“Since last weekend, many people have been looking for light emitting diode (LED) candle products. While some may have bought them for year-end decorations, it seems that they have purchased about 30–40% more than this time last year.”
At 10:40 a.m. on the 11th, at a Daiso store in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, a 30-something employee, Mr. Kang, said, “The Daiso online store shows that there is only one LED candle product left in our store. If it’s not on the shelf, it’s sold out.” The shelf that Mr. Kang indicated only displayed LED mood lamps, and there were no LED candle products at all.
Amid the aftermath of the martial law declaration, large-scale candlelight vigils and protests are taking place nationwide, resulting in an increase in the purchase of LED candle products. Originally created to prevent damage during natural disasters or to enhance event atmospheres, LED candles have gained popularity as ‘windproof candles’ that do not extinguish even in strong winter winds, becoming essential items for candlelight vigils during the impeachment crisis.
Currently, the 3,000 won ‘flickering LED candle’ sold at Daiso is temporarily out of stock in some stores. Various e-commerce platforms such as Coupang, 11th Street, and Gmarket have also sold out some LED candle products.
A man in his 40s, who purchased the product on Coupang, posted in a review, “As of now (the 9th), it’s sold out, which makes me feel that there are a lot of people participating in the protests.” He added, “I went to the protest empty-handed last Saturday, but this time I wanted to at least bring a candle, so I bought one. It’s not extremely bright, but it has a strong color.”
At a convenience store near the National Assembly building in Yeouido, where candlelight vigils are held, batteries for LED candles were also selling well. A convenience store owner in his 50s near Yeouido noted, “Batteries for LED candles seem to be selling at least 3 to 4 times more than usual. Since it's cold, hand warmers and hot drinks, as well as water, have also been selling close to five times more than usual,” adding, “It’s quite ironic and bittersweet that some items are selling well due to the social turmoil.”
This resembles the ‘bitter special’ phenomenon in which LED candles and candles were sold more at convenience stores near Gwanghwamun Square during the candlelight vigils for impeachment in 2016. At the 7-Eleven near Gwanghwamun Square, where the fourth candlelight vigil was held in November 2016, candle sales, including LED candles, increased by 424.9% compared to the third candlelight vigil. During the same period, the sales of candles at CU and GS25 in the area rose by 215.9% and 219.5% respectively.
The resale of cheering sticks, which are fan club goods, has also become more active. This is because they do not easily extinguish in the wind and can emit strong light for 24 hours. Currently, many posts renting and selling protest cheering sticks have been posted on the second-hand trading platform Karrot. College student Choi Ji-won (21) said, “Last weekend, my mom borrowed one and after using it, she exclaimed that there’s nothing like it,” adding, “I thought there must be others like my mom who need it, so I posted a rental offering. So far, I've lent it to three people.”
Kim Hyun-sook (47), who reserved a cheering stick for lending, said, “LED candles aren’t selling very well,” and added, “I happened to see an NCT cheering stick listed on Karrot, so I set up a meeting to reserve it after work. I'm not buying it, just lending it.” Kim decided to borrow the cheering stick for 7,000 won.
Industry insiders predict that the so-called ‘candlelight vigil special’ will continue for some time. An official from the retail industry noted, “There are no signs of the impeachment crisis diminishing,” adding, “It’s highly likely that the sales impact we experienced during the impeachment candlelight vigils eight years ago will be reproduced.” Another industry insider also remarked, “Since this issue began in the political arena, if it is not resolved politically, the industry situation is expected to maintain this trend throughout the year-end.”