T.O.P, a former member of the popular Korean boy band BIGBANG, was invited to participate in the space travel project “dearMoon” in 2022, which aimed to orbit the moon. However, the project was announced to be cancelled on June 1. T.O.P expressed his regret on Instagram, stating that “the dream is not over yet.”
The “dearMoon” project was conceived and funded by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa. In 2022, Maezawa announced that they had received around 1 million global applications, and after interviews and health checks, selected T.O.P and 7 others to join the expedition. They were scheduled to orbit the moon in 2023 aboard a spacecraft developed by SpaceX, with the journey expected to last seven days. This project was the first privately initiated lunar travel activity.
However, on June 1, the official Instagram account of “dearMoon” announced: “We regret to announce the cancellation of the first privately initiated lunar orbit project ‘dearMoon’. While we thank everyone for their support so far, we sincerely apologize for this outcome.”
T.O.P also shared his thoughts on Instagram, saying, “I’m sure you have heard that the dearMoon project sadly came to an end. But I sincerely thank Mr. Yusaku Maezawa for realizing the dearMoon project. This is the greatest and most beautiful art project ever undertaken for the advancement of humanity, a brave challenge that no one in the world could have imagined.”
Furthermore, T.O.P added, “My dream is not over yet. Being selected as a member of the project is one of the proudest moments of my life. I am grateful for the experiences and friendships I have gained from this process. Over the years participating in the dearMoon project, I have felt a direct connection between my body, mind, and the moon. The connection with the moon and the universe has inspired me to create a lot of new music. The moon nourishes my soul and will always be a meaningful and inspiring presence.”
T.O.P mentioned that his dream of traveling to the moon is not over; it will remain his goal and challenge. He also felt a sense of responsibility from the encouragement received from others during this journey.
However, T.O.P later deleted his personal official Instagram account.