"Wrong Is Fine — Just Don't Quit": G-Dragon's Commencement Message to South Korea's Top Scientists
K-pop icon and KAIST visiting professor Kwon Ji-yong tells the class of 2026 that originality, not perfection, is the real competitive edge
When G-Dragon speaks, people tend to listen. That held true on February 20, 2026, when the K-pop icon - appearing via pre-recorded video at KAIST's annual degree ceremony in Daejeon - addressed the university's graduating class as something he'd never been before: a professor saying goodbye to his students.
"I sincerely congratulate you," he told the crowd at Ryu Keun-Chul Sports Complex. "You've done it, and you are people who will continue to do great things."
What followed was less commencement speech and more quiet challenge. "You're now heading into a world without answers," he said. "It's OK to be wrong, as long as you don't stop. Have the courage to choose a different path from others - that courage will ultimately take you the farthest. Start freely today."
Graduates responded with sustained cheers and applause. For students who had spent years mastering problems designed to have correct solutions, the message landed differently than most graduation-day platitudes.
G-Dragon - real name Kwon Ji-yong - has been a visiting professor in KAIST's Department of Mechanical Engineering since June 2024, when he received his appointment certificate at the university's Innovate Korea 2024 forum. At the time, he made his ambitions clear: "I look forward to the great synergy, or 'Big Bang,' that will occur when my expertise in entertainment meets with top-notch science and technology experts."
KAIST President Lee Kwang-hyung has described that alignment in institutional terms, saying G-Dragon's "pioneering spirit in exploring uncharted territory" mirrors KAIST's own ethos - an ethos the university has backed by appointing several artists and cultural figures to visiting professorships in recent years.
The partnership hasn't stayed symbolic. At Innovate Korea 2025 - where G-Dragon delivered his first formal lecture as a professor - he spoke candidly about the pressure of stepping into an unfamiliar role. "I wanted to be the first to experiment with new ideas and share that journey with the public," he told a crowd of roughly 10,000 that included scientists, entrepreneurs, and government officials. He described his role as being "a medium that connects new technology with the public through art - creating content that makes innovation more approachable and fun."
Galaxy Corporation, G-Dragon's management company, has formalized that vision through a joint venture with KAIST to establish an AI Enterprise Tech Research Center, focused on applying digital twin technology, AI avatars, and metaverse environments to the entertainment industry.
His professorship runs through June 2026.
