Home > National > Social Affairs

Young protesters use candlelight emojis to voice political frustration

Published: 11 Dec. 2024, 16:36

A website called ″2024 Online Candlelight″ [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Online demonstrations calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol are gaining momentum among the younger generation, with social media users using candlelight emojis as a form of protest.

The image of candlelight holds a deep symbolic meaning in Korea, as candlelight protests represent a peaceful yet powerful form of political collective action against injustice. This method of protest began in 1992 and has been used in various instances of political dissent, including the massive 2016–2017 protests that ultimately led to the impeachment of then-President Park Geun-hye.

One Instagram user posted a candlelight emoji on the application’s memo section, while also urging followers on Threads to do the same. “I lit my candle on Instagram. Let’s all light the candles together,” the user wrote. In response, another netizen commented, “I have also lit a candle.”

A Threads user uploaded an illustration of people holding candles. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Another Thread user shared an illustration of people holding candles, writing, “I can't go to crowded places because I have panic disorder, but I am praying with candles at home.” Many candle illustrations are also visible on Threads.

“I created a candlelight wallpaper with chatGPT. Feel free to download and use it,” wrote another Threads user, whose design garnered 300 likes and a flurry of appreciative comments.

The massive protests going on since President Yoon declared short-lived martial law have also inspired a “candlelight relay” online, with participants sharing images of themselves at rallies, rally locations or simply candles at rallies.

Some online users are showing solidarity by changing their profile pictures to candle images or updating their status messages with slogans like “Impeach Yoon Suk Yeol.”

Celebrities, including actor Go Min-si, have also encouraged fans to join the protests by posting candlelight emojis on Instagram Stories.

A website called “2024 Online Candlelight Map” has emerged, where users can light virtual candles on a map by selecting a location, clicking the “light a candle” button and leaving a message. By 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, 2,271 candles had been lit. The site’s message reads: “Even if you can’t be there in person, show your support here. Each small candle can turn into a big hope.”

Experts suggest that social media — deeply rooted in the lives of younger generations — has become a vital space for political expression.

“It is natural for young people, accustomed to smartphones from an early age, to express themselves through social media,” said Ha Jae-geun, a popular culture critic.” They experienced profound anger watching soldiers enter the National Assembly in real time on YouTube during the martial law period. Now they are creating a new culture of resistance by expressing themselves online.”

BY LEE BO-RAM, WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]