9-Year “Hanhanryeong” Restrictions Lifted...NCT and IVE Hold Fan Signings in China, Reclaiming Top Spot in Album Exports

The K-pop restrictions in China, known as “Hanhanryeong” or “Geumhanryeong” since the deployment of THAAD systems in 2016, have begun to be lifted effectively after 9 years. Although the Chinese government has never officially acknowledged these restrictions, it imposed sanctions through indirect methods such as delaying or stopping content reviews and restricting visa issuance. Recently, K-POP idols have been active in China one after another. On April 21, Mark of NCT opened a solo album pop-up store at JD Mall in Guangzhou, China, attracting over 4,000 fans who filled the five-story shopping mall. Mark interacted with local fans by filming dance challenges for his new song “1999.” IVE held a fan signing event in Shanghai last month, meeting with more than 200 fans, while TWICE held a promotional fan signing event in Shanghai in February. These events in China mark the first time such activities have taken place in 9 years, following an incident in 2016 when TWICE’s Tzuyu was attacked by Chinese netizens for waving a Taiwanese flag on a variety show. Wish of NCT visited Shanghai for a press conference as part of the pre-promotion for his second mini-album “poppop,” with approximately 60 media outlets in attendance. Gaeul of IVE appeared alone on the cover of a Chinese fashion magazine. Exports of Korean albums to China are also showing signs of recovery. China ranked second behind Japan with exports worth $51,326,000 in 2022, but this figure dropped sharply to $33,900,000 in 2023, pushing it to third place. It nearly reached rock bottom in August of that same year. However, exports surged to $59,789,000 in 2024, and from January to March this year, they reached $12,962,000, securing first place. The “Dream Concert,” a major domestic music award show, is set to be held for the first time in Hainan Province, China, in September. Singers from top idol groups under South Korea’s four major entertainment companies have promised to perform, and an official from the Entertainment Producers Association said, “Thanks to this event, we’ve secured annual concerts in China through 2027.” Yet, the industry also offers cautious assessments. One official noted, “Fan signings, offline events, and magazine covers have been happening in the past, so it’s hard to consider recent activities as a clear signal that the Hanhanryeong restrictions are lifted. We still need to wait and see.” Another official added, “Only when large-scale solo concerts can be held will there be a real sense of change. As of now, only locally formed groups with members who are not Korean citizens can freely hold large-scale performances in China.” A concert industry insider familiar with Chinese conditions said, “To perform in China, approval from local governments is required, and some provinces are showing interest in K-pop concerts. While it’s unlikely to lead to large-scale events right away, if permission is granted in one place, K-pop concerts are expected to resume gradually in other Chinese cities afterward.” However, he predicted that “since domestic idols take priority in China, the restrictions won’t be fully lifted like before the Hanhanryeong era.”