Camille Naredo

Article (news)

South Korea

Reuters Wires

<p>In recent days, the streets of Seoul look a lot more like concert arenas than protest sites.</p><p>Demonstrators chanting for President Yoon Suk Yeol&#x27;s impeachment are grooving over chart-topping techno hits and waving colourful light sticks, signature accessories more often associated with K-pop fans more than political movements. </p><p>Lee Seul-gi, a 36-year-old woman who is a fan of K-pop boyband ATEEZ, said the festive atmosphere has made the protests more &quot;accessible.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Previous rallies might have been a bit violent and scary. But the light sticks and K-pop have lowered the barrier, and thanks to this, I think people experienced solidarity here and came out with light sticks,&quot; Lee said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2024/12/9/south-korean-president-banned-from-leaving-country-1706">READ: South Korean president banned from leaving country</a></div><p>Despite the serious demand for Yoon&#x27;s removal following his botched martial law declaration, the K-pop infused protests have gone viral on social media along with meme-bearing flags. Tens of thousands of demonstrators, braving near sub-zero temperatures, have gathered outside the National Assembly over the last week.</p><p>The K-pop industry is notoriously apolitical, and many K-pop songs playing at the impeachment protests reflect that neutrality. Nonetheless, protest emcee Park Min-ju has strategically adopted catchy K-pop beats to keep the crowd energized and engaged.</p><p>&quot;We will continue to hold the protest rallies, so I wanted to make people get excited to join the rallies without getting tired. Although we are in a serious situation, I prepared (K-pop songs and added slogans to them) to cheer people up,&quot; Park said. </p><p>Past protests, including the 2016 impeachment of former president President Park Geun-hye, were defined by candlelight rallies. Park was ousted over a graft scandal and later jailed over the scandal that exposed webs of corruption between political leaders and the country&#x27;s conglomerates. </p><p>Seoul-based music critic Kim Do-heon says K-pop light sticks offer a more vibrant and durable symbol of resistance, and that the pop music allows protests to span different generations as well.   </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2024/12/7/south-korea-president-escapes-impeachment-over-martial-law-fiasco-2129">READ: South Korea president escapes impeachment over martial law fiasco</a></div><p>&quot;For now, K-pop is the music that can attract every generation immediately. That&#x27;s why many K-pop fans are gathering at the protest and protest leaders are using K-pop songs,&quot; Kim said.</p><p>While he survived a first impeachment vote on Saturday (December 7), the opposition has vowed to try again and Yoon&#x27;s own party says it is formulating a plan for him to eventually step down. Protesters will likely continue to demonstrate, marching to the beat to their own drum and some K-pop anthems along the way. </p><div><em>(Production: Nicoco Chan, Joseph Campbell, Tom Bateman, Daewoung Kim, Minwoo Park)</em></div>

<p>In recent days, the streets of Seoul look a lot more like concert arenas than protest sites.</p>

In recent days, the streets of Seoul look a lot more like concert arenas than protest sites.

K-pop and light sticks fire up impeachment protests in South Korea

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K-pop and light sticks fire up impeachment protests in South Korea

Reuters

Published December 10, 2024 05:07 PM PHT

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impeachment protests

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