LE SSERAFIM’s Experience with Black Ocean at 2024 SBS Gayo Festival

The Symbolism of Lightsticks in K-Pop Concerts

Lightsticks have become a defining feature of K-pop concerts, transforming venues into vibrant displays of fandom. These glowing accessories serve not only as a means of support for artists but also symbolize unity among fans. During multi-group performances, such as popular music festivals, it is common for audiences to keep their lightsticks illuminated, showing respect even for artists they don’t typically follow.

When Lightsticks Go Dark: The Rare “Black Ocean”

Interestingly, there have been notable instances in K-pop history where fans intentionally dimmed or turned off their lightsticks, creating what is referred to as a “black ocean.”This phenomenon, often interpreted as a protest or expression of discontent, is a striking visual contrast to the usual sea of colors. One of the most memorable cases occurred during a performance by Girls’ Generation, earning a permanent place in K-pop lore.

Recent Controversy Surrounding LE SSERAFIM

Recent rumors have stirred discussions online about LE SSERAFIM allegedly encountering a black ocean during the 2024 Gayo Daejeon on Christmas Day. This prestigious event featured numerous renowned groups, showcasing LE SSERAFIM’s dynamic performance segment titled “Category is LE SSERAFIM,”which included an engaging dance break and a remix of their hit “CRAZY.”

Despite delivering an impressive show, some viewers expressed concerns regarding the visibly subdued lightstick support from the audience. Given LE SSERAFIM’s previous criticisms, notably regarding their live vocal abilities, speculation arose about whether this perceived lack of support was deliberate.

genuine question, is that a black ocean? https://t.co/SrLFILyJ15

— cata (@xenogsl) December 25, 2024

Clarifying the “Black Ocean”Rumors

Upon further examination of rehearsal footage and audience reactions, it was determined that the dimness of the lightsticks during LE SSERAFIM’s performance was not a coordinated act of protest. Not only were the lights soft for LE SSERAFIM, but similar patterns were observed with other groups like aespa and ILLIT, indicating that it was a widespread phenomenon rather than a specific slight.

cmiiw but i don’t think there was any black ocean.. i tried watching other groups’ performances to compare and the audience area looked the same pic.twitter.com/S0Bn8y8Mve

Furthermore, attendees noted that a significant number of fans were preoccupied with capturing moments on their mobile devices, which may have resulted in fewer visible lightsticks held aloft during performances.

Audience Reactions Reinforce the Narrative

Support for this interpretation was echoed in a flurry of online comments from fans, stating things like “I don’t believe there was any black ocean. Other performances showed the crowd behaving similarly,” and “In clearer footage, you can see that most of the audience was filming rather than holding lightsticks.” The consensus suggested that the atmosphere was consistent across various performances, leaving little evidence to suggest a targeted absence of support for LE SSERAFIM.

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