G-Dragon, one third of the influential K-Pop group BigBang, wore a shirt featuring a Dutch racial slur while performing at in Macau over the weekend.

K-Pop star’s reps apologize after he wears shirt featuring racist slur on stage

G-Dragon, one third of the influential K-Pop group BigBang, wore a shirt featuring a Dutch racial slur while performing at in Macau over the weekend.

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

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May 3, 2026 7:15 p.m. ET

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G-Dragon at Coachella in 2026. Credit:

Timothy Norris/Getty

- K-Pop musician G-Dragon stoked controversy over the weekend for wearing a shirt featuring a Dutch racial slur while performing live in Macau.

- Galaxy Corporation, which represents G-Dragon, spoke to the "importance of cultural sensitivity" in an apology issued on the musician's behalf.

- A member of the popular group BigBang, G-Dragon has been criticized in the past for racial and political insensitivity, such as titling his 2025 solo album *Übermensch*.

Representatives for the popular K-Pop idol G-Dragon have issued an apology after the musician wore a shirt featuring a Dutch racial slur on stage over the weekend.

Fans immediately drew attention to the shirt online after G-Dragon, born Kwon Ji-yong, took the stage in Macau at the K-Spark music festival on Saturday. One post drew over 1 million views, describing the graphic tee as "something that warrants discussion and accountability."

The back of the shirt in question featured a phrase in Dutch that contained a well-known, anti-Black epithet. Though G-Dragon wore a jacket during his solo performance, the bottom of the long shirt featuring the phrase was visible throughout when he turned around.

Taeyang, G-Dragon, and Daesung of BigBang performing at Coachella in 2026.

Frazer Harrison/Getty

Galaxy Corporation, the entertainment agency that represents G-Dragon, issued an apology on Sunday.

"We sincerely apologize for the inappropriate wording featured on the performance outfit worn by the artist at K-SPARK in Macau on May 2," the statement given to Korean culture news site Soompi read. "This incident has once again reminded us of the importance of cultural sensitivity and responsible review. We will thoroughly reassess and strengthen our internal review and verification processes, including styling and related internal processes, and move forward with a higher standard of global respect and responsibility."

In closing, Galaxy Corporation noted, "We remain committed to approaching all artist-related activities with greater thoughtfulness and accountability, while ensuring that the diverse cultural backgrounds and values of our global fans will always be respected. Once again, we sincerely apologize to everyone who was hurt or disappointed by this incident."

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* *has reached out to Galaxy Corporation for comment.

G-Dragon has not yet spoken out publicly about the incident. Fans have flooded the comments of his most recent Instagram post weighing in with their own thoughts about the shirt and the apology, however.

"Bro speak up on the shirt," one fan requested, while another commented, "I like you but you need apologize because that's really insensitive."

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This is not G-Dragon's first time in the hot seat with fans.

The musician recently described being investigated over allegations of drug use in 2023, which he was eventually cleared of, as a "draining and empty" experience. In 2025, he courted controversy again after revealing the title of his third solo album: *Übermensch*. The term was coined by philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche in 1883's *Thus Spoke Zarathustra* to describe a kind of super-human unweighed down by physical and societal limits. But the term was claimed by the Nazis and is still popular among young white supremacists.

G-Dragon explained upon the release of the album that he chose the title as a way of representing "the idea of presenting a stronger and tougher version of ourselves to everyone."

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