For palace fans, Gyeongbokgung now has its own light stick

Palace light stick (Korea Heritage Service)

In K-pop, fandoms have light sticks — glowing symbols of identity waved in unison at concerts and fan gatherings. Now, one of the royal palaces is getting one too.

A new Palace Light Stick, inspired by Gyeonghoeru Pavilion at Gyeongbokgung, is drawing attention as the latest merchandise released by the Korea Heritage Service for this year’s cultural heritage festival.

Encased inside a crystal-like globe is a miniature version of Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, the iconic pavilion used in the Joseon era (1392-1910) for royal banquets and receptions for foreign envoys.

Gyeonghoeru was expanded in 1412 and rebuilt in 1867 following its destruction during the Imjin War. It is considered the largest surviving traditional wooden pavilion building in Korea.

Palace light stick (Korea Heritage Service)

The light stick features multiple lighting modes, including red, purple, pink, orange and white. It also includes a music-reactive function that adjusts the lights' intensity in response to nearby sound or music.

Its red handle can be customized with included dancheong-style stickers. Dancheong refers to the traditional decorative coloring system used on Korean wooden architecture, typically painted in the five cardinal colors — blue, red, yellow, white and black — in fixed symbolic patterns.

The light stick is available for purchase at the K-Heritage Store operated by the Korea Heritage Service.