At the APEC Leaders’ Dinner, G-DRAGON carved another chapter in K-Pop history, as Korea’s representative artist and APEC 2025 ambassador.

At the APEC Leaders’ Dinner, G-Dragon etched another chapter in K-Pop history as world leaders gathered on the stage. In front of Xi Jinping and other heads of state, he delivered a commanding performance that demonstrated culture’s power to cross borders.

Earlier this month, he was named the youngest recipient of the Order of Cultural Merit at the 16th Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards, marking a landmark in Korea’s cultural history. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the award was given for his contributions to spreading the Korean Wave and globalizing Korean popular music.

Netizens praised GD as a symbol of Korea’s cultural diplomacy, hailing the performance as a testament to K-Pop’s global reach. Global fans described the moment as a milestone in K-Pop’s ascent, calling him a living embodiment of Korean culture. GD remains active as Korea’s representative artist and APEC 2025 ambassador, while the G-DRAGON 2025 WORLD TOUR [Übermensch] expands to the Americas and Europe.