Korea is a parallel world of momentum at the moment in terms of music. And when I say parallel I mean precisely, much more neck and neck than ever before to the juggernaut of American pop, at present enamored of Eurodance trash of many yesteryears ago. Not since the golden era of Korean pop has there been as much energy in the music industry, fulminating around the careers of DBSK, Super Junior, etc. While, true, the music is derivative in an overall sense, there is a feeling that stylistically the touchpoints are getting smaller and smaller.

The industry has long been the provenance of a fairly competent and professional group of rappers and R&B crooners, at a collective technical caliber higher than say, Japan, and with a swagger all bratty/cocky or sweaty shirtlessness that a Western audience can relate to. But G Dragon's chameleon-like Lady GaGa/gender ambiguous pose stands out against the backdrop of the typical Korean male, who is traditionally more bicep showy, more macho, clean cut or respectable, even in this (oh how quickly burnt the candle) era of Shinee rainbow jeggings.

Culled from the safety of Big Bang, G's Heartbreaker album carved out a neo glam presentation and dirtybit sound that does a lot of fancy empty visualizing and calls to mind the flamboyant ethos of Visual Kei in the Miyavi vein, or less fortunately, The Far East Movement. 

Honestly, I have no high brow illusions about this. I am a G Dragon Fan. All that slim, shiny pizzaz stuns me into submission. And now, with G's haute couture clad stick figure gracing the covers of so many arty fashion magazines, I have whiplash. Is any of this sustainable? Just as much as space travel, I suspect. Perhaps though, the wriggle room for such a phenomenon even in a tiny space of cultural time is making enough flash to carry the minimal substance.