Arts & Culture
K-pop laser show brings music and light to Space Center in PG
April Slaughter | Lehi Free Press
A new laser show in Pleasant Grove is blending the global popularity of k-pop with the immersive visual technology of a planetarium dome.
The program, titled “KPop Laser Hunters,” is being presented at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center. The show pairs high‑energy K‑pop music with synchronized laser projections that sweep across the dome ceiling, creating an experience that surrounds audiences with moving light and animation timed to the music.
Laser shows have long been a staple of planetariums, combining music with specialized projection systems that fill a curved dome with beams of colored light, geometric patterns and animated imagery synchronized with a soundtrack.
Located in Pleasant Grove inside Central Elementary School, the Christa McAuliffe Space Center is operated by Alpine School District and serves as an educational facility focused on space science and simulation‑based learning. Named for teacher and astronaut Christa McAuliffe, the center offers students and visitors immersive experiences designed to teach astronomy, physics and space exploration concepts.
In addition to its educational missions and simulations, the center periodically hosts special public events and shows in its planetarium theater, including themed laser light programs set to popular music.
During the k-pop program, lasers sweep across the dome to create animated imagery that moves with the rhythm of the music. The shifting patterns and beams of light can create the illusion that visuals are traveling through space overhead, filling the audience’s entire field of view.
The show draws inspiration from the animated musical film “KPop Demon Hunters,” which follows a fictional k-pop girl group that secretly battles supernatural forces while maintaining their lives as global pop stars.
Interest in the film’s music surged again this week after its signature song, “Golden,” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15. The win marked the first time a K‑pop song has received the Oscar in that category.
The song is performed in the film by vocalists EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami as the fictional group HUNTR/X. Released as part of the film’s soundtrack, “Golden” became an international hit and helped bring the movie’s music to global audiences.
Planetarium laser shows first gained popularity decades ago when venues began pairing music with laser graphics projected onto dome ceilings. Classic programs often feature rock albums such as Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon,” which remains one of the most widely recognized laser shows performed in planetariums around the world.
In recent years, many venues have expanded their offerings beyond classic rock to include contemporary genres to attract younger audiences.
The k-pop laser show reflects that shift, bringing one of the world’s most popular music genres into a venue traditionally associated with science education.
K-pop, short for Korean pop music, has grown into a global entertainment industry over the past two decades, blending pop, hip‑hop and electronic influences with elaborate choreography and stylized visual production.
While the laser show is designed primarily as an entertainment experience, it also highlights the projection technology used in modern planetarium theaters. The dome environment allows imagery and light effects to fill the audience’s field of vision, creating a fully immersive visual experience.
For fans of k-pop, the show offers a new way to experience the genre, where music, animation and laser light move across the simulated night sky of a planetarium dome.
For information about upcoming shows, tickets and events at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center, visit the center’s official website, spacecenterutah.org.
