NCT official lighstick: angry hashtag trended by many fandoms ask for fairness of SM female artists

Yesterday, when appearing at the event “Fan Party 2018”, 18 NCT members surprised all the fans with the specially designed lightsticks they brought. Even though there hasn’t been any official announcement from SM, everyone believed that this is the official lightsticks that were designed for NCT members and their fandom, as the company promised last year that 2018 will be a big year for this male group.
Beside NCT’s unique designed lightsicks that puzzle even the group’s fans, the fact that NCT – the youngest artist of SM Entertainment until now – got the official lightstick so soon triggered many arguments. In reality, NCT is the 4th artist in SM to have the official lightstick, previously, EXO, Super Junior and TVXQ were also honored with this special item. Moreover, the great seniors of NCT, TVXQ and Super Junior had to wait for more than a decade to get their official lightstick.
Before NCT, SM only respectively announced official lightsticks for EXO…

Super Junior…
… and TVXQ
Therefore, after the photos of NCT’s official lightstick were uploaded on the Internet, many SM fans simultaneously expressed their dissatisfaction on social media. As Super Junior got official lightstick in the end of last year, and a short time later, TVXQ also owned the special lightstick, fans hoped that other senior SM artists such as: SNSD, SHINee, f(x) or the popular group like Red Vetvet will get their lightsticks soon. However, SM surprised and offended all the fans with the release of NCT’s official lightstick.

red velvet had an entire concert in korea for 2 days and are going to have their japan hall tour soon and you’re telling me they don’t have an actual lightstick but nct already has one pic.twitter.com/zYgJUrl1sn

— Yukhei & Yerim’s Fan™ (@yeriapologist) May 7, 2018

nct already has a lightstick… as an nctzen I’m happy but as a meu I’m mad and jealous

— s (@namyutape) May 7, 2018

NCT really got official lightstick before Red Velvet….? This is gonna be messy…..

— Jena #LoSiento #NewHeroes (@jenalexs) May 7, 2018

NCT really got official lightstick before Red Velvet….? This is gonna be messy…..

— Jena #LoSiento #NewHeroes (@jenalexs) May 7, 2018

SM giving NCT an official lightstick already. SNSD, f(x) and Red Velvet found dead in a corner.

— Coco ? 180429 (@cocokiitie) May 7, 2018

So happy for nct getting an official lightstick but I really want red velvet to get one too :(

— WENGOD (@almightyvelvet) May 7, 2018

Furthermore, a great amount of people also found that none of SM female artists has the official lightstick, while other companies’ girlgroups such as A Pink, TWICE, MAMAMOO, G-Friend, Cosmic Girls,.. announced their official “item” long time ago. Therefore, since yesterday night, many SM stans started to trend this hashtag on Twitter: #SM_여돌차별_공론화 (Translation: SM, explain about the female artists discrimination).

It’s not just about a lightstick. It’s the fact that NCT has only been around since 2016. Red Velvet has been around since 2014. F(x) 2009. And SNSD 2007. Their girlgroups rake in a lot of money just like their bgs. But once again we see SM favoritism with bgs #SM_여돌차별_공론화

— tyrah (@huhcoolig) May 7, 2018

SNSD -> 11 years on the business
f(x) -> 9 years on the business
red velvet -> 4 years on the business

and none of them have their own lightstick.#SM_여돌차별_공론화
— paulo (@kthbars) May 7, 2018

#SM_여돌차별_공론화 YOU’RE SO DEAD SM! WE WANT SNSD, F(X) & RED VELVET OFFICIAL LIGHTSTICK! IF YOU CAN MAKE IT FOR BOY GROUPS, WHY DONT YOU JUST MAKE IT FOR GIRL GROUP AS WELL! DONT BE SO BIAS OKAY?! WE GET ENOUGH OF YOUR SHIT! @SMTOWNGLOBAL

— ? Purple WanHyun ? (@BaeQin) May 7, 2018

More information, this hashtag was first spread by Red Velvet’s fandom in Korea to request the benefits for SM female idols. Last night, SM_여돌차별_공론화 quickly climbed up on Korean Twitter top trend, demonstrating the extreme anger of a part of SM fans about the “discrimination” attitude between SM’s boygroups and girlgroups.

#SM_여돌차별_공론화#SM_DiffrentiationofWomen

K-luvies are spreading this hashtag to protest against SM’s favourism. It is by all means against SM, the company, not the group.
— Skylar (@SeulOnFire) May 7, 2018

Its a fact that it’s so obvious that SM favors their BGs more, f(x) and RV debuted years ago and they STILL don’t have a lightstick!! Their ggs bring in more money than some of their BGs do but they still aren’t prioritized.

#SM_여돌차별_공론화#SM_DiffrentiationofWomen
— s •°♡ (@midafterjoon) May 7, 2018

SM ? GIRL ? GROUPS? DESERVES ? SO ? MUCH ? BETTER ?#SM_여돌차별_공론화

— Kyle (@yurimustloveme) May 7, 2018

However, there are still some other defend SM and assume that if SM really biased boygroups, Super Junior and TVXQ wouldn’t have to wait for their official lightstick in 12 – 14 years!

y’all want SM boy group treatment? have fun waiting 12+ years for an official lightstick like tvxq and suju stans have LMFAOOOOO #SM_여돌차별_공론화

— ? (@europeraiders) May 7, 2018

What do you think about the arguments about the announcement of SM idols’ official lightsticks?