Former BIGBANG member T.O.P. has revealed his stance regarding the cancellation of the DearMoon Project.

The DearMoon Project announced through its official account on June 1st, "Unfortunately, the first private lunar orbit project, DearMoon, has been canceled. We thank everyone who has supported us so far."

T.O.P., who participated as a crew member in the project, also stated on his personal account, "You may have heard, but unfortunately, the DearMoon Project has been canceled," and "However, I deeply appreciate Yusaku Maezawa, who conceptualized the DearMoon Project."

He continued, "It was the greatest and most beautiful art project for the advancement of humanity that no one in the world could have imagined. The courage to attempt this mission was truly an extraordinary witness," emphasizing, "My dream never ends."

He said, "Being selected as a crew member was one of the greatest honors of my life. I am filled with gratitude for the experiences and friendships I gained through this process. Joining the DearMoon Project for a few years, I felt a deep and direct connection between my body and soul with the moon. "

He added, "My body and soul, connected to the moon and space, have already inspired many new pieces of music. The moon will nourish my soul and fill it with meaning and inspiration forever."

Finally, T.O.P. stated, "My dream of traveling to the moon is not over. It has become the ultimate and greatest goal, the official challenge, and the core mission of my life," adding, "Through this process, I feel a deep sense of responsibility to all those who have supported and endorsed me."

Earlier, T.O.P. had announced his participation in the DearMoon project, a lunar tourism project conducted by SpaceX, a US space exploration company founded by Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, in 2022.

The project aimed to involve a crew of eight, including T.O.P., in the first civilian lunar flight, which was scheduled to orbit the moon for about a week aboard a spacecraft developed by SpaceX.

However, in November of last year, the DearMoon project announced, "Although originally aimed for launch by the end of 2023, due to ongoing spacecraft development, the launch will not take place this year," and then, about six months later, announced the cancellation of the project.

Source[1]

BTS member Jimin made history at the 2024 MAMA AWARDS, becoming the first solo artist ever to win the prestigious Visa Fan’s Choice of the Year award.

On November 22, Jimin was honored with the Fan’s Choice of the Year award at the 2024 MAMA AWARDS JAPAN, held at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Japan. This marks a huge milestone in his career, especially considering his ongoing military service.

Jimin made history as the first solo artist to win the Fan’s Choice of the Year award, a category that BTS had dominated for six years since its debut in 2018.

In addition to this achievement, Jimin also took home the Fan’s Choice Grand Prize, making him a two-time winner at this year’s awards.

Although Jimin couldn't attend the ceremony due to his military service, his name was met with loud cheers from fans when announced.

His incredible win continues to prove his global influence as a solo artist. Jimin had also won Best Male Artist at the 2023 MAMA AWARDS, marking back-to-back wins at the event.

The MAMA AWARDS praised Jimin for his groundbreaking achievements, saying, “As the first K-pop solo artist to reach 4 billion streams and set the longest-running #1 record for a Korean artist, Jimin has proven his influence as a world-class artist and global pop star.”

Jimin's win also made him the first solo artist to claim a grand prize at the MAMA AWARDS in 10 years, with his achievement sparking excitement worldwide.

On X (formerly Twitter), the hashtag “CONGRATULATIONS JIMIN” topped the trends, while “우리지민이상받았네” (Our Jimin Got the Award) reached the #1 spot in Korea.

Jimin’s ongoing success continues to shine even during his military service. He was also recently named Best K-pop at the 2024 MTV Europe Music Awards and continues to be recognized for his charitable efforts, including a recent donation of 100 million KRW to the National Defense Soldier and Veteran Love Fund.

Source: [1]