5 K-pop groups that have already faced the dreaded ‘Black Ocean’

During the second generation of K-pop, the famous lightsticks emerged, glow sticks used by fans to support their favorite artists at different events. Nowadays, the item has become so popular that it is practically mandatory for each group or soloist to have their own version, each with different designs and colors, helping to identify their fanbase during events.

It is thanks to them that, during the presentations, we can see beautiful “oceans” of light in the audience, creating a spectacle in itself.

In addition to helping to compose the shows, lit lightsticks can also represent a kind of “respect” at events with different artists. This is because, at festivals, awards ceremonies or music shows, fans are expected to keep their lightsticks lit even when it is not their favorite artist performing, as a form of respect and encouragement to the other groups or soloists who are performing.

For this reason, when fans decide to protest or boycott an artist for a certain reason, the chosen way to show their indignation is to turn off their lightsticks during the performance, leaving the arena audience completely dark, in an act known as “Black Ocean”, something extremely feared by the artists themselves.

One of the most recent Black Ocean cases happened with the soloist Rainduring his performance at the Los Angeles edition of KCON in 2023. At the time, fans were unhappy with the artist’s management of Ciipher, a boy group under his company RAIN Company, causing part of the audience to turn off their lightsticks during the performance, and even boo him. Check it out!

@hongsanbf black ocean (kinda) and booed him after every song LMFAOOO it got awfully quiet during his performance #hongsanbf#kcon#kcon2023#kconla#rain♬ original sound – ciel :3

In addition to Rainother great artists in the industry have also faced the feared Black Ocean. Check out some of them!

1. Lovelyz

As Woollim Entertainment’s first girl group, Lovelyz debuted in 2014 with only seven of the eight members, as Jisoo was unable to debut due to malicious rumors involving her name that began to circulate in the press shortly before her debut. The artist only joined the group in 2015, during the promotions of the album “Lovelyz8”.

However, some fans were not satisfied with the idol’s entry due to the controversy, and so they performed a Black Ocean during the group’s performance at the “Pepsi Concert” festival that same year. Despite this moment, today the situation has been overcome, and the group actively promoted with all eight members until the announcement of their disbandment in 2021. However, Lovelyz is currently planning a reunion to commemorate the 10th anniversary of their debut.

2. T-ARA

In 2012, T-ARA was involved in a strong controversy where rumors claimed that the former member Hwayoung was reportedly bullied by the other members, causing her to leave the group. The situation sparked outrage among many fans, causing them to organize a Black Ocean during the girl group’s performance at the “World Conservation Congress K-Pop Nature+ Concert” that same year.

3. SEVENTEEN

Being one of the biggest names in K-pop today, SEVENTEEN has already faced countless difficulties throughout their career. In 2015, the year of their debut, the boy group was the target of a Black Ocean for no apparent reason, as reported by the Koreaboo portal.

The incident occurred during the group’s performance at the MAMA Awards, when the band had not yet released their official lightstick, “Caratbong.” As a result, although some fans of other artists kept their lightsticks on to support the new group, most of the audience simply turned theirs off, resulting in Black Ocean.

4. Girls’ Generation

Girls’ Generation’s Black Ocean is one of the most well-known cases, and is considered one of the first in the history of K-pop. The incident occurred in 2008, just one year after their debut, during the “Dream Concert”, one of Korea’s main music festivals, held annually.

At the time, the group faced strong criticism from fans of other artists from SM Entertainment, the company responsible for managing the girl group’s career, for always being associated with male idols from the agency. For this reason, during the “Dream Concert”, fans of other groups turned off their lightsticks during the entire 10-minute performance of the group, in addition to rumors claiming that, during the performance, part of the audience shouted Wonder Girls’ name to hurt the members.

Another strong rumor that has been circulating is that, on the same day, a physical fight also occurred between fans of Super Junior and Girls’ Generation, due to the relationships between the artists.

5. BTS

Anyone who sees BTS’s gigantic success today would never imagine that the boy group has already faced two Black Oceans in their career. The first one happened in 2016, at the Golden Disk Awards, where, according to information released by Koreaboo, it was supposedly started by EXO fans, due to the rivalry between the fans of the two groups at the time.

The second one happened in the same year and for the same reason, this time at the Melon Music Awards, where the group performed for an audience illuminated only by “ARMY Bombs”, BTS’s official lightstick.