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Hit songs and saliva: CU's Idol Music Candy is a concert for the mouth. Just make sure you have napkins nearby.

Published: 17 Oct. 2025, 07:00 Updated: 19 Oct. 2025, 17:29

WOO JI-WON
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CU's Idol Music Candy [WOO JI-WON]

[GIVE IT A GO]

You can now hear K-pop playing in your mouth — yes, you read that correctly. Lollipops play music now! One might ask, how? Others might ask, why?

The answer lies at local convenience store CU, which recently released Idol Music Candy — a lollipop that claims you can hear K-pop simply by eating it. To me, it sounded like a peak Gen Z innovation, and as an aspiring trendsetter, I couldn’t pass it by.

It supposedly uses bone conduction technology to send vibrations directly to the inner ear through a person's teeth and jawbone.

And it doesn’t just play old, nostalgic classics. It features hits from some of today's biggest names in K-pop — IVE’s “I Am” (2023), Seventeen’s “Thunder” and aespa’s “Whiplash" (2024). This alone won me over.

They are not sold out yet, but are popular enough that not a single store near me had them in stock. Released on Sept. 24, the product quickly rose to the top of the toy candy sales charts, according to a CU official. I had them delivered from another neighborhood.

Idol Music Candy [WOO JI-WON]

The latest candy product is another “random” item riding the mystery-pick trend. Each lollipop plays just one song, chosen at random. So, for a chance at getting the full experience, I bought three.

The candy comes in a fancy black box with a glossy image of the lollipop, available in pink or blue. The packaging is quite dramatic for a single piece of candy — but for 4,500 won ($3.15), I guess it has to look important.

Inside is the lollipop, wrapped in plastic, along with a pair of matching earbuds.

Idol Music Candy [WOO JI-WON]

I opened the first one. The candy itself is larger than a quarter but smaller than a golf ball, and is attached to a plastic stick. At the other end is a chunky base with a power button.

To activate the magical candy, I pulled out a paper tab, like turning on a pop star’s mic. Then, as my heart pounded, I pressed the power button.

But before the candy even touched my lips, I heard music. It was IVE’s “I Am."

Despite my expectations of the music only hitting my own eardrums, the sound was loud enough that people around me could possibly hear the song with just the power button pressed. The sound was faint, yet the rhythm was clear enough that anyone who knew the song could hum along.

It was similar to music playing through abandoned earphones on full volume. If you held the stick, you could also feel light vibrations. A tiny red light flickered along, giving off K-pop light stick energy.

Idol Music Candy [WOO JI-WON]

A little disappointed, I still continued on. I followed the instructions, telling me to put the lollipop in my mouth and bite down slightly to hear the music. Not suck, bite. A betrayal of everything a lollipop is meant to be — but still, I obeyed.

As soon as I clenched my teeth around the candy, the song snapped into focus — with clearer lyrics and deeper bass. Vibrations rattled through my molars. It felt as if I had grown a third ear somewhere inside my mouth and music was streaming through it.

As the beats pulsed through my body, my shoulders started to move a little too. But then I suddenly imagined someone from afar watching me chewing on a lollipop with my mouth half open, swaying to music only I could hear. So I stopped myself.

But to hear it clearly, you must keep biting — and biting does mean the presence of drool. It is definitely not a candy to enjoy confidently in public.

The provided earbuds served as an impressive amplifier. With them, the 20-second looping chorus became so much louder and clearer, almost like using noise canceling AirPods, though the visual was even funnier now.

Idol Music Candy [WOO JI-WON]

When I closed my mouth and sucked the peach-flavored candy like a normal lollipop, I could still hear the lyrics, but the volume had dropped. It was like a tiny band was trapped behind my teeth, pleading to be set free.

You can turn the music off with the power button. But after turning it off and on a few times, it died. My 4,500-won concert lasted just 10 minutes. As far as I know, it should last longer than that, and complaints have been posted online about defective products.

After the music died, I decided to open the second pink box. It was IVE again.

As the candy slowly melted in my saliva, the sound somehow seemed to grow louder. I set it on my desk and could still hear it from nearly 2 meters (6.6 feet) away.

When it lightly hit a table, after falling from my drooling mouth accidentally, the music stopped playing. It would restart for few seconds when I pressed the button and then cut out again. Honestly, I was relieved. I had reached my limit of the “Look at me, look at me, look at me now” chorus.

G-Dragon listening to his music with music candy [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Bread Barbershop Music Candy [WOO JI-WON]

Musical candy first gained attention in Korea in April when G-Dragon was spotted trying one that played his own music. It was reportedly gifted to him and not available for sale. Even before that, the product had already gained popularity overseas on social media for its futuristic concept.

In June, CU released a "Bread Barbershop" (2019-) ear candy, featuring the cartoon’s theme song. Its success prompted CU to plan and develop a K-pop version, according to CU official, leading to the launch of Korea’s first official K-pop music candy.

The toughest decision, according to the official, was simply choosing the songs.

The "Bread Barbershop" product uses the same hardware as the K-pop version but is much quieter — barely audible unless bitten — which was actually more aligned with what I imagined the K-pop candy to be. Compared to the K-pop version, however, it is difficult to make out the lyrics, as the audio isn't as clear.

Now, I was left with my last box, a blue stick with a lemon flavor. After hearing IVE so many times, I prayed for something new. And thankfully, it was aespa's "Whiplash." This one's light flickered more dramatically, keeping pace with the quicker beat.

Idol Music Candy that plays aespa's "Whiplash" (2024) [WOO JI-WON]

Like the others, biting brought clarity, and the earbuds worked well. But midway through, it powered off on its own, forcing me to restart the device several times.

After finishing the candy, I placed it on a table to time how long the music lasted. But what took me by surprise was that the music was shockingly loud. I even left it in a room and closed the door, yet it was faintly serenading me through the wood. It went on for a solid 30 minutes before finally saying goodbye.

For anyone tempted to try one, here's my advice to you: don’t obsess over the power button unless you want to shave minutes off your concert. And don’t expect privacy. This candy does not sing for you alone.

Still, it's fun, especially if you’re a fan of the songs. If you find that your candy is defective, contact CU’s customer center for a replacement or refund.

BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]