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If you have never attended a K-pop concert, you might not be familiar with lightsticks or the deep connection they hold for K-pop fans. K-pop lightsticks1 are not just glowing accessories — they are symbolic, fan-made devices used to show support for favorite artists during concerts.
Each lightstick is uniquely designed to reflect the group’s or soloist’s concept, theme, and identity, often becoming an iconic symbol of fandom unity. These lightsticks have evolved into a central element of K-pop culture, transforming the concert experience and how fans interact with artists.
During concerts, these lightsticks emit vibrant colors and patterns, creating dazzling displays that differ from those at non-K-pop events. To most fans though, these lightsticks are not only an accessory — they are a fundamental aspect of fandom culture and identity.
“The Rise Of K-Pop Lightsticks” — A Cultural Phenomenon: ‘G-Dragon‘
BigBang member G-Dragon, who is known as the “King of K-pop,” is credited for creating the first-ever lightstick for his group, the “BangBong” in 2006. Every lightstick has its own original name with the word “Bong” attached to it. In Korean, “bong2” stands for stick, and groups will attach a special word (in this case coming from the name Big Bang) with “bong” to create the name “BangBong.”
The origin of the K-pop genre dates back to 1992, when the first K-pop group, Seo Taiji and Boys debuted. At that time, K-pop lightsticks were just a figment of your imagination. Instead, as a way to show their support for their favorite groups, fans would bring balloons3 to hold up during their concerts that matched the groups’ designated colors.
Fans of the boy group H.O.T. would bring white balloons to their shows and help them up as white was the group’s color. The same went for fans of g.od. but instead of white, they held up light blue balloons. Holding up balloons of a specific color would be the ongoing tradition kept up by fans to show their support and unity as a fandom until 2006 when the “BangBong” was released.
Great success was found from the release of the “BangBong,” which prompted other K-pop entertainment companies to catch on and marked the start of the lightstick phenomenon we know today. With the “BangBong” being the stepping stone for what K-pop lightsticks are today, the overall design of the lightsticks was much simpler than what some of them looked like in 2025.
Standout Lightstick Designs
Every K-pop group has its own distinctive lightstick design, with some standing out as truly unique. While many follow traditional design patterns, others break the mold, making them even more memorable.
BlackPink “Bi-ping-bong” (2018)
Released in 2018, the famous K-pop girl group Blackpink’s lightstick, “Bi-ping-Bong” has made a name for itself simply because of its design.
Designed by the members themselves, the “Bi-ping-bong” is in the shape of a hammer, with two pink hearts on each side with a black base. Comparing this design to the default dome-shaped lightstick, this was a different approach to the lightstick design that made the “Bi-ping-bong” known for its uniqueness.
Dreamcatcher “MongMongie” (2021)
K-pop girl group, Dreamcatcher currently has the largest lightstick in the industry measuring out to 785 mm in length.
“MongMongie” debuted in 2021, dethroning Loona’s “Orbitbong” which measured 435 mm in length. MongMongie has a translucent sphere with a black staff featuring various red accents.
Golden Child “Runebong” (2018)
In 2018, the boy group Golden Child released their bowling pin-shaped lightstick, “Runebong.”
Inspired by a sports theme, the bowling pin-shaped lightstick symbolized playful energy and innovation in design.
“The Evolution Of Lightsticks” — From Glow Sticks To Fandom Identity
Lightsticks are not just accessories to fans; they are fundamental to fandom culture and identity. Each K-pop group has a unique fandom name, which holds special meaning for both the group and its fans. When a lightstick design or fandom name is announced, it becomes a meaningful aspect of a fan’s identity.
In South Korea, fandom culture4 is very different compared to other fandoms. Yes, fandoms in Western culture show the same amount of support as K-pop fandoms but they take it to another level. But, not in a bad way. K-pop fandoms are a huge reason behind a K-pop group’s success through buying their albums and lightsticks, streaming their music on various platforms, voting on music shows and award shows, creating their own fan memorabilia… etc.
