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Lightstick
| Synonyms: | Fanlight |
| See also: | K-Pop J-Pop |
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A lightstick is a piece of offical merchandise for a particular K-Pop group, meant to be used during concerts to show support. Usually the design consists of a simple stick-part and a head that lights up. The head is different for each group, where its shape and color will relate to the group. Since each fanclub has an official color, it's common for the light of the stick to be this color.
Some lightsticks resemble sticks used by characters from different anime or films, such as Sakura or Sailor Moon, which has led to some people unfamiliar with the K-POP fandom confusing items with cosplay pieces and vice versa.
Many fans create unofficial lightsticks when their favorite group doesn't have one, and also it has become common for western fandoms to imagine what pop singers' lightsticks would look like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and others would look like.
Turning off one's lightstick during a performance can also be a way for fans to show dislike, since if enough people do it there will be a noticeable patch of darkness in the crowd. One of the most notable instances of this was the "Black Ocean" during Girls' Generation's performance at the 2008 Dream Concert.[1]
History
Use in J-Pop
Lightsticks are also commonly used at Japanese concerts, and are popular in the Japanese idol scene. In Japanese, lightsticks are often "penlights."
A popular brand of lightsticks in Japan is King Blade. These can also be official merchandise produced by entertainment companies.
Fans will often set their lights to be representative of their favorite member during concerts. Fans also will participate in wotagei (ヲタ芸), which refers to chanting and performing dance moves with the penlights during songs.
Examples
- LOONA Lightstick (also known as the 'High Bong')
References
- ^ "THE INFAMOUS SNSD BLACK OCEAN AT DREAM CONCERT - WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED?". 2019-03-17. Archived from the original on 2024-02-15. Retrieved 2021-02-27.