Ben&Ben suspends fandom name to avoid confusion with existing K-pop fandom

Ben&Ben (Image: Instagram/@benandbenmusic)

Award-winning folk-pop band Ben&Ben has temporarily withdrawn their proposed fandom name “Lights” shortly after their big reveal as K-pop fans pointed out that a fandom of the same name already exists.

The nine-piece band took to their social media accounts yesterday, Sept. 3, to apologize for the “confusion and dismay” brought about by their decision.

“[Hello. We] have decided to suspend our fandom name ‘Lights’ until further notice, as many have informed us that there is already an existing K-pop fandom with the same name,” Ben&Ben posted on Facebook.

“[We] apologize for the confusion and dismay that this has caused to the parties involved,” the group added.

https://www.facebook.com/BenAndBenMusic/posts/2687368678188047

The band also disclosed that they “did not realize that it may cause trouble” as they are an OPM band, while the existing “Lights” fandom is for the K-pop group Highlight, which was formerly known as Beast.

“[We] hold high respect for K-pop culture and K-pop fandoms. [The] band management will settle this matter immediately,” Ben&Ben noted.

Just hours before the apology, Ben&Ben announced their decision to call their fandom “Lights,” which they said they got from their debut album “Limasawa Street,” as “Limasawa” means “a place of Light.”

“[It] has been a good three years with all of you. we are forever thankful. [So] today, we are naming the official Ben&Ben Fandom, ‘Lights,'” the band posted on Twitter yesterday afternoon.

“We are naming the fandom ‘Lights’ because it reminds us that we can be bearers of hope in these dark times. [We] can be Lights to others. [And] we can do so by being united in soaring higher together!” the band added in the following tweet.

We are naming the fandom "Lights" because it reminds us that we can be bearers of hope in these dark times. we can be Lights to others. and we can do so by being united in soaring higher together!#BenAndBenLightsFandom

— Ben&Ben (@BenAndBenMusic) September 3, 2020

A number of K-pop fans then replied to Ben&Ben’s announcement, asking the OPM band to change their proposed fandom name. For one, Twitter user @dysnis noted that the K-pop fandom has been using the name for three years already.

“Please consider to change your fandom name because “Light” is very meaningful for us fans… we are ‘LIGHT'” because of ‘HIGHLIGHT,'” the fan said.

https://twitter.com/dysnis/status/1301507917410041857

Another fan with the Twitter handle @KCAbelinde also asked Ben&Ben to rename their fandom, tweeting, “Hi, please be informed.. taken na po ang LIGHTS na fandom name, i hope you consider renaming yours coz who wants to be a duplicate right?”

https://twitter.com/KCAbelinde/status/1301496689572757506

Twitter user @itsyourfans likewise asked the band to rename and stressed that fandom names are important for K-pop fans.

“Dear @BenAndBenMusic, we truly respect and understand you guys sincerity towards your fans. Unfortunately, as [K-pop] fans and fans of kpop group ‘Highlight’ we need to clear this with you,” the fan said.

“We are fans from a [K-pop] group called Highlight. We had given a fandom name for the group and being called as Lights since 2017. A fandom name are really important to us. It does mean we have our own family and make us feel the loves from our [K-pop] idol. I think you know [that] too (sic),” the Twitter user added in another tweet.

We are fans from a kpop group called Highlight. We had given a fandom name for the group and being called as Lights since 2017. A fandom name are really important to us. It does mean we have our own family and make us feel the loves from our kpop idol. I think you know tht too.

— han (@itsyourfans) September 3, 2020

Following Ben&Ben’s decision to withdraw the fandom name, a number of fans suggested that they rename it to its Filipino counterpart, “Liwanag” or “Ilaw.”

For one, Twitter user @ivos_bnb_sb19_2 tweeted, “I think, we can change it to ‘Ilaw’ or ‘Liwanag’ instead of ‘Lights’?” a suggestion a number of fans agreed to.

https://twitter.com/ivos_bnb_sb19_2/status/1301519920652578817

“LETS GO FOR “LIWANAG” KASI ANG MUSIKA NIYO ANG NAGBIBIGAY SA LIWANAG SA MGA PILIPINO,” Twitter user @nuneobingu, meanwhile, tweeted.

(Let’s go for “Liwanag” because your music gives light to Filipinos.)

LETS GO FOR "LIWANAG" KASI ANG MUSIKA NIYO ANG NAGBIBIGAY SA LIWANAG SA MGA PILIPINO 😭❤

— nuneobingu (@nuneobingu) September 3, 2020

Ben&Ben, admittedly fans of K-pop themselves, has lately been covering K-pop songs through their YouTube channel. They also went trending in South Korea and even topped charts of a streaming site in that country last July.  /ra

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