So by fans buying and bringing their group’s lightsticks to their concerts, it is the huge implication of them showing that they have their back, no matter what. Whether you’re in the front or last row, holding that light-shaped dome symbolizes support. Bringing a lightstick to a K-pop concert is something many people have never experienced before, but it will transform your overall concert experience, for the better.
How Lightsticks Transform The K-pop Concert Experience
Lightsticks have evolved beyond concert essentials; they are now symbols of identity within K-pop fandom culture. Furthermore, lightsticks are a major way of enhancing someone’s concert experience. When fans hold up their lightsticks during a concert, it creates of sea of light that brightens the concert venue.
Fanchats5 are another key aspect of the K-pop community that fans participate in during concerts or events. While holding their lightsticks, fans will recite fanchats that relate to certain lyrics in a group’s song. Other chants include fans reciting every group member’s name starting from the oldest or leader and finishing with the youngest member and/or group name. Most of the time, the chants are decided by the fans on social media.
These two different things — lightsticks and fanchants — show how much of a community K-pop fandoms are. Concert attendees often ask fans about lightsticks and what they are, underscoring their niche yet pivotal role in K-pop culture. Lightsticks are also a huge collector’s item for fans.
Beyond Lightsticks: Expanding K-pop Fandom Culture
On top of collecting lightsticks, another item many K-pop fans collect is photo cards. Photocards are another huge phenomenon in K-pop fandom communities. Beyond concerts, photo cards featuring idol images offer fans a meaningful way to express loyalty and pride.
These 2.5×3.5 mm pieces of cardboard bring so much joy to many K-pop fans to the point where many fans bring their photocards with them on their daily adventures including school, work, and leisure time with friends.
Bringing your favorite photocard and lightstick to any K-pop concert is a huge part of being a K-pop fan and adds to the overall experience, but also being able to sync your lightstick to the concert venue takes it to another level.
“The Role Of Technology” — Synchronization & Fan Engagement
As technology has advanced over the years, so have lightsticks. For the first 8 years after the first lightstick was released in 2006, there was no syncing available. Early lightsticks, like the ‘BangBong,’ could only flash a pre-installed yellow light. Syncing the lightsticks to the concert venues was also not an option.
That changed once K-pop boy group, EXO released their lightstick, the “Eribong” in 2014. The “Eribong” was the first ever lightstick to utilize Bluetooth syncing. Fans were able to control their lightstick through the SMTown app. Following the release of the “Eribong” with the Bluetooth app, many groups moving forward began to do the same.
The “Eribong” is known for its very bright light interior. With the option of using an app to sync their lightsticks, fans can change their lightsticks to different colors within the app itself. The mobile app also allows the lightsticks to be synced up to the concert venue, which is a major technology upgrade from when lightsticks first made their debut in 2006.
Just this last year in 2024, we also slowly began to see some Western artists integrating similar things to lightsticks such as LED lights for their concerts to enhance their own fan’s concert experiences.
“From Korea To The West” — Lightsticks & Global Music Culture
The ability to sync lightsticks from an app to the venue itself shows how innovative the K-pop genre is and how ahead of its time it is. If you were to compare this to the Western genre and concert atmosphere, the use of lightsticks is not something we see. Only recently have we seen something similar in the West from Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour and Coldplay‘s Music of the Spheres Tour.
Both Taylor Swift and Coldplay gave their fans LED wristbands to wear throughout their concerts that lit up the concert venue, with many Swifties admitting that they kept theirs as a memory from the concert. Despite only being bracelets worn on fans’ wrists, these lights made major impacts by creating visually appealing effects during the show.
Western artists are integrating LED wristbands at concerts, and K-pop is steadily gaining recognition on American music charts. Groups like BTS and Blackpink in 2017-2018 were the first couple of groups to step foot into the music charts which prompted them to become the stepping stone of K-pop into mainstream pop music.
