Was G-DRAGON Given Preferential Treatment from Military Hospital? Suspicions & Refutations

Photo from Ilgan Sports

G-Dragon, who is in the military as an active-duty soldier, has been accused of unjustly receiving benefits from the military's hospital. While G-Dragon received a vacation of ten days, he is currently hospitalized in 'Armed Force Yangju Hospital' due to a pain in his ankle.

Do you think he was favored?

Photo from Online Community

Was G-Dragon given a preferential treatment? Let's find out by looking into the report of Dispatch which first raised the suspicion and the refutation of YG Entertainment and Korea's Ministry of National Defense.

Suspicion 1. G-Dragon is staying in the 'Colonel's Room' which is a VIP room, not available to ordinary soldiers

Dispatch reported that G-Dragon is hospitalized in the 'colonel's room', a VIP room for one person which can not be used by ordinary soldiers. The medium also described his life in the hospital as 'general-level', in that he's enjoying an air conditioner, a fridge, and a television, which are unavailable in normal rooms. According to the report, ordinary soldiers usually stay in rooms for 4ㆍ6ㆍ8 people and the colonel's room can't be used even by a major nor a lieutenant colonel. Dispatch also cited an anonymous soldier who said, "I saw somebody who looked like a manager in the hospital, even after 5 pm, when the visiting hours are over."

Refutation 1. There's no such room as 'Colonel's Room'

YG Entertainment explained, "G-Dragon is staying, not in a VIP room but in a single room where normal soldiers stay. Single rooms are not only allowed to field grades but also to soldiers who need special treatment or comfort under isolation. The agency dismissed the accusation by adding, "As for G-Dragon, since there was a request for privacy protection, he was placed in a single room. Hospital is where many people come and go. Placement in a single room was a measure to prevent disturbance and confusion not only for G-Dragon but also for other patients' stability. Calling this a special favor doesn't make sense."

The Ministry of National Defense also rebutted, "There's no such room as 'Colonel's Room' in the military hospital. G-Dragon is now hospitalized in a single room. In addition, ordinary rooms are also furnished with air conditioners, TVs, and fridges. As a result of checking at the guardhouse, there were no visitors for G-Dragon after 5 pm. It can not possibly be the case that we give a soldier a benefit just because he's a celebrity. "

Photo from Ilgan Sports

Suspicion 2. G-Dragon is enjoying a special treatment by continuously going on a vacation with an excuse of illness

Dispatch wrote that G-Dragon took ten-day-long vacations twice during the last two months, on account of ankle and joint instability. In May, he got a surgery in a private hospital, and then he took another vacation in June, in complaining of ankle pain.

Refutation 2. G-Dragon's surgery was an inevitable circumstance 

YG Entertainment explained, "At the time of world tours, prior to entering the army, he had been in pain for spraining his ankle frequently, and the condition worsened during military training. According to the diagnosis result, surgery was unavoidable because bone chips were damaging ligaments and muscles, and had caused inflammations."

By Bongbong and Soohyoun Nam voomvoomk@gmail.com