South Koreans turn funeral wreaths and K-pop light sticks into political protest tools
South Koreans turn funeral wreaths and K-pop light sticks into political protest tools
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South Koreans are repurposing flower wreaths and K-pop light sticks as political protest tools amid the nation’s deepest political crisis in decades, sparked by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived martial law declaration in December. Hundreds of wreaths, predominantly directed at Yoon himself, have been sent to his residence and government buildings connected to the impeachment proceedings, with some targeting other officials involved in the martial law controversy. Local media estimate the number of wreaths delivered to government offices as several thousand.
While many wreaths carry moderate messages supporting Yoon or opposing impeachment, several contain extreme rhetoric directed at recipients. The black-ribboned funeral wreaths with white chrysanthemums and celebratory wreaths with vibrant roses and orchids, costing as much as $75, carry messages reflecting Korea’s deepening political divide.
The protest method has gained traction, with media coverage increasing in tandem over the last few years. A search on Big Kinds, which collects and analyzes articles from over 100 local news outlets, shows wreath protests received four times more media coverage in 2024 compared to 2023, reflecting the method’s growing popularity. News articles about these protests started to appear in the early 2010s, though experts cannot specify their exact origin.
