G-Dragon Responds To Gaon Chart Rejecting “Kwon Ji Yong” USB As An Album

In response to the recent announcement from the Korea Music Content Industry Association that G-Dragon’s new album, which will be released offline in USB form only, cannot technically be acknowledged as an “album,” G-Dragon responded on Instagram.

He said, “What’s The Problem?

“Is that it, if someone who you don’t even know decides that an artist’s work ‘is an album’ or ‘is not an album’? What’s the reasoning behind that point of view?

“Of course, there are pros and cons [to having the USB album], but the external form of music has been changing for quite some time, from tapes to CDs, to downloadable files…

“Isn’t the most important thing that which will stand the test of time to remain in our ears and on our lips, the melodies that will become a part of our memories, and the lyrics that will let us comfort each other, and laugh and cry together? Isn’t that everything?”

"What's The Problem?" 누군지도 모르는 어떠한 사람의 결정에 따라 한 아티스트의 작업물이 그저 '음반이다/아니다' 로 달랑 나뉘어지면 끝인가? 오랜 시간 고민끝에 겨우 단 몇 곡을 세상에 선보인다. 비닐에 쌓인 새 앨범이 손에 잡히면 그 기분은 매번 꿈같다. (LP, 테이프, CD, usb파일…등등) 포인트가 다르다. 정작 제일 중요한건 겉을 포장하고 있는 디자인적 재미를 더한그 형태가 아니라 아무것도 아닌 곳에 그 누가 어디서 틀어도#그 안에 담겨져 있는 음악, 내 목소리가 녹음된 바로 내 노래다. 당신의 귀를 통해 눈을 통해. 손을통해 입을통해. 오랜시간 세월이 지나도 가슴속에 변치않고 영원히 기억될 수 있는. 그저 짧은 노래지만 당신의 인생의 한 페이지에 같이 수록 될. 좋은멜로디와좋은가사가전부인. 다른건 중요치 않다.

A post shared by 권지용 (@xxxibgdrgn) on Jun 14, 2017 at 5:45pm PDT

Here’s why the Korea Music Content Industry — which operates Gaon — is not calling G-Dragon’s USB for “Kwon Ji Yong” an “album”:

According to current copyright law, an “album” is “a physical object that contains music.” Initially, because a USB — like an LP, tape, or CD — is an object that music can be saved to, the Korea Music Content Industry was going to approve G-Dragon’s USB as an album.

However, the USB for “Kwon Ji Yong” contains a link to a site where the user can enter the key code printed on the album case to download the album and music video. As there is no music technically on the USB, the Korea Music Content Industry is considering the device a tool for downloading music rather than the actual album itself. The organization considers something like this a “kino album,” a new type of album that lets users download albums, music videos, photo shoots, and more through a smart phone or computer app. The Korea Music Content Industry does not categorize “kino albums” as “albums.”

As a result, G-Dragon’s “Kwon Ji Yong” is not being included in Gaon’s album sales charts, which will then have an impact on his rankings for SBS’s “Inkigayo” and MBC’s “Show! Music Core,” which take into account the Gaon album chart.

Opponents of this decision are claiming that purchasing the USB is still an act of purchasing the album, so the USB can still be considered as such, regardless of its external form or manner of saving music.

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