Shinsegae denies dating rumor between G-Dragon, chairperson's granddaughter

▲ This file photo shows South Korean rapper G-Dragon at a publicity event in Seoul on May 1, 2017, for the apparel brand 8seconds. (Yonhap)

singer-dating rumor

Shinsegae denies dating rumor between G-Dragon, chairperson's granddaughter

SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korean retail giant Shinsegae Group on Tuesday denied a rumor that G-Dragon of K-pop band BIGBANG was romantically involved with the granddaughter of the group's chairperson.

Speculation surrounding G-Dragon, whose real name is Kwon Ji-yong, and the granddaughter of Chairperson Lee Myung-hee first emerged after a Chinese entertainment media outlet alleged that the two recently attended a concert together.

"It is absolutely not true," a Shinsegae official said of the dating rumor. "We are offering an official statement to correct the wrong information following a string of indiscriminate and speculative reports," the official said.

The official said the two recently went to a concert together but as part of a larger group and that the granddaughter shared a photo but "only as a fan of the singer." The official asked the media to refrain from further speculative reporting.

G-Dragon, who made his debut as the leader of quintet group BIGBANG in 2006, is in talks with YG Entertainment to decide whether to remain with the agency as a solo artist. The other members have terminated their contracts with the agency.

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