Why BTS, Aespa, TXT, Exo and NCT 127 are having adventures in space as K-pop meets science fiction

Many recent K-pop releases have featured spaceships and space-opera-style plots. BTS even went out of this world in online events celebrating their anniversary

Some sci-fi instances in K-pop incorporate ongoing storylines throughout a band’s career, while others explore the concept for a one-off moment of fictive fun

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The K-pop genre has seen plenty of science-fiction fuelled material as of late - like Aespa’s music video for Next Level. Photo: @aespapicss_/ Twitter

Published: 5:15pm, 16 Jun 2021Updated: 7:46pm, 16 Jun 2021

K-pop stars often experiment with creative concepts and narratives. In recent weeks, the genre has been full of futuristic, science-fiction-fuelled material from many of the biggest groups.

Storytelling across different mediums is used by K-pop acts to captivate their audiences and, as the industry grows and becomes more popular across the globe, artists and their companies are constantly finding new ways to up their levels of engagement.

Aliens and space come up once in a while in K-pop music videos, and there are many songs based around similar themes. This year, it feels like every other group is looking beyond pandemic-ridden Earth towards extraterrestrial and fantastical concepts for inspiration.

Music videos are the prime forum for these cinematic sci-fi takes. Since the start of May, many K-pop releases like Tomorrow X Together (TXT)’s Magic, Oh My Girl’s Dun Dun Dance and Save from NCT 127 with Amoeba Culture have featured spaceships and space-opera-style plots.

Meanwhile, Everglow’s First and TXT’s concept trailer for their The Chaos Chapter: Freeze album have featured the groups wielding supernatural powers.

Two anniversary concerts in June by BTS, celebrating the band’s bond with their fans over the past eight years, also took an out-of-this-world turn.