For the first time in nearly a decade, a K-pop group will hold a solo concert in mainland China — a development that could signal a shift in Beijing’s long-standing restrictions on South Korean entertainment.
C9 Entertainment has announced that EPEX, its eight-member boy group, will perform in Fuzhou on May 31 as part of their ongoing Asia tour, which launched in Seoul last December. The concert marks a significant moment, as it would be the first standalone show in China by a fully Korean K-pop group since 2016.
The Chinese government imposed an unofficial but sweeping freeze on Korean pop culture in 2016, widely seen as a retaliatory response to South Korea’s deployment of the U.S. THAAD missile defense system. Since then, South Korean singers and actors have largely been absent from Chinese stages and screens.
While a few Korean artists with foreign nationalities have managed to appear on Chinese TV or at events, EPEX’s upcoming concert represents a potential turning point.
Recent months have seen a handful of Korean acts break through the informal ban. In January, Korean-American indie artist The Black Skirts performed in China, followed by the hip-hop trio Homies, who held a tour concert earlier this month. Additionally, singer-actor Kim Jae-joong hosted a fan meeting in Chongqing, adding to signs of a gradual reopening.
Industry watchers say EPEX’s concert carries more weight due to the group’s idol status, which typically comes with a larger and more vocal fan base. Unlike fan meetings or joint stages, EPEX’s concert is an official solo event — a notable step forward for K-pop in the region.
For now, major idol acts including BTS’s J-Hope, Seventeen, Zerobaseone, and EXO’s Kai have been connecting with Chinese fans via concerts in Macau rather than the mainland. EPEX’s appearance in Fuzhou could pave the way for more K-pop acts to return to China in the near future.