K-Netizens Find Billlie’s Official Lightstick Design “Suspiciously” Familiar
When it comes to K-Pop merchandise, lightsticks are one of the popular and important items to fans. Lightsticks have become a way for fans to identify each other at official K-Pop events and out in “the wild.”
@swaggyabby82 sincerly, the girl in section 119 with my army lightstick too 🫶🏻 also shoutout to someone’s mom who asked to take a pic of me with my lightstick to send to their daughter🤭 #bts #harrystyles #army #lightstick #btsarmy
This significance is why fans consider it important for groups to have lightsticks. Recently, K-Pop girl group Billlie revealed they would release their first lightstick, a huge occasion for any group.
On May 4th, a preview of the lightstick was shared on the group’s official social media accounts, showing the merchandise’s outline in black.
Billlie OFFICIAL LIGHT STICK
'열한 번의 종이 울리고
보랏빛 메시지가 도착한 그날…기억의 가장 끝방에서
세계가 우리를 불렀다.'2023. 05. 11.
COMING SOON#Billlie #빌리 pic.twitter.com/T0NjumO65k— Billlieofficial (@Billlieofficial) May 4, 2023
International fans were very excited about the announcement and began analyzing the lightsticks’ appearance. Many have guessed the shape inside is a bell, referencing the group’s song “RING ma Bell (what a wonderful world).”
BILLLIE LIGHT STICK https://t.co/8fgk8IiXdk pic.twitter.com/5jH6TiQBqX
— gabriela!? 🍎🍎 (@SKYEST4N) May 4, 2023
it’s a bell? i think? https://t.co/vXMACpNr1Z pic.twitter.com/I08T14Msvp
— scarlett ⁷ on the stereo o o o o (@alohaminseo) May 4, 2023
so it looks like billlie’s lightstick center piece is a bell! #Billlie #빌리 #ビリー @Billlieofficial pic.twitter.com/ZiVhnHSaaG
— billlie files ⚘ (@BILLLIEFILES) May 4, 2023
Korean netizens had different feelings about the look of the lightstick, sharing that the shape shown in the shadows resembled the imagery of the Buddha! The Buddha is the name of the religious teacher who founded Buddhism and is often depicted in statues seated and meditating.
In an online forum post titled “Billie’s lightstick looks f*cking suspicious,” netizens showed their surprise at the lightstick’s design.
- It looks like something I would take to the temple…Makes me want to shake it on Buddha’s birthday.
- Buddha?
- I thought it was Buddha.
- No matter how you look at it, it’s Buddha.
- The left bead looks like Buddha beads lol can’t believe it’s not Buddha.