There are also other light pollution sources in K-pop apart from the concerts held in the open. This is demonstrated by the utilisation of billboards and digital commercials showcasing K-pop groups. These added to and contributed to the city lights at night, as well as contributing to a greater sky glow than before. Figure 1. depicts a billboard birthday ad of an idol in Times Square, which contributes to the existing sky glow in the area.

The lighting on these digital signs, on the other hand, is known as artificial lighting, more specifically Artificial Lighting at Night (ALAN), which has been connected to a variety of additional health problems (Ngarambe and Kim, 2018). Skyglow caused by artificial lighting was reported to obstruct astronomical activities and wildlife behaviours, in addition to creating health problems. The “glow” effect that can be seen overcrowded places is also known as sky glow. Sky glow refers to the total amount of light that has been reflected off the object it has lighted and that has also escaped into the sky, being dispersed (redirected) back towards the earth by the atmosphere, makes up this phenomenon (Rajkhowa, 2014).

According to Ngarambe and Kim (2018), while South Korea has imposed and limited the use of artificial lighting to reduce light pollution, there has been a significant rise in digital signboards and billboards in cities, which has caused other forms of light pollution including light trespass and light clutter. Light trespass happens when undesirable light penetrates one’s property, such as by beaming through a neighbour’s fence. Whereas light clutter is the grouping of lights in an excessive way. This may cause confusion, divert attention away from hazards, and even cause accidents (Rajkhowa, 2014). Such external illumination in non-commercial locations has hampered the livelihoods of local residents and certain pedestrians, consequently lowering the quality of life.

Furthermore, there also exists energy impacts from the use of digital signs and billboards. This is due to the fact that these signs need power in order to be seen better at night, and as a result, a lot of energy is being consumed to give a steady supply of energy so that the ad may be displayed both day and night (Scenic Nevada, 2022).

In conclusion, the K-pop industry also contributes to light pollution through the usage of billboards and digital displays. While billboards have been used since urbanisation, the new displays from K-pop have provided another form of pollution.

References:

Herman, T. (2017). ‘K-Pop Fans Spend Big On Times Square Ads Promoting Their Favorite Stars’. Forbes. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tamarherman/2017/12/21/k-pop-fans-spend-big-on-times-square-ads-promoting-their-favorite-stars/?sh=243eb9471058 (Accessed: 11 February 2023)

Ngarambe, J. and Kim, G. (2018). ‘Sustainable Lighting Policies: The Contribution of Advertisement and Decorative Lighting to Local Light Pollution in Seoul, South Korea’, Sustainability. 10(4), pp. 1-11. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.3390/su10041007 (Accessed:11 February 2023)

Rajkhowa, R. (2014). ‘Light Pollution and Impact of Light Pollution’. International Journal of Science and Research. 3(10), pp. 861-867. 

Scenic Nevada. (2022). ‘Environmental Impacts of Digital Signs and Billboards’. Retrieved from: https://www.scenic.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/19-05-13-Environmental-Impacts-Flyer-RV-04-2019-FINAL.pdf (Accessed: 11 February 2023)

As previously stated, K-pop concerts (particularly those staged outside) can cause a variety of environmental problems. Aside from the overt noise pollution issues caused by outdoor performances, there are also concerns about light pollution. The number of lights used for outdoor concerts is an environmental problem because their size and intensity can damage the local wildlife. K-pop fans in attendance would also use lightsticks to brighten the area, and this additional light source provides more unwanted artificial light that can harm all of the flora and biodiversity in the area.            

The increase of people living alongside and sometimes within natural environments exposes vulnerable ecosystems to artificial night lighting. Thus, even a modest amount of artificial light disrupts this delicate balance, altering the colour of the sky and overpowering the starlight (Rajkhowa, 2014). Additionally, according to the International Dark-Sky Association, “any unfavourable effect of artificial light, including sky glow, glare, light trespass, light clutter, diminished vision at night, and energy waste” is considered light pollution (Rajkhowa, 2014:861). Among the problems caused by light pollution include ecosystem disruption and detrimental health effects. Some experts even believe that increased light pollution could disrupt food webs and harm entire ecosystems. This is due to how light pollution can cause the celestial compass of many nocturnal species to be obstructed, completely destroying their navigation capabilities (Rajkhowa, 2014). Hence, there is thus a need to decrease light pollution through the efficient use of lighting, and lights used in K-pop concerts are unfortunately not improving the situation. 

Furthermore, while light pollution is defined as the introduction of artificial light into the environment by humans, either directly or indirectly, there is also “avoidable light pollution,” which refers to the light flow of artificial light sources that are highly intense and frequently unnecessary (Rajkhowa, 2014:861). An example of such “avoidable light pollution” can be seen in K-pop concerts/music festivals which were held outdoors, whereby the intense amount of lighting used to illuminate the area causes a glare in the area. However, this may not be the case with indoor concerts because the light is contained rather than being released into the environment, which can have a negative impact on the ecology, particularly nocturnal species. Therefore, light pollution from K-pop concerts is also a cause of concern that should be looked at. 

References:

Rajkhowa, R. (2014). ‘Light Pollution and Impact of Light Pollution’. International Journal of Science and Research. 3(10), pp. 861-867.