Hybe's Girl Band Set for Macau Performance as China’s Restrictions on K-Pop Persist

Courtesy of Belift Lab

Hybe confirmed on Friday that its K-pop girl band, Illit, will perform at the Tencent Music Entertainment Awards (TMEA) in Macau, China, on July 19. The announcement was made following the band's release of an award poster on their Weibo account on Wednesday, marking their debut live performance in China.

“Illit will perform at the Tencent Music Entertainment Award as planned. The post on (Illit’s) Weibo account regarding their participation was made after receiving confirmation from the organizer,” a Hybe official stated to the Korea Herald on Friday.

This confirmation comes in the context of recent developments in Sino-Korean cultural relations, specifically the cancellation of a concert by the Korean rock band Say Sue Me in Beijing. Approved in May and later revoked in June, Say Sue Me's concert was anticipated to be the first pop music event in China since Big Bang’s world tour in 2015.
 

▲ Poster for Illit's participation at 2024 TMEA 5th Tencent Music Entertainment Award in Macau, China, on July 1 / Courtesy of Belift LabSay Sue Me announced the cancellation on social media, expressing disappointment and noting that they had expected the concert to signify a relaxation of China's restrictions on Korean musicians. The band did not receive a detailed explanation for the cancellation, but it is speculated that the decision might stem from the conflicting stances on cultural exchanges between local and central Chinese authorities or possibly the musical genre involved.

In contrast, May saw a significant milestone when Korean soprano Jo Sumi performed at Beijing's National Centre for the Performing Arts, representing the first classical music concert by a Korean artist in China after an eight-year hiatus. However, the ban on K-pop concerts and Korean entertainment content, stemming from the 2016 deployment of the THAAD missile defense system by the US in South Korea, remains largely in effect under China's Hanhanling policy.

Hybe stated that it remains uncertain whether the approvals for K-pop concerts in Macau are granted by local or central government authorities in China.

Other K-pop artists set to perform at the TMEA 2024 include BoA, Epik High, ZeroBaseOne, Nmixx, NCT Wish, and Babymonster.

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Kelly.K, pittou8181@gmail.com