BIGBANG joins Korea's space ambitions as 1st KASA ambassadors

Members of BIGBANG pose after being appointed as the first public relations ambassadors of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA). Courtesy of KASA

Veteran K-pop group BIGBANG has been tapped in Korea's push to build a space industry, becoming the first public relations ambassadors of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) on Friday.

KASA said it appointed the group to help broaden public interest in the country's space and aviation programs, and make its vision and major projects more accessible to the public.

The appointment comes as Korea prepares for the fifth launch of its Nuri space rocket and advances plans for lunar exploration, giving BIGBANG a role in bringing those efforts closer to the public and encouraging interest and participation in major space programs through a range of communication activities.

Among them will be the Dream Capsule project, which will collect the public's dreams and messages of support and send them into space aboard the fifth Nuri launch, planned for the second half of this year.

The project is intended to give the launch a more personal dimension, turning what might otherwise be a technical milestone into a shared national event, KASA said.

BIGBANG said it was meaningful to be invited to take part as the agency's first public relations ambassadors at a moment when Korea is writing a new chapter in its space history.

KASA Administrator Oh Tae-seog said the group was chosen to help create a new challenge in space and aviation together with the public.

The agency said its partnership with BIGBANG will focus on communicating its vision, policies and projects while building broader public support for future missions.

The fifth Nuri launch and lunar exploration are among the major initiatives that KASA plans to highlight through its public engagement efforts, it said.

BIGBANG's appointment gives the agency a high-profile partner as it seeks to turn public attention toward Korea's expanding space ambitions and invite people to participate in the journey.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.