As the “Hallyu Ban” shows signs of resumption, the focus sharpens on China’s considerable role in keeping the South Korean pop culture industry thriving.
Simultaneously, the growing discontent among Korean netizens raises several questions.
China’s Vital Part in the K-Pop Scene
Chinese media highlighted an incident wherein a Korean girl group’s Chinese member, aespa NingNing, opened a Weibo account.
Many Korean netizens view such actions as preparation for a departure back to China. However, Chinese media outlets have a different interpretation.
“The Korean netizens see this as a ‘betrayal,'” reports suggest, “some even plead to exclude the Chinese members from the Korean girl group.”
The same outlets note that NingNing’s primary reason for creating a Weibo account is her ambition to appear in variety shows in China.
Why International Members Matter
There’s a strategic reason behind K-pop groups incorporating international members. The larger aim is to penetrate overseas markets, particularly China.
As the largest market, Korean agencies cannot afford to ignore China.
Evidence for this is the overwhelming success of BLACKPINK Jisoo’s solo album in China, selling over 800,000 units out of 1.3 million total sales.
Such sales figures are indicative of China’s contribution to the K-pop industry.
Chinese Fans: The Lifeline of K-pop
Previously, Hwang Chi-yeul revealed on a variety show that his Chinese fans bought 100,000 albums on his birthday.
A testament to the fandom’s financial power, considering the revenue equates to a billion won. This kind of support, Chinese media suggest, would be impossible without the Chinese fan base.
Between January and April 2023, Korean K-pop music export to China increased by 195.7% to around 24.2 billion won ($18.91 million).
As such, Chinese media does not mince words, claiming it’s not an exaggeration to say that “Chinese fans are feeding most of the Korean entertainment industry.”
A Complex Relationship
Despite these facts, Korean netizens regard Korean-debut Chinese entertainers as exclusively Korean.
They express less dissatisfaction towards Japanese and American foreigners who have left Korea, causing Chinese media to voice concerns about a potential double standard.
Tensions Amidst Success
BTS member, Suga, openly expressed his frustrations over the difficulties of performing in China during a live broadcast on Weverse.
He pointed out that there are hardly any Korean artists performing in China. Yet, he added, “I want to perform wherever our ARMY is.”
Amid the speculation of “Hallyu Ban” resumption, news about the cancellation of Hyuna’s concert in China, the non-appearance of singer Jung Yong-hwa in a Chinese variety show, and the dropout of actress Chu Ja-hyun from a Chinese audition program has fueled rumors.
All these undercurrents highlight the intricate interplay between the Chinese market’s importance to the K-pop industry and the complicated political tensions.
It raises the question: is it time to fully acknowledge and navigate the Dragon’s role?
