G-Dragon's agency issues apology over T-shirt bearing slur at Macau concert

The agency of singer G-Dragon issued an apology on Monday after he appeared onstage in a T-shirt bearing a phrase widely viewed as racially offensive.

The t-shirt, which the singer wore during his performance at a K-pop concert held in Macau on Saturday, featured the Dutch phrase “RONNY, EEN GEILE NEGER-- JONGEN,” which roughly translates to “Ronny, a horny Black boy.”

The wording sparked criticism from international fans, who noted that the term “neger” is widely considered a derogatory slur against Black people.

As criticism mounted online, his agency, Galaxy Corporation, issued a statement apologizing for the incident.

“We sincerely apologize for the inclusion of a phrase that is inappropriate in its social and cultural context,” the company said.

The agency added that the controversy had underscored the need for greater cultural awareness and more rigorous internal review.

“Through this incident, we have once again recognized the importance of cultural sensitivity and responsible vetting,” the agency said. “We will closely review and improve our internal processes, including styling, and operate under more careful standards moving forward.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY KIM JI-HYE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]