K-pop’s big freeze: are cracks in China’s cultural blockade a thaw?
A decade-long geopolitical chill has kept South Korean entertainers largely locked out of the Chinese market, but fans find ways to connect
While K-pop has conquered almost every corner of the globe, South Korea’s entertainment industry remains largely locked out of the Chinese market due to a geopolitical chill that has lingered for a decade.
In early January, the Chinese remake of the South Korean television series My Mister – featuring singer-actress IU – was released on the streaming platform Youku. The Chinese version, titled Loving Strangers, starred actors Mark Chao Yu-ting and Zhang Zifeng. Media reports noted that it was the first South Korean drama remake to be publicly distributed in China since the ban began.
Earlier this month, South Korean entertainment company CJ ENM partnered with JYP Entertainment’s Chinese subsidiary and Tencent Music Entertainment to launch Onecead, an artist management and music production company with a focus on the Chinese market.