Signs of Relaxation in the Hanhan Order...NCT, IVE, and TWICE Hold Fan Signings and Pop-Ups in China

As signals emerge indicating a relaxation of the Hanhan Order—imposed in 2016 amid the THAAD controversy and banning personnel exchanges and K-pop activities—K-pop idols are accelerating their efforts to re-enter the Chinese market. On the 21st of last month, approximately 4,000 fans gathered instantly at JD.com’s mall in Guangzhou following Mark from group NCT’s surprise visit to the pop-up store for his first solo album, *The Firstfruit*. The five-story shopping mall was filled to capacity with fans, and Mark filmed a dance challenge for his new song “1999” alongside them. Beyond NCT’s activities, various other K-pop idols are also holding fan signings and pop-up events in China. Last month, IVE held a fan signing event in Shanghai, meeting around 200 fans. In February, TWICE conducted a fan signing event in Shanghai to promote their new album. These activities represent nearly nine years of activity in China since member Tzuyu faced attacks from Chinese netizens in 2016 for waving a Taiwanese flag on a variety show. NCT Wish visited Shanghai for pre-promotion of their second mini-album, *poppop*, and held a press conference there. Approximately 60 media outlets attended, showing high interest. Gaeul, a member of IVE, appeared solo on the cover of a Chinese fashion magazine. There are also signs of recovery in album exports. Looking at South Korea’s album export figures by country in 2022, China ranked second with $51,326,000, behind Japan. However, this figure dropped sharply to $33,900,000 in 2023, pushing China to third place. Yet, recovery began in 2024. While exports to Japan declined significantly, exports to China surged to $59,789,000. From January to March this year, China topped the list of destinations for South Korea’s album exports, accounting for $12,962,000—surpassing Japan, Taiwan, and the United States. Nevertheless, industry insiders point out that the key factor in determining whether the Hanhan Order will be lifted is the possibility of holding large-scale concerts. The large attendance at concerts by G-Dragon and Jennie held in South Korea demonstrates strong demand from Chinese fans for K-pop performances. However, the current situation remains limited. Activities such as fan signings, offline events, and magazine cover appearances have been ongoing in the past, so experts argue that these recent efforts alone cannot be considered a clear signal of the Hanhan Order’s lifting. One industry insider said, “Compared to before, the frequency has indeed decreased greatly, but these are just continued activities—not new changes. We still need to wait and see.” To perform in China, approval from local governments is required, and some provinces have shown interest in K-pop concerts. A concert industry official stated, “If permission is granted in one place, it is expected that K-pop concerts will gradually resume in other cities across China as well. While the likelihood of immediate large-scale concerts is low, this is a signal of a possible return to the Chinese market.” However, there are also views suggesting that since domestic idols in China take priority over K-pop idols, the restrictions will not be fully lifted like before the Hanhan Order was imposed. It remains to be seen whether the newly established “K-POP Korea-China Peace Association,” aimed at becoming a cultural infrastructure link between the two countries, can play a bridging role in this context.