Your Complete Guide to KPOP lightsticks

If you are familiar with Kpop groups, you may probably know lightsticks. This is considered the soul of Kpop groups, a unique feature, a sign that identifies different fandoms. The lightstick is not just a cheerleader stick, but it also has its own meaningful message. In this article, let's find out what lightsticks are and the 20 lightstick collections of the most popular Kpop groups!

What is a lightstick?

A lightstick is a portable, glowing electronic device shaped like a stick or small lamp. In addition, the lightstick is also known as a small glowing board with the name of the idol or glowing bracelet. These glowing bracelets are also a tool used to check-in to certain shows. 

Lightsticks are often used in concerts of Korean artists and groups. Each different artist or group has a different lightstick in shape, size, and color.

Kpop lightsticks are designed and produced by artists or groups for their fandom. Kpop lightsticks have the group's logo, the glowing color is the characteristic color of the fan club, the shape depends on the design of the management company or by the artist or group. Therefore, just by looking at the lightstick, you can read the fan club names of Kpop groups. 

History of the lightstick

To start introducing the history of Lightsticks, we have to mention the legendary group - HOT This is the group that started the music era, opened up idol culture, and also made great contributions in creating the famous Korean Hallyu wave.

HOT pioneered in creating many historical marks as well as unique trends that are unique to Kpop. One of the trends is the creation of the fandom and the color of the fandom.

The color of the fandom now has a new meaning, which is the brand and recognizable feature of Kpop groups. The products for the fans of this group are coated in pure white. By only taking a glance, you can know who is a fan of H.O.T

In those products, the predecessor of the lightstick - the same color balloons were officially used. However, in 2002, to replace inconvenient balls with a more modern invention, lightsticks were born. They are about 15-20 cm long.

Gradually, the management companies as well as artists began to transform those monotonous sticks into products with a more personal mark.

The typical colors of the legendary early groups that you may not know: H.O.T (White), Sechskies (Yellow), S.E.S (Purple), Fin.KL (Red), Shinhwa (Orange), g.o.d (Blue), etc. Since then, every new group, besides its own fandom name, will try to create their own unique color because this color will forever follow the path and career development of the groups.

What is a lightstick made of?

It can be said that at first the predecessor of the lightstick was the balloons with the same color, then the silicone sticks inside with a bulb and could be flexed to wear on the hand.

Later with increasingly developed technology, lightsticks were produced more modernly and sophisticatedly. The commonly used materials now are hard plastic, glass, crystal, etc. depending on the design of each lightstick. That is why the price of each lightstick also has a significant difference.

Where to buy lightsticks?

Usually, fans will have to order lightsticks from official online shops of the management companies. The number of lightsticks sold is very limited with a price that is not low, so buying these lightsticks is quite difficult. 

A collection of 20 lightsticks from the most popular Korean groups

1. Lightstick BIG BANG - Bangbong

• Price: 18,000 won

Bigbang lightsticks have had many changes but the main design is still the crown symbolizing power and "luxury". The Big Bang lightstick is one of the oldest lightsticks in Kpop and has been voted as the best lightstick of 2018.

Lightstick Bigbang Ver 4 was created in 2013 with 2 black and white versions and is used until today. This version has an eye-catching shape and also sensors to correspond to music on stage. 

2. Lightstick BTS - ARMY Bomb

• Price: 30,000 - 35,000 won

BTS's lightstick is simple but stands out with a white spherical design with BTS inlays above, the back of the handle is black. This BTS symbol represents the Big Hit's ambition to conquer the world. With the new version of the BTS lightstick, users can also connect to Bluetooth and change the color of the lights. 

3. Lightstick BlackPink - Hammer Bong

• Price: 20,000 won

The BlackPink Lightstick was not highly appreciated by fans when it first came out. BlackPink's lightstick is shaped like a toy hammer, with two distinctive colors, pink and black. The appearance is not the highlight of the Hammer Bong, what attracts fans is the funny "squeak" sound you can make with this lightstick, just like a toy hammer. In particular, this is a product designed by the BlackPink girls themselves. In addition to the official version, the key-shaped mini BlackPink lightstick is also sought after by many fans.

4. Lightstick EXO - Eri Bong

• Price: 32,000 won

The lightstick with EXO's logo has a quite simple shape but is highly appreciated by the Kpop community for its ability to glow up to 12 colors. Eri Bong is designed with a long cylindrical handle and above is the familiar logo of the group. It is referred to as the "chameleon" of the lightstick world. When attending EXO concerts, fans will scan tickets or Eri Bong, the system will automatically detect your location and light up the correct EXO lightstick to create beautiful, harmonious colors. 

