Instead of folk songs, songs by ROSE (BLACKPINK) and Girls' Generation are played, and instead of candles, idol penlights are waved... Demonstrations calling for President Yoon's resignation

"Apartment, Apat! Apartment, Apat!" (BLACKPINK's ROSE "APT.") "The sad times I want to tell you / You can only hear them after everything has scattered" (Girl
On the 7th, in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, a symposium was held entitled "President Yoon Seok-yeol, accused of treason, must step down! The realization of national sovereignty."
The scene of the rally for the "Now! Social Reform! National Candlelight March." Here, instead of folk songs, BLACKPINK's ROSE's new song "APT." rang out.
The younger generation, ranging from their 20s to their 30s, all sang ROSE's "APT." together, singing in unison. They also caught attention by holding idol's light sticks instead of candles.
"," "aespa," "NewJeans," "BIGBANG," IU, "BTOB," "SHINee," "INFINITE," and other groups that represent various fandoms
The colorful penlights of the various nationalities gathered in one place, brightening up the candlelight vigil scene in a colorful way.
The culture of gatherings has changed. The age group of people attending gatherings has become younger, and the way people attend gatherings has changed as well.
The most noticeable change is the playlists played at rallies. In the past, popular songs with a strong militant character were the norm, but the recent rallies have been dominated by K-pop idol music.
The songs that catch your eye are "APT." by ROSE of "BLACKPINK" and "Into The New
World," "aespa's Whiplash," "SEVENTEEN's unit BSS's Fighting," and "god's
"One Candle" is a representative example. What they have in common is that they have many "big chorus parts" that many people can sing together, and they have lyrics that express their desire for a new era.
In particular, Girls' Generation's "Into the New World" was recorded at the campus protests at Ewha Women's University in 2016 and at the anti-government protests in Thailand in 2020.
The lyrics of "Into the New World" include "The future is uncertain and there are walls, but they won't change, so I won't give up" and "To the sadness that repeats in this world,
It is said that the rally is an inspiring and powerful message to those who are craving new change, such as "Goodbye, no more." It is also often seen that people attend rallies holding penlights instead of candles.
Idol light sticks are easier to carry than candles, have better light output, and can be used for 7 to 8 hours on a single charge.
This coincides with the trend among the younger generation (Millennials and Generation Z, born between the 1980s and 2000s), and there are no barriers to participation, such as fans of the same fandom gathering together with the same light sticks to participate in rallies.
The walls are also significantly lowered. And that's not all. Some people also use their favorite words on their light sticks. A certain fandom's light sticks, which have an eye-catching square design, have words like "Bullet" and "Gaibou" written on them.
Fans with penlights and waving them were particularly noticeable. A woman in her 20s named Lee, who attended the candlelight vigil with a penlight, said, "I saw people holding penlights at candlelight vigils on TV.
"After seeing her participate, I also brought my own light stick and headed to Yeouido," she said, "I feel so happy to be able to sing my own voice in my own way."
A woman in her 20s named Park, who participated in the candlelight vigil, said, "In the past, candlelight vigils were perceived as places that were unconditionally dangerous and should not be attended.
"It reminds me of a dance party"... Overseas media also pays attention to K-rally
Foreign media has also been paying attention to Korea's gathering culture. The gatherings are reminiscent of K-POP concerts and parties.
The New York Times reported on the 7th (local time) that "Tens of thousands of demonstrators filled the streets outside the National Assembly,
"They called for his resignation until late into the night," it said, adding, "Though the temperature dropped below freezing, the crowd sang along to K-pop songs and waved fluorescent light sticks in the demonstration." AFP also reported, "At the rally site,
"Participants listened to K-POP, ran happily, and waved light sticks and LED candles while dancing," he said.
Rather than directly sending out political messages, K-pop singers have chosen to express concern for the health of fans who attended the rally.
SHINee's Onew sent a message of support through the fan community, saying, "Please dress warmly so that it doesn't get too cold, and make sure to bring a hand warmer."
Gun-wook from "ZERO BASE ONE" also said, "To avoid injury, always carry a heating pad in your pocket when walking," and added, "I'm sorry for nagging you, but I'm still worried."
She expressed her love for her fans. Olivia Hye (Haejun), a former member of "Loossemble," said, "C. Loo (crew, fandom name), who is going to Yeouido today, is really nice and amazing."
Some people may feel uncomfortable with me expressing my opinion, but I am a citizen before I am an idol, so I think this is right."