BIGBANG leader G-Dragon (Kwon Ji-yong, 권지용) recently caused a stir online after liking a social media post featuring his former rumored girlfriend, Kiko Mizuhara. The action led many fans to speculate, "Could he still be thinking of his old flame?"
A post titled "Kiko Mizuhara, whom we once loved in that era" recently circulated across Korean online communities and social media platforms, sharing multiple photos of the Japanese model and actress. A netizen discovered that G-Dragon's official Instagram account had liked the post, immediately sparking widespread discussion.
G-Dragon and Kiko Mizuhara were first rumored to be dating in 2010 when Japanese media outlets reported on their relationship. Subsequently, netizens uncovered various "evidence" of their romance, including couple rings, matching outfits, and photos of them together at an amusement park, fueling the dating rumors.
In 2014, Korean media outlet Dispatch (D社) even captured photos of the two on a late-night date at a bar in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul. The images showed intimate interactions such as touching faces, hugging, and even what appeared to be a kiss, bringing their rumored relationship back into the spotlight.
The following year, in August 2015, Dispatch reported that the couple had decided to break up and revert to a platonic friendship due to their busy schedules and lack of time together. At the time, BIGBANG was in the midst of a world tour and a demanding album release period, with the long-distance relationship believed to be a primary factor in their separation. Despite years of intense interest from Korean and international fans, neither party ever officially confirmed their relationship.
Following the news, netizens left numerous comments, including, "Did he accidentally like it?", "Did seeing the photos make him nostalgic?", and "It's probably just a habitual like." Reactions were enthusiastic.
G-Dragon is, in fact, known for his frequent use of the 'like' button. He recently appeared on the YouTube show "Jip Dae Sung" (집대성), where he explained that he initially used likes for self-promotion but later discovered many talented fan-created contents, prompting him to use likes as a way to express gratitude.
G-Dragon stated, "Fans are happy when they receive my likes, so I keep liking things, hoping they continue to create. There's no special standard; I just quickly like posts whenever I have time, to the point where my fingerprints are almost worn off." Fellow guest Lee Soo-hyuk (이수혁) jokingly added, "He keeps liking things because he's afraid those he doesn't like will be disappointed, and sometimes he just slips up." G-Dragon humorously replied, "Maybe my hands are just big," drawing laughter from everyone present.
Beyond this minor 'like' incident, G-Dragon has also recently garnered attention for his philanthropic activities.
According to the Just Peace Foundation, G-Dragon recently attended the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting in BEXCO, Busan, as an official promotional ambassador and speaker.
During the opening ceremony, G-Dragon appeared with Taeguk-patterned nail art and stated in his speech, "Protecting cultural heritage is not just about preserving the past; it is about creating peace for the future." He called for global participation in the protection of world cultural heritage.
The Just Peace Foundation, established with G-Dragon's donated copyright proceeds, also revealed its plans to continue collaborating with UNESCO to promote more sustainable charitable projects in the future.
