for 10 years, I think I can go on for at least another 10 years."

When asked what the biggest concern is to him at the moment, G-Dragon said, "I try to live worry-free. For the next five years I have nothing to worry about. I have a contract with my agency and I have things to do. But if I have to pick one, then I worry about what I will have to do five years from now.

"Even after my current contract runs out, I may remain as a composer with YG [his agency], but I'm less confident about maintaining my popularity as a singer once I'm over 30. Popularity is so volatile and can vanish in a second. So I believe I shouldn't worry too much about how to stay popular. If I keep getting recognized for my music, popularity will follow."