Ahead of BTS' comeback concert, demand for the official light stick "Army Bomb" has risen, sending secondhand transaction prices up to as much as six times the list price.
According to the secondhand transaction platform Bungaejangter on the 18th, searches for the BTS official light stick this month increased 438% compared with last month. That is a 1,764% surge from the same period last year. The total transaction amount for light sticks also rose 136% from the previous month.
Bungaejangter said there were cases in the domestic secondhand market where a BTS light stick listing sold out within 30 minutes of being posted. On Japan's secondhand transaction platform "Mercari," transactions of BTS light sticks are also brisk, reflecting growing demand among overseas fans.
Army Bomb prices are tracing a steep upward curve. The list price for the latest version sold on the official fan platform Weverse is 49,000 won. However, it is currently sold out on the site.
On this day, on platforms like Bungaejangter, the secondhand price for the latest version was in the 100,000–200,000 won range per item. On social media, including X (formerly Twitter), transactions were taking place at similar price levels, and on the limited-edition transaction platform KREAM, prices climbed as high as around 300,000 won.
The increase in transaction volume is also very large. According to KREAM statistics, the transaction volume for BTS light sticks from the 10th to the 16th of this month grew about 513% compared with the previous week (the 3rd to the 9th).
Light sticks are now an indispensable essential in K-pop fandom culture. In the early days they were merely cheering tools, but over time, as each group's unique colors and logos were incorporated, they evolved into goods symbolizing fandom identity. In particular, by using Bluetooth-linked technology at recent concerts to deploy light sticks as stagecraft tools, they have become a key element that heightens audience immersion.
A Bungaejangter official said, "As fans prepare on site ahead of BTS' comeback concert, there is demand even for older versions of the light stick that are scarce," adding, "Not only light sticks but also ticket transactions are active."
BTS will release a new full-length album, "Arirang," at 1 p.m. on the 20th. Then at 8 p.m. on the 21st, the group plans to hold a comeback concert, "BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang," at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno District, Seoul.