G-Dragon Tells KAIST Graduates: “It’s Okay to Be Wrong” in Inspiring Commencement Address
(사진제공=갤럭시코퍼레이션)
K-pop icon G-Dragon delivered a heartfelt message of courage and individuality to graduates at the 2026 commencement ceremony of KAIST, where he currently serves as a visiting professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
The ceremony, held on February 20 at KAIST’s main campus in Daejeon, marked a significant milestone for students stepping into an uncertain global landscape shaped by rapid technological change. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung attended the event alongside First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, underscoring the national prominence of the occasion.
Appearing via video, G-Dragon — born Kwon Ji-yong — began his address with a warm congratulatory message. “Congratulations. Truly, congratulations. You’ve done it — and you’re people who will continue to do great things,” he told the graduating class.
He went on to encourage students to embrace uncertainty rather than fear it. “You are now entering a world without fixed answers. It’s okay to be wrong, as long as you don’t stop. The courage to choose a different path — that courage will ultimately take you the farthest. Start freely today.”
The remarks drew enthusiastic applause from graduates, many of whom grew up with G-Dragon as a defining cultural figure.
His relationship with KAIST began in June 2024, when the university appointed him as a visiting professor, citing its ambition to integrate advanced science and technology with K-content and the broader cultural industry. The move initially drew attention for bridging the worlds of pop culture and academia.
Since his appointment, G-Dragon has taken on an active role beyond ceremonial duties. In both 2024 and 2025, he participated in the university’s “Innovate Korea” forum, hosting special talks on the future of AI-powered entertainment technology. Drawing on his experience as a global artist, he shared insights on creativity, digital transformation and the evolving intersection of artificial intelligence and the entertainment industry.
KAIST President Kwang-Hyung Lee previously described G-Dragon as possessing “a pioneering spirit that explores the unknown,” noting that such a mindset aligns closely with the institution’s ethos. G-Dragon, for his part, expressed hope that the meeting of “scientific genius and entertainment” would spark a “big bang” of innovation — a playful nod to his legacy as leader of BIGBANG.
His agency, Galaxy Corporation, has also collaborated with KAIST to establish an AI Enter-Tech Research Center, focusing on projects that integrate digital twin technology, AI avatars and metaverse platforms into entertainment.
At this year’s commencement, however, G-Dragon’s message was less about technology and more about mindset. As graduates step beyond structured exams and into an unpredictable world, his call for freedom and courage resonated as both timely and deeply personal — reframing failure not as defeat, but as momentum.
In that moment, he stood not just as a global superstar, but as a mentor urging a new generation to move forward without fear.
