KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 — South Korean artist G-Dragon has reportedly had a song and a voice message transmitted into outer space, as part of a collaborative project linking science, technology, and art.
According to a Yonhap News Agency report, the transmission was carried out by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kaist) on 9 April, using a 13-metre antenna at its satellite research centre in Daejeon.
The project involved Kaist, G-Dragon, and Galaxy Corporation — an artificial intelligence (AI) metaverse company that recently signed a partnership agreement with the artist.
A short greeting from G-Dragon and his recently released song Home Sweet Home were reportedly broadcast into space.
The transmission was said to have been accompanied by a digital artwork titled Iris, created by contemporary artist and Kaist associate professor Lee Jin-joon, featuring an AI-generated image of G-Dragon’s iris.
"The iris is a symbol reflecting inner emotions and identity, often referred to as the 'mirror of the soul'," Lee was quoted as saying.
“Through this work, I aimed to depict the 'infinite universe seen through the inner self of humanity' by following G-Dragon's perspective.”
The audio also included a recording of the Emile Bell — a Korean bronze bell that is over 1,000 years old.
The signal was reportedly received by a small satellite launched aboard the Nuri rocket in May 2023, and then relayed further into space.
Kaist’s Satellite Technology Research Centre is expected to continue transmitting the audio once a day.
G-Dragon, who serves as a visiting professor in mechanical engineering at Kaist, reportedly described the experience as surreal and said he hoped the song “found its home properly.”