Could BTS Finally Stage a Concert in Mainland China?: Policy Shift Sparks Hope

K-pop boy group EPEX, composed entirely of Korean members, is preparing to make their debut performance in Fuzhou, China.

On April 29, their agency C9 Entertainment officially announced that EPEX will hold a solo concert titled ''Youth Chapter: 1 in Fuzhou'' on May 31. This concert is an extension of their ''Youth Chapter'' tour, which kicked off in Seoul last December. After performing in Macau and Taipei, EPEX is now expanding their stage to mainland China.

What stands out most is that EPEX will become the first all-Korean nationality K-pop group to hold a solo concert in China. Since the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) controversy in 2016, the ensuing Hallyu ban (known as "Hanhanryeong") had effectively frozen Korean pop culture’s presence in China. This upcoming concert marks a significant breakthrough — the first in nearly nine years.

THAAD, developed by the U.S. defense company Lockheed Martin, is a missile defense system specifically designed to intercept ballistic missiles.

China reacted strongly against the deployment of THAAD in South Korea, leading to an unofficial ban on Korean content, including K-pop and Korean celebrities appearing in Chinese media and advertisements.

During the height of the Hallyu ban, while some K-pop stars holding foreign nationalities appeared on Chinese TV programs, no pure Korean nationality idol group had managed to hold a solo concert in mainland China — until now.

Recently, however, there have been subtle changes in the atmosphere.

At the end of last year and the beginning of this year, Korean-American singer-songwriter The Black Skirts performed in China, hip-hop group Homies toured across Chinese cities, and singer-actor Kim Jae-joong held a fan meeting in Chongqing earlier this month, all drawing attention.

C9 Entertainment stated, "As an all-Korean idol group, EPEX is crossing into the mainland market and emerging as a new frontrunner for K-pop’s resurgence in China."

Since their debut, EPEX has actively connected with Chinese fans, participating in magazine features, interviews, and holding fan sign events in Shanghai and Chengdu earlier this year.

EPEX’s solo concert in Fuzhou is not just a casual fan meeting — it is a full-scale, formal concert, making it even more significant. Industry insiders are now raising expectations, suggesting that "the door to the Chinese concert market for K-pop stars might finally be reopening."

However, caution remains.

Currently, major K-pop acts such as BTS’s J-Hope, SEVENTEEN, ZEROBASEONE, and EXO’s Kai are still opting to hold concerts in Macau rather than mainland China.

Analysts note that the true lifting of the Hallyu ban would hinge on whether large-scale concerts — requiring venues of 10,000 to 20,000 seats — are officially permitted in China.

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