'Unfollow' means break-ups?

K-pop superstar G-Dragon has become the talk of the town again.

But this time it is not for his award-winning music or his outlandish fashion choices.

Rather, it's over his hush-hush love life.

The prolific 25-year-old, who has more than 2.5 million followers on his Instagram account (@xxxibgdrgn), has been acting out online and causing a huge social media stir among his fans.

In the past week, G-Dragon, the leader of popular K-pop boy band Big Bang, unfollowed his rumoured long-time girlfriend, Japanese model-actress Kiko Mizuhara, 24, on Instagram.

TIT FOR TAT

On the same day, Mizuhara also unfollowed him on Twitter, leading fans to speculate that the A-list couple have broken up after being together for five years.

Mizuhara, who made her acting debut in Norwegian Wood (2010), was born in Dallas, Texas, to an American father and a Korean mother, but grew up in Japan.

In the weeks before this, G-Dragon had already been behaving oddly on Instagram and Twitter, posting messages such as "Nothing special" and "You can't always get what you want".

There was also a tweet from him that read: "When I was your man."

This was in contrast to the usual pictures of him in fashionable outfits or snapshots of him goofing around with his band members.

G-Dragon's moody and mysterious online behaviour caused over-activity on his Instagram account, as fans started asking him why

he unfollowed Mizuhara and if they had called it quits.

Some also attacked and flamed Mizuhara on her social media accounts, asking her to leave their idol alone.

But on Monday, it seemed as if the emotional singer had enough. He proceeded to unfollow all the accounts he was following.

The social media darling also created a private account (@peaceminusone) and uploaded only photos there.

The account cannot be accessed unless he approves the request and it had, at last count, just 29 posts and 44 followers.

Local G-Dragon fans The New Paper spoke to expressed concern.

Nanyang Polytechnic student Nurul Atikah, 18, said: "I was quite worried about him when he started posting the emotional stuff online. I thought that maybe he was going through a really bad break-up. I think he created a private account as he needed some

personal space."

She added: "I feel like all the fans are over-analysing his life and I feel sad for him. I hope he gets back on track soon and also gets back to work on the new Big Bang album."

Student Angeline Lim, 18, added: "I pity him. Everything that he does is amplified just because he is a superstar. Actually, he is also a normal human being going through a break-up.

"I love his Instagram posts, but I think he is not going to post on his public account any more."

Their 5-year 'romance' timeline

2009

The couple's romantic link start during Big Bang's debut in Japan.

2010

G-Dragon's agency, YG Entertainment, releases a statement denying the two are in a relationship, but "they are close friends".

2011

Dating rumours resurface as photos of the couple at an amusement park and having dinner make their rounds online. Mizuhara gets flamed by Big Bang fans.

2012

August: G-Dragon joins Instagram with the username xxxibgdrgn, while Mizuhara's username for her private Instagram account is kikoxxx. Fans once again speculate he's dropping hints about their relationship.

December: G-Dragon posts a photo of Phuket during the Christmas season. Shortly after, a fan writes online that she spotted the pair in Phuket and posts a blurry picture of the duo.

2013

May: G-Dragon posts a drawing of him and a girl on Instagram. In the picture, he's wearing a top with the letter G, while the girl is wearing a sweater with the letter K.

December: The pair are spotted dining at a Las Vegas restaurant. G-Dragon posts a photo of a woman's left foot with 'Daddy' tattooed on it. Fans comment that the woman is Mizuhara.

2014

March: G-Dragon starts posting unhappy and gloomy stuff on Instagram, leading fans to speculate he is going through a break-up.

April: G-Dragon sports a new tattoo MZH KK (the initials of Mizuhara Kiko). The couple then unfollow each other on social media. G-Dragon unfollows everyone else on Instagram and sets up a private account.

This article was published on April 24 in The New Paper.

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