[Sportschosun | Reporter Cho Min-jung] Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS)'s 'Unanswered Questions' has set out to find Perry (Perry Thomas Borja), an early YG Entertainment rapper and producer whose whereabouts have been unknown since 2010. As the broadcaster posted an official request for tips about a story that had long circulated online merely as a "disappearance rumor," netizens reacted with surprise, saying, "So he really was missing."
On the 17th, the official social media account of 'Unanswered Questions' posted a request for information, along with past photos of Perry, seeking anyone who knows about his current whereabouts.
The production team stated, "We are seeking information from anyone who knows the whereabouts of Perry, a rapper and producer who continued his music career in South Korea from the mid-1990s and has reportedly been missing since he was last seen in Los Angeles, United States, in 2010, or anyone who is in contact with his family."
The accompanying image showed Perry in a white shirt with his hands clasped. Beside the photo was a description identifying him as 'Perry, a rapper and producer who has reportedly been missing since he was last seen in Los Angeles, United States, in 2010,' along with information on how to submit tips, including by phone and email.
Perry played a significant role in shaping YG Entertainment's early musical identity. Born in the United States, he began working in South Korea's music industry in the 1990s and became known as an early member and producer of YG Family. He worked on music by YG artists including Jinusean, 1TYM, Seven, Wheesung, and Lexy, and is regarded as one of the producers who established YG's distinctive hip-hop sound at the time.
He also pursued a career as a singer. Perry released a solo album in 2001 and made his presence felt as a rapper through tracks featuring G-Dragon, Sean, Masta Wu, and others.
His influence also extended to BigBang's early music. Perry worked on several tracks during the group's early years, and the 2010 Japanese promotional song 'Beautiful Hangover' is reportedly one of his final YG-related projects.
However, traces of his activities effectively disappeared afterward. Since he was last seen in Los Angeles in 2010, no clear updates about him have emerged, and stories about his whereabouts have continued to circulate among fans in South Korea and abroad.
Netizens quickly responded. Comments included, "So he really was missing. I thought he was living well somewhere," "I thought it was just a story going around," "They're finally covering it on 'Unanswered Questions,'" "Let's find Perry, please," and "I'm genuinely curious about how he's doing." One netizen described Perry as "the beginning of YG," expressing both surprise and delight. Others focused on the request from 'Unanswered Questions,' saying, "So this wasn't a manipulated image after all" and "It looks like it was real, not just a rumor."
Perry was an early producer who helped shape YG's hip-hop identity before the company grew into a major entertainment agency, but he completely vanished from the public eye at some point. Now that 'Unanswered Questions' has begun tracing his whereabouts, which have gone unreported for nearly 16 years, attention is focused on whether his current status can finally be confirmed.
Reporter Cho Min-jung mj.cho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
