China’s K-pop Ban Endures for 10 Years... Even BTS Tours Exclude the Country

BTS embarked on a 12-month world tour following a three-year hiatus, but China, one of their largest fan bases, is absent from the tour schedule. This is because China has maintained an unofficial ban on South Korean entertainment since 2016.

The origin of this ban lies in South Korea’s decision to allow the deployment of the U.S. THAAD missile defense system. China claimed that THAAD’s radar could monitor its territory. The ban extends beyond music to include films and TV dramas, and it has lasted for over 10 years.

However, the ban is not absolute. K-pop groups composed of non-Korean members have performed in China, and K-pop product pop-up stores often see long queues of fans, requiring advance reservations during peak seasons. As for dramas, they are accessible through streaming platforms, with approximately 50 dramas available on the four major Chinese platforms, all of which were produced more than four years ago.

Some Chinese fans fly directly to Seoul to attend performances. BTS tours are scheduled for 2027 in Macao and Hong Kong, China’s special administrative regions, which have independent legal systems and are not subject to China’s ban policies.

Analysts attribute the prolonged duration of this ban to China’s concern over the widespread popularity of Korean music. Within China’s policy framework of actively protecting its own cultural industry, the extensive influence of Korean music poses a challenge for the government to control. Meanwhile, as South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung publicly expressed a desire to improve relations with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the possibility of easing the ban has been raised.