China's freeze on Korean culture may be thawing, Hong Kong newspaper says

China's unofficial ban on Korean culture, which had been in place since Korea's 2016 launch of antimissile facilities, may finally be easing — at least according to a major Hong Kong newspaper report.

A report by Hong Kong-based Sing Tao Daily released Wednesday says the Chinese government may be loosening its ban on Korean pop culture in the mainland. Korean media also reported earlier this week that a K-pop concert may be held in Beijing as early as next month.

“Four major Korean entertainment agencies have recently received inquiries related to holding K-pop concerts in China next month,” read the report. The four major Korean entertainment agencies include JYP Entertainment, SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment and HYBE.

“This suggests the possibility that China may be loosening its Korean culture ban," wrote the paper. "The development comes at a time when China has imposed restrictions on Japan amid strained China-Japan relations."

The newspaper cited remarks made by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his state visit in October.  

"The two countries should enhance public sentiment and promote mutual understanding between our peoples,” said Xi, calling for “healthy and productive people-to-people exchanges, greater mutual understanding and a stronger public opinion foundation."

President Lee Jae Myung echoed the sentiment, saying: "Korea seeks to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with China, expand people-to-people exchanges and improve public sentiment between the two countries."

Taiwan’s Central News Agency on Tuesday also reported on the developments surrounding the inquiries to the four major agencies. 

“If performances resume for the first time in nine years, it would signal a possible easing of China’s Hallyu ban,” said the newspaper, noting that the issue is drawing widespread attention.

Chinese social media platforms have also taken note. On Weibo, China’s largest social media platform, hashtags such as “#Korean media: K-pop concert in China in January” racked up 11.41 million views, ranking high on the platform’s trending searches.

Reactions among Chinese netizens were mixed, with 42 percent expressing opposition, 32 percent responding positively and 7 percent voicing skepticism. Weibo’s AI-powered search service said “heated debate has erupted among Chinese netizens,” adding that opposition voices are stronger due to concerns over cultural security and political sensitivity.

“Holding a K-pop concert in Beijing is not something the private sector can decide on its own,” said a cultural industry official in Beijing. "The industry is watching developments closely with cautious expectations."

China has maintained the unofficial Hallyu ban since 2016 in retaliation for Korea’s deployment of the U.S.-led Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) antimissile system, restricting Korean music, dramas and films.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY SHIN KYUNG-JIN [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]