Cultural clash: K-pop superstar G-Dragon divides China fans with ‘Lunar New Year’ greetings

South China Morning Post · Feb 28, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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K-pop superstar G-Dragon ignited the ire of Chinese netizens with his choice of “Lunar New Year” greetings during a recent performance in Dubai. His reported act of liking a post that supported his terminology afterwards was interpreted as a provocative stance.The controversy emerged on February 17, coinciding with the first day of Chinese New Year. The KRAZY Super Concert, headlined by G-Dragon, featured an array of K-pop artists and pop singers from across Asia, including Indonesian singer Agnez Mo and Chinese pop idol Cai Xukun.On stage, G-Dragon greeted the audience by saying “Lunar New Year” instead of “Chinese New Year,” triggering immediate backlash from many Chinese fans.Online footage shows him stating that the day was “Lunar New Year,” repeating “lunar” three times and prompting the audience to echo “new year” after him.Online footage shows G-Dragon declaring the day as “Lunar New Year,” emphasising the word “lunar” three times and encouraging the audience to repeat “new year” after him. Photo: WeiboIn contrast, when Cai joined the stage as a special guest, he addressed the audience by calling it “Chinese New Year” and invited them to say “Happy New Year” in Chinese.

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