We are still seeing groups today in 2025 such as P1Harmony, Tomorrow X Together, and Stray Kids being recognized in the American music charts such as Billboard due to their diverse discographies. Furthermore, we are seeing more and more K-pop concerts and events take place in America.
KCON6, a popular yearly three-day concert and convention that takes place around the world and brings K-pop fans together. Los Angeles hosts KCON LA every summer, with KCON also taking place in other countries such as Japan, Germany, Paris, Abu Dhabi, and Mexico.
KCON has transformed fandom culture by creating a positive environment for K-pop fans to learn about K-pop and Korean culture through many things such as Korean food, beauty, fashion, music and so much more. KCON also gives fans a chance to see, meet, and interact with their favorite groups at both the convention and the concert.
Getting a chance to perform at KCON allows groups to show who they are and what they bring to the industry. It also helps them gain more opportunities in America and other countries. Groups also enjoy performing overseas because it gives them a chance to see more of their fans they may not get to see often.
With KCON being both a convention and concert, many fans showcase their creativity and individuality at both events through the personalization of their fan memorabilia.
“Customization Trends” — How Fans Personalize Lightsticks
One thing about K-pop fans is that they are very creative and are up to date with many trends. They love to create, decorate, and personalize their own items that they like to bring with them to concerts, which include their lightsticks.
K-pop fans decorate and customize their lightsticks in a way that matches their own outfits worn to concerts or even to match the group’s concept. There are many different ways that lightsticks can be customized, from simple to out-of-the-box.
The easiest and most “basic” way for fans to decorate their lightsticks is with decals or stickers. Many fans make their own decals with vinyl made on a Cricut machine and the designs they make can vary.
Most of the time fans will make decals out of the group’s name, and their favorite member’s (biased) name either in English or Korean that they place on either the dome or handle of the lightstick.
Another way that K-pop fans decorate their lightsticks is by attaching bows made of ribbon to the lightstick base. Many fans have taken to YouTube to help other fans customize their own lightsticks.
Most lightstick domes are removable, allowing fans to decorate the inside and express their creativity. Fans who crochet have also begun crocheting lightstick covers that many fans love to put on their lightsticks. Often fans will crochet covers that match an idol’s representative animal, for example.
Decorating your lightstick or not does not make you any less of a K-pop fan. Many fans do it as a way to personalize their own items. As years go by, fans are going to continue to spark their creativity and create things many of us would have never thought of before.
With 2025 just getting its start, we are only going to see things grow for lightsticks and K-pop as a whole.
“What’s Next For Lightsticks?” The Future Of Concert Innovation
With the music industry, fandom culture, and technology constantly changing and advancing each and every day, we are only going to continue to see changes. For example, when it comes to lightsticks and their ability to sync up to concert venues just by an app, we can only imagine how they will be able to sync up 5-10 years from now.
We may see more of the Western music industry integrating LED light-up bracelets, as Taylor Swift did, to enhance fan engagement. Also, more and more fans are going to continue to unite together as one by holding their lightsticks up at their favorite group’s concerts.
Not only this, but we are also going to see more and more unique designs of lightsticks being created as more groups in 2025 are starting to debut. K-pop, in general, is going to continue to rise and gain popularity especially as more people are finding interest in the genre and culture as a whole.
Footnotes
- Kpop Exchange. (2024, December 9). The Ultimate Guide to K-pop lightsticks. ↩︎
- Tsui, L. (2022, November 8). The ‘Light’ (Stick) between K-pop idols and fans. HIKOCO. ↩︎
- Tsui, L. (2022, November 8). The ‘Light’ (Stick) between K-pop idols and fans. HIKOCO ↩︎
- Wikipedia contributors. (2024, November 20). Fandom culture in South Korea. Wikipedia. ↩︎
- Frog, C. (2023b, May 28). Kpop Fan Chants: A Guide for New Kpop Fans [2023] — Cute Frog Creations. Cute Frog Creations. ↩︎
- KCON USA. (2025, January 23). Home – KCON USA. ↩︎