One of a Kind (G-Dragon song)

"One of a Kind" is a song by South Korean rapper G-Dragon. Released on August 24, 2012 through YG Entertainment, it served as the lead single from the extended play of the same name. Written solely by G-Dragon, the rapper also worked with long-time collaborator Choice37 to produce the music. The song was well received by music critics, that considered it one of his best work and one of the most influential Korean hip hop tracks. "One of a Kind" peaked at number nine on the Gaon Digital Chart in South Korea.[1]

"One of a Kind"
Single by G-Dragon
from the album One of a Kind
ReleasedAugust 24, 2012
Genre
Length3:26
LabelYG Entertainment
Songwriter(s)G-Dragon
Producer(s)G-Dragon, Choice37
G-Dragon singles chronology
"I Need a Girl"
(2010)		 "One of a Kind"
(2012)		 "That XX"
(2012)
Music video
One of a Kind on YouTube

Composition and reception

A hip hop and pop-rap song, the lyrics discuss "cheeky" themes such as money and fame.[2][3][4] David Jeffries of Allmusic deemed the track as "a bright, boastful number with a hooky chorus and plenty of exciting production tricks".[5] Billboard named "One of a Kind" the seventeenth best K-pop song of 2012, praising the "knocking hip-hop beat that today's biggest rappers would kill for" and how G-Dragon "showed off his impressive knack for flow and lyrics".[6] Web portal Daum named the single the fifth best Korean song of the year, calling it a "masterpiece" and its composition "outstanding".[7]

Korean music critic Kim Bong-hyun included "One of a Kind" in his book of most influential Korean hip hop songs from 1989 to 2016, naming it one of the 28 tracks that shaped the genre.[8] "One of a Kind" was also the only song by a solo artist to be included in The Dong-a Ilbo's 2016 list of the best male idol songs in the past 20 years.[9] Ize magazine listed "One of a Kind" as one of the most memorable songs written by G-Dragon, commenting that it raised his status as a hip-hop musician.[10]

Commercially, the song became the fifth track from the album to peak within Gaon Digital Chart's top ten, when it rose to number nine in its second week, after a debut at number 21.[11][12] The track earned him the Best Hip Hop / Rap Song of the Year awards from the Korean Music Awards and the Rhythmer Awards.[13]

Music video

The music video for "One of a Kind" preceded the album, being released on YouTube on August 25, 2012, marking his first solo release since Heartbreaker (2009).[14] Directed by Seo Hyun Seung, the video was described as "autobiographical" and "glittered with designer items."[15] G-Dragon is seen wearing outfits that he has worn in previous music videos. Fellow Big Bang member, Taeyang makes an appearance.[16] David Bevan of Spin called it "a dazzling clip" for the "undeniable pop-rap juggernaut" track.[4] Stereogum named "One of a Kind" the best music video of the week, with Tom Breihan commenting that "[I]f you don’t have a baby tiger on a leash or a dancing bear cub in your video, you lost. Sometimes, it’s just that simple. K-pop has discovered skate-rap, and we should all be very, very excited about that."[17] Fuse called it one of G-Dragon's "must-see videos", noting that the "Explicit Content" reinterpreted sticker is "one of his most memorable looks".[18]

Chart performance and sales
Chart Peak
position
South Korea (Gaon)[1] 9
South Korea (K-pop Hot 100)[19] 14
US World Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[20] 7

Sales
Chart Sales
South Korea (digital) 777,782[21]

Awards
Year Award-Giving Body Category Result Ref.
2012 HipHopPlaya Awards Music Video of the Year Won
2013 Korean Music Awards Song of the Year Nominated [22]
Best Rap/Hip Hop Song Won
Rhythmer Awards Best Hip Hop Song of The Year Won [13]

References
  1. "국내 대표 음악 차트 가온차트!". gaonchart.co.kr. Archived from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  2. "G-Dragon Goes Solo with One Of A Kind". seoulbeats. September 24, 2012. Archived from the original on August 22, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  3. "K-Pop Review: One of a Kind by G-Dragon". KpopStarz. October 11, 2012. Archived from the original on August 13, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  4. Bevan, David (January 21, 2013). "K-Pop's New Style: G-Dragon Blazes a Cray Path". Spin. Archived from the original on June 3, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  5. Jeffries, David. "One of a Kind - G-Dragon". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  6. Benjamin, Jeff; Oak, Jessica (December 21, 2012). "20 Best K-Pop Songs of 2012: BIGBANG, PSY, 2NE1 & More". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 2, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  7. "국내노래 TOP 10". Daum Music (in Korean). January 18, 2013. Archived from the original on January 8, 2015. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  8. "[책의 향기]홍서범부터 GD까지 '쇼 미 더' 한국 힙합". Dong-a News (in Korean). August 5, 2017. Archived from the original on August 13, 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  9. ""반짝반짝 눈이 부셔"… 빅뱅-소녀시대 역대 최고 아이돌 원문보". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). September 2016. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  10. "G-Dragon 고별展│가사로 본 지 드래곤의 인생". Ize Magazine (in Korean). June 13, 2017. Archived from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  11. "2012년 39주차 Digital Chart". Gaon Chart. Archived from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  12. "2012년 38주차 Digital Chart". Gaon Chart. Archived from the original on March 7, 2015. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  13. "제3회 리드머 어워드(3rd RHYTHMER AWARDS) 수상결과 | 리드머 - 대한민국 대표 흑인음악 미디어". board.rhythmer.net (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 23, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  14. "G-Dragon Unleashes MV for "One of a Kind"". Soompi. August 24, 2012. Archived from the original on August 17, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  15. Kim, JiYeon (August 25, 2012). "KPOP NEWS - [Video] G-Dragon Releases Music Video for Autobiographical 'One of a Kind' | Mwave". Mwave. Archived from the original on August 13, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  16. "[Video] G-Dragon's 'One of a Kind' is Filled With Hidden Treasures". MWave. Archived from the original on July 28, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
  17. Breihan, Tom (August 31, 2012). "The 5 Best Videos Of The Week". Stereogum. Archived from the original on August 13, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  18. Benjamin, Jeff (August 8, 2014). "G-DRAGON HEADLINES KCON 2014: 5 MUST-SEE VIDEOS BEFORE HIS CONCERT". Fuse. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  19. "G-Dragon Korea K-Pop Hot 100 Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 25, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  20. "World Digital Songs : Sep 29, 2012 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 5, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  21. Cumulative sales for "One of a Kind":
    • "2012 Year End". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
    • "Week 02 of 2013". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
    • "Week 03 of 2013". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
    • "Week 06 of 2013". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
    • "Week 07 of 2013". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
    • "Week 08 of 2013". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
    • "Week 09 of 2013". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
    • "Week 10 of 2013". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
    • "Week 11 of 2013". Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  22. "KMA 2013 - Nominees List 1". KMA. January 29, 2013. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
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