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China is reportedly set to lift its restrictions on Hallyu, or K-pop content, starting in May. The alleged ban was said to have been imposed in 2017 following South Korea's deployment of the US-based Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD. The restriction has limited the distribution of Korean movies, music, and other entertainment content in the country.
Notably, China has officially denied implementing such a ban following the THAAD deployment. However, while there is a procedure for obtaining approval to distribute K-pop content in China, multiple requests have reportedly been denied.
According to the KDB Future Strategy Research Institute, affiliated with the Industrial Bank of Korea, this restriction has resulted in significant financial losses. The institute estimates that Korea's domestic industries have suffered a loss of approximately 22 trillion KRW due to the alleged THAAD-related ban.
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Following Hankyung’s report, an official from the China Asia-Pacific Cooperation Center, who is accountable for the preparations for the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation), spoke to the media on February 19, 2025.
The official stated:
“Starting with sending a civilian cultural delegation to Korea next month, we plan to expand cultural exchanges and fully open up the culture within the first half of this year.”
According to Hangkyung, experts believe that China's decision to lift the unofficial ban is to boost international relations with South Korea, which is known to be an ally of the United States. In particular, this action is being taken reportedly due to the increasing tension between the United States and China following President Donald Trump's second administration launch.
APEC preparatory body official weighs in on reported lifting of K-pop ban in China.
On February 19, a senior official from the China Asia-Pacific Cooperation Center, preparing for the APEC summit, revealed that the government plans to push toward full-fledged cultural exchange with South Korea. This initiative is reported to take place before the APEC summit, scheduled for October 2025 in Gyeongju City, North Gyeongsang Province.
The official hinted that Korean artists may soon resume holding music events in China, and companies could continue to distribute albums and movies.
The official stated:
“Rather than announcing a sudden reopening of culture at the government level, we are considering a process of gradually expanding cultural exchanges at the private level and achieving a full reopening around May.”
Additionally, an official from the Korean Embassy in China opened up about the plans for the K-pop ban lifting. They said:
“We have also been consistently requesting the Chinese government (to lift the THAAD ban), and we have detected positive movements from the Chinese government as well.”
They further added:
“Because the THAAD ban is not an official regulation stated anywhere, rather than the Chinese government officially announcing the lifting, there is a high possibility that when K-pop singers apply to perform in China, they will be released, unlike in the past, and eventually all (Korean content) will be opened up.”
Korean artists allegedly canceled events in the past in China due to the ban
Following South Korea's installation of the THAAD defense system, China's unofficial ban on Hallyu, or K-pop, reportedly created a hindrance for artists performing in the country and selling their albums and merchandise. In 2016, the K-pop group EXO canceled their concerts due to the political tensions between the countries.
The Oscar-winning film Parasite's screening at a Chinese Film Festival in 2019 was also abruptly stopped, citing technical issues. However, speculations suggest this was a result of the unofficial ban.
In other news, China has recently added South Korea to its list of visa-free nations. Experts believe that lifting the ban may result in benefits for entertainment industries in Korea.
