Culture
Fanchants and K-pop concert etiquette
By the pocabase team · · 4 min read
A K-pop concert is not only something you listen to: it is something you chant, shout and light up from the crowd. For first-timers, the surprise often comes from the audience as much as from the stage: thousands of stans call out the same words at the same moment, and the whole venue changes colour at once. Behind that feeling of a collective show there are precise habits, easy to learn, and a few unwritten rules the whole fandom benefits from knowing before walking through the doors.
What a fanchant is for
A fanchant is a set of words the audience shouts during a song, at specific moments: usually the members' names during the intro, from the leader down to the maknae (the youngest member), then certain words or phrases between the sung lines. It does not replace the artists' voices; it slips into the gaps they leave open, like an answer.
Its first purpose is to show the audience's support in a way that is audible and organised. For the artists, hearing a whole venue follow the same lines is a strong signal; for fans, it is a way to take part rather than simply watch, and to shout their bias's name along with everyone, OT included (every member, leaving no one out). The fanchant turns the concert into an exchange, and it is one of the most recognisable features of K-pop culture live.
How to learn a fanchant
Fanchants for title tracks are often published around the comeback, as a video or a text where the words to shout are highlighted. Fanbases then share them widely, with transcriptions for those who do not read Korean. Before a tour, it is common to see lists circulating that gather the fanchants for the songs most likely to be performed, b-sides included.
The most effective method is still repetition: listen to the song with the fanchant on screen, then go through it out loud a few times. There is no need to know everything by heart; getting the intro with the names and two or three key passages right is enough to feel part of it. Nobody checks, and the crowd easily carries anyone who hesitates, casual fans included.
The lightstick and syncing
The lightstick is a group's official light-up fan object, with a design unique to each group. At concerts, many recent models can be linked to the venue's system: once paired, they change colour and flash all together, controlled from the production desk. That is what creates the waves of light that sweep across the stands in a single movement, and that end up in every fancam of the night.
For syncing to work, you usually need to follow the instructions given before the show: an app to install, a seat number to enter, or pairing on site. It is best done early, with fresh batteries or a full charge, and the lightstick then left in automatic mode. An unofficial model or one from a different version may stay dark during the effects.
The unwritten rules of the venue
Beyond the official rules, a few habits are shared at almost every concert, and following them makes the evening better for everyone.
Key takeaways
- Keep slogans and banners at chest height, never above your head, so they do not block the stage.
- Stay in your numbered seat and do not push forward in standing areas.
- Do not hold a phone or a lightstick at arm's length for the whole concert.
- Respect the quiet moments: ballads and ments (the members' talks between songs) are listened to in silence.
- Follow staff instructions without arguing, whether about safety, seating or permitted items.
Fancams and photos: what is allowed
Rules on photos and fancams (videos filmed from the crowd) change from one concert to another, and sometimes from one part of the show to another. Some organisers allow them freely, others ban them or limit devices to a simple phone, which rules out fansites' big lenses. These instructions usually appear on the ticket or in the organiser's announcements, and they apply even if part of the crowd ignores them.
When filming is allowed, courtesy means keeping the phone low and steady, switching off the flash and not filming the whole show. Beyond bothering your neighbours, watching the stage through a screen often means missing what you came to see. And one line never moves: following artists outside the venue or staking out their hotel is sasaeng behaviour, which the fandom condemns without reservation.
A stress-free first concert
For a first concert, light preparation is enough: learn the names and a few fanchants, check that the lightstick works, read the venue's rules and bring water. Arriving early avoids the rush at the doors and leaves time to settle in, pair your lightstick and pick up the slogans or freebies (small fanmade gifts) that fans sometimes hand out at the entrance.
The rest comes naturally. The stans around you are usually happy to help a newcomer, show them a gesture or whisper a passage. What matters is not doing everything perfectly but sharing the moment with the crowd, while leaving everyone the same room to enjoy it.
