During heart-wrenching moments, the flicker of small lighter flames used to illuminate gloomy concert stadiums. Then there were the phone flashlights, which flashed brilliantly for anyone to see. Lightsticks, however, have been devised by K-pop fandoms as a far more high-tech way of expressing their love for their stars.
Any K-Pop concert experience would be incomplete without these brilliant, dazzling lights. But why would fans pay top cash for a glorified light stick that would be used just once in a blue moon?
These LED sticks, which resemble a mix between a magical girl anime wand and a beefed-up torch, are powered by AAA batteries, feature Bluetooth connectivity, and have won the hearts (and wallets) of tens of thousands of loving admirers.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a group right now that doesn’t have a lightstick (particularly one from the “big three” — SM, YG, and JYP Entertainment). Their designs are like small pieces of art, with some being simple and graceful and others being incredibly detailed.
Many organizations attempt to tailor the form to their own preferences. They may use their emblem or another clearly known symbolic fandom reference as a starting point for their design. Weapons (BLACKPINK), animals (GOT7), plants (Highlight), and even vegetables (BLACKPINK) are all included (MAMAMOO). Lightsticks readily become collector’s goods due to their one-of-a-kind nature. Before 2016, VIXX fans could purchase six of the Version 1 lightsticks to make a complete star shape.
EXO’s lightstick is called the “Pharynx,” TWICE’s is called the “Candy Bong,” and BTS’ is called the “ARMY Bomb” (which we don’t advocate mentioning near any type of security or police).
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