Lightsticks
by Diana Moskovitz
I fell into BTS fandom during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when all the news was bad and I had plenty of time on my hands to learn what exactly was going on with this Korean boy band that people kept talking about. So I really did want to see the recent solo tour by BTS member j-hope; once again all the news is bad and, though I have less time on my hands these days, I still am desperate for a rush of joy wherever I can get it.
Even if you barely know what K-pop is, I recommend going to a concert to experience it IRL. K-pop is influenced by hip-hop and R&B, but itβs still a deeply Korean genre, with characteristic customs and vibes all its own. That means concerts include one of my favorite hallmarks of K-pop as well as, more recently, a symbol of the Korean protest movement that led to the impeachment and removal of former president Yoon Suk Yeol after his brief, alarming declaration of martial law.
That would be lightsticks.
Keep us breathing fire!
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