BEIJING, Nov 2 — China may be preparing to ease restrictions on Korean pop culture, a South Korean lawmaker said yesterday, citing a positive response from Chinese President Xi Jinping to a proposal for a large-scale K-pop concert in Beijing.
According to Korea JoongAng Daily, Representative Kim Young-bae of the Democratic Party of Korea said the exchange took place during a banquet at the Korea-China summit held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meeting.
“There has been a surprise development from tonight’s banquet,” Kim wrote on social media, alongside a photo of the summit.
“President Lee Jae-myung, President Xi and Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange leader Park Jin-young briefly spoke, and when the idea of a large-scale performance in Beijing came up, President Xi responded positively and called over Foreign Minister Wang Yi to give instructions.”
Kim added, “It may be the moment when not only the ban is lifted, but also the door opens wide for the full-scale expansion of K-culture.”
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said in a press briefing that both countries shared “a consensus on increasing cultural exchange and putting effort into content cooperation.”
The South Korean government urged caution, noting that the possibility of a concert was not officially mentioned in the summit’s outcomes and should not be interpreted as a formal agreement.
“We understand the remarks between President Xi and Committee Chair Park Jin-young during the diplomatic event as general pleasantries exchanged while greeting each other,” the Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange said in a press release.
“It would be premature and overly hasty to read too much into them.”
Park Jin-young, also known as JY Park, is a singer-songwriter, producer and founder of JYP Entertainment, one of South Korea’s leading music agencies.
China began restricting Korean cultural imports in 2016 after South Korea deployed the US-led Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (Thaad) system, effectively halting the Korean Wave in the Chinese market.
Signs of a thaw emerged in April when Korean hip-hop trio Homies held an official concert in Wuhan, marking the first such event since the ban began.
Analysts suggest that as China navigates tensions with the United States, it may seek to improve relations with South Korea through cultural diplomacy.
