China says NO to hallyu (kpop) and anything Korean-related.
Many Korean music artists, groups, and actors often travel to China. The reason? The country is arguably one of Korea’s most profitable entertainment markets. However, these music artists aren’t immune to the worsening crisis between China and South Korea.
China has prohibited all hallyu, or Korean Wave (K-pop), content in the country. Furthermore, Korean stars can no longer star in any Chinese television show. Why? The Chinese government is retaliating against the South Korean government. South Korea made the decision to deploy the THAAD American missile defense system in the country. According to the South China Morning Post,
“A Chinese entertainment corporation has been reportedly fined 17 million won (US$14,460) for pushing ahead with a Korean idol group concert that had not been approved by the Chinese government, and it was ordered to refund ticket buyers double the original ticket price. The entertainment company invited the Korean group and began selling tickets a month before the concert but the Chinese government refused to confirm the show.”
In addition, the Chinese government didn’t approve a new Korean drama series. Furthermore, the government replaced or edited out Korean celebrities in Chinese advertisements. The ban includes any show starring, funded, affiliated, or produced by Korean companies. Korean talent agencies YG Entertainment, SM Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment are losing revenue. The Financial Times said about the issue,
“Cosmetics companies that have benefited from extra exposure in China through advertisements and as a result of Korean pop culture’s ubiquity have also suffered. LG Household & Healthcare shares have dropped 5.8 per cent this week, while Amorepacific is down 3.5 per cent.”
The eight Mnet Asian Music Awards, or MAMA, will take place this Friday in Hong Kong. MAMA is hosted by entertainment conglomerate CJ E&M. It’s unclear if China will air the awards ceremony in the country. During a press conference, Shin Hyung-kwan, Mnet’s head of music content business, said,
“It has been 20 years since we started the hallyu business and there has always been some sort of a little problem all the time. We had difficulties when there was a change in Japanese TV industry regulations that would downsize the Korean content market, but we sorted it out.
“We are overcoming the situation again with our partners in Hong Kong and our festival will proceed without a big problem.”
This is very interesting considering that the Chinese audience constitutes far over half of the voters for this year’s MAMA. In addition, it will be very interesting to see the affects this news might have on SM entertainment in particular since they are known for catering directly to the Chinese market with EXO and f(x)’s Victoria both being rather popular celebrities from what I can tell.
Although china is huge and profitable market, but korean hallyu can always focus on different countries around the globe. They can also implement policies such as ban chinese tourists or ban imported products from china, it will hurt the economy but government then can step in and help. The worls should not allow china’s action of dictating for other countries. Dispute that china has with neighboring countries are ridiculous, smaller countries are forced due to a negative economic impact that china can threat them with
Maybe china hope korean ban chinese tourists
US should put pressure on china for its retaliation on Korea
rather than chinese tourists being banned from entering korea, in a nationalistic fervor they are opting instead to go to other places instead of korea. and as half of korea’s total tourism and spending is coming from china, it’s not china being hurt in that instance.
Your logic… is wrong.
you are funny. ban chinese tourists??? haha
reportedly fined 17 million won (US$14,460)
uhhhmmm
17 000 000 Chinese yuan =
2.45718 million U.S. dollars
Who writes these articles????
won, not yuan
Bruh It’s Korean money not Chinese money.