With a bit of overstatement, we had prepared to take GD’s pictures in Paris for 1 year. I thought it’s worth to do and he was the most attractive celebrity in Korea. So I suggested to go to Paris first. (Damn! If you’re an editor who went abroad for photo shoot with a celebrity more than once, I’m sure you never suggest it before them asking.) ㅡ In Korea, a celebrity suggests the editor to go abroad for photo shoot first (before editor asking) because photo shoot in exotic location makes editor crazy/tired. But this time, editor suggested first. *proud* ㅡ I tried to liaise with fashion house in which he was interested and with baccarat crystal museum that I had wanted to take photo shoot for last 10 years. But every weekend, Bigbang had concerts in Japan and after that, there were and are world tour including Brazil. Although there was YGe’s full support and with Stylist Jieun we understood each other well, taking GD to Paris was really hard. Moreover Scheduling staffs’ flights took weeks to arrange. We prepared all he wanted which were the hotel, bodyguards, car and so on. And I wanted to do.
Anyway, we went to Paris and G-Dragon who we met in Paris was really kind and well-mannered. His appearance, abilities and talents… I thought he deserved to be bad but he wasn’t bad. He was full of charm. When we met him to have dinner, he bowed deeply at the waist to all the staffs and talked with them. The next day, at the studio, Givenchy’s new collection was fit very well with him and he overwhelmed studio with his skill. If you saw the video at youtube, you knew that he had an inborn talent for shooting.
After end of the shooting, he wanted to experience Paris Mens Fashion Week so he chose some shows that he wanted and could go. At Rick Owens’ show, which was 1st show of them he attended, paparazzi swarmed like bees because of his remarkable look. At Yohji Yamamoto’s show and Watanabe Junya’s show, his fans in Paris also gathered to see him. And at the last show he attended, JUUN.J’s show, there were a lot of his fans so he had to slip out of the show through the back stage. This was the moment that my heart was full. Korean celebrity got loved by many natives! Too bad he couldn’t see other shows because of his schedules. So he finished his four-day trip to Paris and went back to Tokyo for the concert.
On 20th August, Harper’s Bazaar which had G-Dragon’s photo shoot was published. Thanks to G-Dragon who promoted it on twitter before publishing, magazines were sold out in 3 days. We had to re-publish magazines and they were also sold out in a few days. No one could sell Bazaar as fast as G-Dragon. And no one could set all editors buzzing. Many fashion houses in Paris are thinking about how they can send love call to G-Dragon. What a tremendous G-Dragon effect! He is not only a hallyu star but also sensation.
- From editor’s comment on Harper’s Bazaar September issue.
Translated by @LueKim
