G-Dragon received 20 billion KRW (around $14.5 million) signing bonus from Galaxy Corporation, including 10 billion KRW (about $7.25 million) in stock options

It has recently been revealed that G-Dragon, the acclaimed K-pop artist and former member of Big Bang, received a 20 billion KRW (approximately $14.5 million) signing bonus from Galaxy Corporation when he signed an exclusive contract with the company in November 2023. Of this amount, 10 billion KRW (approximately $7.25 million) was provided in the form of stock options. This decision reflects G-Dragon’s confidence in the future growth of the company.

According to sources in the investment banking industry on June 9, G-Dragon chose to receive part of his compensation in stock options due to expectations that Galaxy Corporation would grow into a unicorn company, which refers to a privately held startup valued at over 1 trillion KRW (approximately $720 million). Galaxy Corporation is currently preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) on the KOSDAQ market. The company has selected Shinhan Securities and Daishin Securities as lead underwriters. Industry analysts estimate that the company’s valuation could reach the mid-1 trillion (approximately $720 million) range once listed.

At the time the contract was signed, Galaxy Corporation was reportedly valued at around 470 billion KRW (approximately $338 million). G-Dragon’s equity stake is estimated to be slightly over 2 percent. The largest shareholder is CEO Choi Yong Ho, who holds 21.99 percent of the company. Other major financial investors include Shinhan Financial Group, KB Financial Group, T Investment, Korea Investment Partners, and Crit Ventures.

Industry insiders suggest that G-Dragon’s decision to accept stock options instead of receiving the full amount in cash reflects a strategic partnership with Galaxy Corporation. By doing so, he aligned his interests with the company's long-term performance.

"An entertainer accepting stock options as part of a signing bonus shows a symbolic intention to build a strategic alliance with the company," said a source in the entertainment industry. If Galaxy Corporation reaches its expected IPO valuation, the value of G-Dragon’s shares could rise to between 20 billion KRW (approximately $14.5 million) and 30 billion KRW (approximately $21.6 million), significantly increasing the value of his initial stock compensation.

G-Dragon is widely known for his interest in cutting-edge technologies and experimental creative work. He is currently serving as an adjunct professor in mechanical engineering at KAIST, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. In April, he collaborated with Professor Lee Jin Joon on a project to beam music into space. He also created a media art video that was displayed at the Sphere in Las Vegas and collaborated with Microsoft to produce an OpenAI-powered music video, demonstrating his enthusiasm for combining technology with the arts.

Since its founding in 2019, Galaxy Corporation has focused on incorporating artificial intelligence and metaverse technology into the entertainment industry. The company has developed its own AI engines and virtual environments and aims to build commerce platforms using these technologies.