The humble pencil has become an unlikely fashion accessory.
It is not uncommon for food or fashion and beauty products to become popular after appearing in Korean dramas.
Remember Squid Game's Dalgona candy or Song's Hye Kyo's Raneige lipstick in Descendants of the Sun?
The latest launch is the iconic blue-and-black pencil from German stationery brand Staedtler Mars Lumograph.
After appearing in the Korean drama "Glory" at the time, this humble pencil became an unlikely fashion accessory. The play revolves around Moon Dong-eun (played by Song Hye Kyo), who takes revenge on the person who bullied her in high school.
There are some spoilers up front, so if you haven't seen the second part of The Glory, stop here.
This gives the pen (cil) a new meaning that it is more powerful than the sword
In one of the show's most memorable scenes, drug-addicted entertainer Sarah Lee (Kim Heola) has a cat fight with flight attendant Choi Hye-jung (Cha Joo-young).
In anger, Sarah pulled out the pencil she used to clip her hair and stabbed it into Huijing's neck.
Shocking, to say the least. The gore scene reminds viewers of Keanurif's pencil fight scene in John Wick 2, with which he kills a thug.
The pencil, which is commonly used by art students and illustrators, has reportedly been removed from the shelves and is currently sold out in South Korea.
Netizens were surprised by its sudden popularity, some people ridiculed: "I used this pencil for 20 years, but I didn't expect it to be popular in 2023", and some people said that they could no longer look at this pencil with the same eyes.
"Now my neck hurts as soon as I see the pencil." One fan commented.
Royal Salute Scotch whisky bottles have become an unlikely weapon
Another "weapon" was also thrust into the spotlight: the Chivas Royal Salute 62-gun salute, Scotch whisky.
In another violent scene, bully queen Park Yeon-jin (Lim Ji-yeon) attacks Kim Kun-woo (Son Myung-mo) and repeatedly punches him on the head with a whiskey bottle. Amazingly, after three falls, the sturdy bottle did not break.
Instead of the real 62 salute bottle (right below), the play uses a model of the Royal Salute's 38-year Stone of Destiny (left), but with the label 62.
The more common royal salutes on the market are the iconic 21-year Signature Blend, the 32-year Union of the Crown and the '38-year Stone of Destiny.
The 62-gun salute is produced in limited quantities, representing the highest ceremonial honor, reserved exclusively for the most important royal occasions.
Housed in a beautifully handcrafted Dartington crystal decanter, the 62 salute is adorned with 24-carat yellow gold and fitted with a cut crystal stopper, a work of art. The estimated value of each bottle is about 25,769 yuan.
Following The Glory craze, netizens started peddling their beloved bottles online.
One seller even touted the empty bottle of his 38-year-old Stone of Destiny as a "self-defense" weapon. Price tag? 50,000 won (264 won).
"Easy to grip and crush, suitable for frail women for self-defense," the seller wrote in the caption, adding that it was recommended for crime prevention or defense against "polite or ordinary jerks."