Chinese K-pop fans turn to Hong Kong to evade S. Korean content ban

HONG KONG – With the relationship between China and South Korea strained in recent years, Korean popular (K-pop) music fans in mainland China have been flocking to Hong Kong to evade Beijing’s unofficial ban on South Korean cultural content.
Over the past year, the semiautonomous Chinese region has hosted a variety of K-pop concerts and events, including major music festival K-CON and performances by idol groups SHINee and F.T. Island.
In early September, thousands of dedicated fans from across China attended a concert of K-pop group Super Junior in Hong Kong, showing an unwavering commitment to their idols even as the city battled the second-strongest tropical cyclone in the world this year.
“Can they come to Shanghai? The last time I saw you was when I was still a student, and now I’m working. When will I be able to see you all?” one Chinese fan asked in a social media post.
“I feel it’s very difficult…given the current situation, who would dare to hold a concert so openly?” replied another fan. “It’s already great that we can have autograph-signing events in the mainland…I don’t know when the next concert in the mainland will be.”
“With the Korean Wave restrictions, it’s basically impossible now,” a different fan responded.
Fans were left scrambling as flights were cancelled and public transport services were significantly scaled back in anticipation of Super Typhoon Yagi, with many opting for alternative travel options, such as booking earlier flights or taking a high-speed train to ensure their arrival.
A merchandise vendor at AsiaWorld-Expo, the event venue, told Kyodo News that some fans arrived as early as noon for the 8pm show, with items selling out hours before the concert started.
The spread of South Korean popular culture in China suffered a significant blow in 2016 when Seoul decided to develop with Washington the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence missile defence system to protect against the North Korean nuclear threat, with Beijing viewing it as a challenge to its own security interests.
The political tension ultimately led to a de facto ban on South Korean entertainment in China, with major television (TV) shows and popular music featuring the neighbouring country’s content vanishing from mainstream media.
The future of China’s Korean Wave grew increasingly bleak in 2021 when Beijing imposed a broader crackdown on “sissy” male entertainers and idol worship culture, calling for a boycott of “effeminate” men and restricting fandom events.
In response to growing restrictions, Hong Kong has emerged as a popular destination for mainland Chinese fans to support their favourite idols. K-pop concerts have also become an important driver for the city’s sluggish economy.
The city’s government has prioritised hosting large-scale events to attract tourists, particularly after missing the opportunity to host a concert by global megastar Taylor Swift earlier this year. Her Asia tour was hosted by Tokyo and Singapore in February and March.
K-pop events are expected to bring significant economic benefits, with around 1.7 million tourists anticipated to participate, contributing roughly HK$7.2 billion (US$920 million) in spending and adding about HK$4.3 billion in value to the territory’s economy.
However, there are signs that China’s icy attitude toward South Korean entertainment is beginning to thaw.

Last year, Chinese company Tencent Music signed a distribution deal with HYBE Corp, the Korean entertainment company representing BTS, widely regarded as the most famous K-pop group globally.
Despite the uncertain future of South Korean culture in China, one thing is clear — fans will stop at nothing to support their favourite idols, be it crossing borders or braving storms.