All-Korean K-pop idol group to perform in China

An all-Korean K-pop boy group is set to hold a standalone concert in China next month, raising expectations that Beijing may be moving toward easing its tacit ban on South Korean entertainment.

C9 Entertainment announced Tuesday that its eight-member boy group Epex will perform in Fuzhou, China, on May 31 as part of its Asian tour, which kicked off in Seoul last December.

China imposed an effective ban on South Korean pop music, TV dramas and films around 2016, in what was widely viewed as retaliation for Seoul’s deployment of the U.S. missile-defense system THAAD. South Korean pop singers have been barred from performing in China ever since.

While K-pop stars with foreign nationalities have occasionally appeared on Chinese television shows, Epex’s concert would mark the first time in nine years that an all-Korean K-pop group will stage a solo concert in China since the 2016 ban.

In January, the Black Skirts, a South Korea-based American indie rock musician of Korean descent, was granted permission to perform in China, drawing media attention. Earlier this month, Homies, a three-member all-Korean hip-hop group, also held a tour concert in the country.

Korean singer-actor Kim Jae-joong hosted a fan meet-and-greet event in Chongqing, further fueling speculation about a possible easing of restrictions.

There is cautious optimism that the Chinese performance market could soon reopen for major K-pop stars, especially with an idol group — typically with a larger fan base than indie or hip-hop acts — holding an official standalone concert rather than just a fan event.

Currently, top K-pop acts such as J-Hope of BTS, Seventeen, Zerobaseone and EXO’s Kai have been meeting their Chinese fans through concerts in Macau, rather than on the mainland.

However, industry experts note that the key indicator will be whether Chinese authorities begin permitting large-scale concerts because high-profile K-pop artists require large venues with capacities of 10,000 to 20,000 seats.

“Around the beginning of this year, there were rumors that the ban on the South Korean entertainment industry would be eased around May or June,” said a K-pop industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience in managing singers. “There’s now an atmosphere of allowing smaller performances at venues in regional cities with less than 2,000 seats. But for major artists, we’ll have to wait and see if large venues will open up.”