Speculation Over K-pop Concert in China in January... Government Says "Nothing Confirmed"

JYP: "Simple Schedule Inquiry"

President Lee Jae-myung (center) is taking a commemorative photo holding cheering sticks with Park Jin-young (left) and Choi Hwi-young, co-chairs of the Popular Culture Exchange Committee, at the launch ceremony of the Popular Culture Exchange Committee held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province on October 1. Photo by the Presidential Office Press Photographers Group

Regarding reports that the government is pushing to hold a concert in China featuring Korean K-pop artists in January next year, the Presidential Office stated that "nothing has been confirmed."

On December 15, the spokesperson's office of the Presidential Office announced to the media, "With respect to reports that the government will host a K-pop concert in China in early January, nothing has been confirmed regarding this matter," and urged the media to exercise caution in their reporting.

On the same day, one media outlet cited remarks from a ruling party official and industry sources, reporting that the government is pursuing the hosting of a K-pop concert in China in January next year. According to the report, the Presidential Office recently requested cooperation from the four major domestic entertainment agencies-Hybe, SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and YG Entertainment-for this event.

In response, all major agencies stated that "no event has been confirmed." A representative from JYP Entertainment said, "There has been no official request for a confirmed event; there was only a simple inquiry about schedules in January."

SM Entertainment also stated, "There has been no official request for a confirmed event," adding, "There was only an inquiry for the purpose of checking schedules." Hybe and YG Entertainment likewise reportedly only received contact at the level of schedule checks, without any concrete proposals for participation.

Speculation about a K-pop concert has recently been raised in connection with Korea-China summit diplomacy. After Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit held in Gyeongju last month, some observers began to suggest the possibility of resuming cultural exchanges.

On November 1, Assemblyman Kim Youngbae, the ruling party secretary of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, stated via social media that there was mention of large-scale performances during the summit talks. However, at the time, the Popular Culture Exchange Committee cautioned against overinterpretation, explaining that the remarks were "general comments exchanged during greetings at an official diplomatic event."

Since 2016, China has imposed so-called "Hallyu Ban," an unofficial restriction on Korean music, dramas, and films, in retaliation for the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system by U.S. forces in Korea. As a result, K-pop artists have faced long-standing restrictions on performances and activities in China. More recently, the so-called "Korea-Japan Ban," which restricts activities of groups with Japanese members, has also continued.