Starseeker reimagines K-pop group Tomorrow x Together's lightstick while maintaining their brand identity.
The Problem
"Lightsticks" are handheld stick lamps popularized by K-pop fans. During K-pop concerts, lightsticks are used to cheer on fan's favorite K-idols. Over the years, lightsticks have evolved into symbols of the preforming group's identity. Many iterations use the group's logo or specific iconography associated with their music.
Apink lightstick
Ateez lightstick
Blackpink lightstick
After attending a Tomorrow x Together concert, I couldn't help but notice that the group's lightstick seemed generic. While the group has a strong visual identity presented through graphics and logo design, the group's lightstick didn't reflect their concept and seemed lackluster in comparison to other groups.
Thus, I faced a design problem: How do I create a K-pop lightstick to more clearly represent Tomorrow x Together's brand identity?
Empathize
Tomorrow x Together separate themselves from other K-pop acts with their unique, whimsical concepts. To accompany their music, TXT is also known for their unique, adaptable logo design. For their lightstick redesign, I decided to focus on their "eternity' chapter concept as my source material since it is the basis of their visual identity. Below are some references I used to draw inspiration.
TXT official lightstick
TXT base logo
TXT eternity chapter logo
TXT eternity chapter album packaging
TXT eternity chapter poster
From the following references, I gathered a color palette and began experimenting with different ideas.
Ideate
I gathered reference images and compiled an initial sketch in procreate. The geometry references the shape of an observatory dome, like the one seen above. Inside the dome is a manipulated version of the TXT logo, in the shape of a contained star.
TXT's music and visuals tend to revolve around stars. During the eternity chapter, TXT's member seek each other out during bouts of darkness. As a child of this idea, I decided to create a "starseeker" lightstick that would allow fans to find their way to TXT.
Initial lightstick sketch
At this stage of ideation, I decided to simplify the model to make it easier to print. Working with a MakerBot 3D printer, I had to resize the lightstick to instead hold a small keychain flashlight. This change caused me to rework this initial sketch, as seen in the lightstick's subsequent prototype.
Prototype
After the initial sketch, I began 3D modeling using Rhino. Using a generic keychain's dimensions, I created a simple base. For the flashlight topper, I decided to create intersecting parts so that the top could be removed if the flashlight needs to be replaced. To create the logo, I began with a base oval, offset it slightly, and then extruded the shape to the width I liked. This shape was then rotated and manipulated to create a revolving star shape.
The Solution
Starseeker captures TXT's group concept of finding light through darkness while remaining true to their brand identity. Similar to their official lightstick, Starseeker's color palette uses blue and white, but would ideally be able to change light color based on environment settings (like at a concert).
Starseeker uses unique, recognizable iconography to create a memorable and meaningful lightstick for fans of Tomorrow x Together.
