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| ▲ South Korean girl group Le Sserafim poses for a photo during a showcase in Seoul on March 14, 2025, to promote the release of the group's fifth mini album "Hot." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
K-pop events-China
K-pop events in China disrupted as Beijing-Tokyo tensions affect entertainment sector
SEOUL, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) -- Growing tensions between China and Japan are apparently affecting South Korea's K-pop industry, with recent events involving groups with Japanese singers being either canceled or altered in China, according to industry sources Saturday.
Girl group Le Sserafim canceled a fan signing event for its single "Spaghetti," which was slated for Sunday in Shanghai.
The event organizer said the cancellation was due to an "uncontrollable factor," without specifying the reason.
Industry watchers believe the ongoing dispute between China and Japan likely played a role, given two members -- Sakura and Kazuha -- of the group's five-person lineup are Japanese.
Boy group Close Your Eyes held a fan meeting in Hangzhou on Dec. 6, but Japanese member Kenshin did not participate.
On the same day, a fan event featuring trainees from Incode Entertainment scheduled in Shanghai was abruptly canceled hours before it started. The lineup included Japanese trainees.
Such disruptions affecting teams with Japanese members have raised concerns in the K-pop industry, where multinational lineups, particularly including Japanese members, are common.
"It seemed as though the ban of Korean culture in China was easing, but now it looks like a new ban on Korean-Japanese culture is emerging," one industry official said.
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