China eyes K-pop comeback: BTS, Seventeen, Stray Kids and more targeted for 6-city tour amid possible ban lift

After nearly a decade-prolonged freeze in cultural substitute as a result of the THAAD missile protection fallout, China and South Korea would maybe well per chance also at closing be thawing household people throughout the area language of tune.

In accordance with CBS No Cute Recordsdata, China’s direct broadcaster CCTV is organizing a dapper-scale Sino-Korean concert, a well-known possible turning point in K-pop’s relationship with the Chinese market. Six foremost cities—including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou—are anticipated to host this low-cultural tune tournament in the 2d half of of 2025.

And it’s no longer perfect any lineup. The functionality visitor checklist reads admire a dream roster for K-pop followers: BTS, SEVENTEEN, Stray Youngsters, TREASURE, and EXO are amongst the end 10 male idol groups reportedly being regarded as. An loyal eager in the concert’s planning well-known the scale of the tournament: 30,000 attendees.

For BTS, this possible thaw couldn’t be timed greater. With the group situation to regroup post-militia service, a world tour in 2026 (if confirmed) would maybe well per chance also seamlessly align with their re-entry into China. SEVENTEEN and others would maybe well per chance also leverage this likelihood to re-salvage connections with their Chinese fan.

Including gasoline to the comeback buzz, another loyal confirmed that a proper authorization letter used to be got on the foremost day of China’s Labor Day holiday. If fully cleared, this would possibly occasionally be the inexperienced gentle wanted to steal the informal ban since 2017.

In a symbolic breeze that would maybe well per chance also’ve quietly cracked open the door, EPEX grew to modified into the foremost K-pop group to scheme in China in nearly nine years with their “2025 EPEX third Concert: Formative years Deficiency of Fuzhou,” held on April 31, 2025. Their demonstrate used to be well-liked by the Fuzhou metropolis govt in southeastern China.

To rewind: the normal cultural freeze used to be a response to South Korea’s resolution to deploy the U.S.-backed THAAD missile protection system, which China perceived as a threat. This ended in an unspoken but strict restriction on Korean media, leisure, and performances. But cases are changing.

CBC Recordsdata studies that with U.S.-China household people cooling and world dynamics animated, Beijing will be rethinking its stance on Hallyu (K-pop custom/Korean Wave).

President Xi Jinping even talked about the cost of cultural exchanges in the midst of a February assembly with South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Woo Obtained-shik, emphasizing that low-cultural engagement wishes to be impressed, no longer blocked.

One narrate’s obvious: the stage would maybe well per chance also at closing be situation for K-pop to reclaim its highlight in China—louder, bolder, and bigger than sooner than.