5. Lightstick SUPER JUNIOR - Superbong

• Price: 35,000 won

Lightstick uses sapphire blue as the main color, combining stylized SJ letters. There is a popular joke among Super Junior fans that this is a protective cane when needed.

6. Lightstick Highlight - Hallabong

• Price: 33,000 won

A very unique lightstick - with the Highlight's lamp shape. The group's fandom name is Light, so the lightstick can be understood as a symbol of the Light fandom community. It may look like a normal bulb that can actually shine in many different colors.

7. Lightstick Mamamoo - Moobong

• Price: 35,000 won

In Korean, "moo" has a pronunciation similar to the word "radish" and this is the inspiration for the birth of the Mamamoo lightstick. Before the birth of the official lightstick, fans used radishes and painted the faces of the group members to cheer for their idols. It not only has a cute and funny shape, Moobong also has a symbolic meaning of loyalty.

8. Lightstick MOMOLAND - Merrybong

• Price: 40,000 won

The light from Momoland's lightstick is considered to be able to illuminate a whole dark space. With a design as a hypothetical amusement park, this lightstick creates a dynamic and cute feel for the fan community.

9. Lightstick TWICE - Candy Bong

• Price: 30,000 won

Lightstick Twice is inspired by a song from their debut album - "Candy boy". Twice lightstick has the shape of a cute sweet candy, combining two main colors of apricot yellow and neon pink.

10. Lightstick Winner - I.C. Stick

• Price: 20,000 won

Winner lightstick has a simple design with the shape of a stick and has the logo of the group on the head. However, the lightstick is still in the top of Kpop's most impressive glow sticks. When glowing, the I.C. stick has a fanciful shimmering blue-purple color like a galaxy. In addition, it also has the touch feature which makes sound and light "dance" to the beat of the song.

11. Lightstick GOT7 - Ahgabong

• Price: 35,000 won

The idea for GOT7 's lightstick is a cute baby bird (Ahgase), inside is a small ball with the group's name in emerald. The reason for using Ahgase's image as a lightstick is because Ahgase is also the fandom name of the group. Ahgabong represents the spirit and extremely young and lovely music of the 7 boys of JYP.

12. Lightstick Seventeen - Carat Bong

• Price: 30,000 won

With an extremely sophisticated design, the main theme colors of pink and lime, and the hologram effect, this "beautiful miniature galaxy" has created a wave in the fan community.

13. Lightstick SHINEE - Shatingstar

• Price: 35,000 won

It took 10 years since debut, 5 SHINee boys got their official lightstick. This lightstick is designed with the image of a mint blue diamond, creating a pleasant feeling for the viewer.

14. Lightstick iKON – Konbat

• Price: 20,000 won

iKON's lightstick is designed like a unique baseball bat with red and black colors. It represents the passion and determination of the iKON group members.

15. Lightstick TXT – Moabong

• Price: 35,000 won

Lightstick TXT has a mint color with a round and flat shape, which is different from the sphere shape of most other group lightsticks. The three buttons + x + can be understood as the group name.

16. Lightstick SNSD - Sarangnibong

• Price: 35,000 won

Lightstick SNSD is designed to be a transparent heart shape. The inside contains a stylized heart shape from "GG" (short for Girls' Generation). The main color tone is also taken from the group's official pink. Although SNSD debuted in 2008, until 2018, SM officially released the lightstick for the group.

17. Lightstick Red Velvet – Mandu Bong

• Price: 35,000 won

This lightstick was inspired by cupcakes. It is unique among various lightsticks with a soft, feminine design, main details in coral red, white handles, and stylized logo of the group's name.  

18. Lightstick G-FRIEND - Bamhaneulbong

• Price: 35,000 won

G-Friend has created two beautiful lightsticks for their fans with black - blue - purple tones, inside is a stylized G logo. Version 2 is added a moon icon. A special feature of G-Friend's Yugubong ver.1 is that it contains water inside, so it may freeze in winter. 

19. Lightstick APINK - Pandabong

• Price: 30,000 won

The lightstick has a cute pink panda bear image derived from the group's fandom name, PANDA. The back is the name of the APINK group in the heart shape.

20. Lightstick STRAY KIDS - Nachimbong

• Price: 40,000 won

The lightstick with two main colors: white and red, simulates the compass without direction. In particular, the lightstick also shows the sweet message that the 8 boys give to their fans: “You make Stray Kids stay”.