Originally a GNK-series power droid, DC-GNK underwent significant alterations by Jawa Empideera Kkek to function as a translator. To aid Kkek in business dealings, DC-GNK was equipped with various recovered components from protocol droids. Despite appreciating the upgrade in intelligence that came with his conversion into a more advanced droid, DC-GNK yearned for autonomy and independence from the Jawas.
The roleplaying game supplement, Secrets of Tatooine, marked the initial reference to DC-GNK. A visual representation of the droid did not appear until its inclusion in The Official Star Wars Fact File. Notably, the image used to depict DC-GNK was actually of another GNK droid featured in the Droids (1995) 2 comic book.