On the 1st of the month, during a Korea-China summit dinner, Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly responded positively to a proposal regarding a performance by a Korean singer in Beijing. In response to media reports suggesting this, the Korean Cultural Exchange Committee (co-chaired by Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Choi Hwi-young and JYP Entertainment’s Founder and Chief Creative Officer Park Jin-young) issued a statement describing the exchange as a “basic level of pleasantry.”
This statement emerged after some media outlets speculated that this implied a potential lifting of the “Korean Wave (Hallyu) Ban,” leading to a quick counteraction to downplay such interpretations.
In an official explanation released early on the 2nd, the committee stated, “We understand the conversation between President Xi and Chairman Park Jin-young during the formal diplomatic event as a courteous pleasantry,” cautioning against overinterpretation.
The statement further mentioned, “Interpreting this exchange excessively is considered cautious and premature. However, with the heightened friendly and cooperative atmosphere between the two countries following the summit, more active cultural exchanges are expected.”
National Security Office Head Wi Sung-lak noted in a briefing at the Gyeongju International Media Center after the summit that there was a shared understanding to strengthen cultural exchange and cooperation, indicating that practical communications could facilitate adjustments.
Kim Young-bae, a Democratic Party member of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, remarked on Facebook about an unexpected news piece from the summit dinner, suggesting that as President Yoon and Chairman Park exchanged a casual conversation with President Xi, there was a scene where Xi responded positively to the proposal of a large-scale performance in Beijing, instructing Foreign Minister Wang Yi. This, he suggested, could mark the opening of an active entry for K-culture beyond the lifting of the Korean Wave Ban.
This has led to discussions about the potential lifting of the Korean Wave Ban and the cessation of THAAD-related retaliations. The Chinese government had imposed restrictions, known as the “Korean Wave Ban,” in July 2016 following Korea’s decision to deploy the THAAD missile defense system, which included the ban of Korean-made content or advertisements featuring Korean entertainers in China.