'King of K-pop' G-Dragon returns to the stage

GOYANG, Gyeonggi Province — Even Saturday's sudden cold snap could not chill the connection between G-Dragon and his fans as he he kicked off his “Ubermensch” world tour Saturday.

Strong winds delayed the concert at the open-air Goyang Sports Complex Stadium by 73 minutes, but G-Dragon more than made up for the wait as he opened the show with an intense performance of "Power."

Dressed in an elaborate outfit reminiscent of red roses and wearing a crown set with a large red gemstone, the message was clear: The King of K-pop is back.

As brilliant pyrotechnics lit up the stage, the 30,000-strong crowd erupted, momentarily forgetting the bitter cold.

As G Dragon moved into “Home Sweet Home,” the side screens displayed images of Big Bang bandmates Taeyang and Daesung.

A series of hits followed, including “One of a Kind” and “Crayon” from 2012, as well as “Middle Fingers-Up” and “Super Star” from 2017.

“G-Dragon is back,” he declared before adding, “I’m sorry for the late start in this freezing weather.”

The night also featured impressive collaborations. CL, the leader of 2NE1, made a surprise appearance during a mash-up of “R.O.D” and “The Leaders.” The backing for “Heartbreaker,” one of G-Dragon’s signature tracks, was spiced up with a performance from Wing, the first Korean champion of the Asia Beatbox Championship.

The stage effects were stunning. During “A Boy,” an AI-generated image of a young G-Dragon appeared on the screen, and in “Butterfly,” digital butterflies fluttered around as if he was chasing them. Vibrant confetti bursts throughout the night filled the stadium with dazzling colors.

This wasn't even the full range, as some parts of the performance, including a highly anticipated aerial stunt, in which the singer was supposed to ascend like a superhuman, had to be altered due to the weather.

It was the singer's first solo concert since his 2017 world tour, “M.O.T.T.E,” but there was no sign he had lost his touch.

Indeed, it was hard to believe it was his first concert in eight years. G-Dragon commanded the stage with the rhythmic steps, mischievous expressions, and effortless gestures that have become his signature. His distinctive slurred diction and rapid rapping remained as captivating as ever.

Reflecting on his long hiatus, G-Dragon said, “I kept thinking about what I wanted to show. I missed this, and I took a long time to come back because I kept going in circles.”

He offered a visual depiction of the symbolic image — two silhouettes facing each other. It was a silhouettes of G-Dragon of 2009, the year he released his first LP “Heartbreaker,” and the recent G-Dragon who created “Ubermensch.”

“My beginning and my present are looking at each other. And because of them, my current self is the future and in progress,” he explained.

Performing “Today,” G-Dragon stepped off the stage to connect with fans up close, and in “Crooked,” he let out his signature raw scream.

The audience responded with a thunderous sing-along. Over the course of the two-hour show, G-Dragon performed 25 songs, ending the night with a hint for an encore concert in Korea and Big Bang’s 20th-anniversary event next year.

G-Dragon will continue his tour with stops in Tokyo, Manila, Osaka, Macao, Taiwan, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Hong Kong, covering eight cities across seven Asian countries.