Park Jin-young, the influential founder of JYP Entertainment and co-chair of South Korea's Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a high-profile dinner at the Korea-China summit. The encounter, which took place alongside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, has sparked widespread speculation that China may be preparing to lift its longstanding unofficial ban on Korean cultural content.
The K-pop mogul shared details of his meeting with President Xi through social media on Sunday, posting a photo of their encounter on Instagram. "I was truly glad to meet and speak with President Xi Jinping. I hope that through popular culture, our two peoples can grow even closer," Park wrote in his post. He made sure to include the same message in Chinese, demonstrating his commitment to cross-cultural communication and diplomatic engagement.
According to Rep. Kim Young-bae of the Democratic Party of Korea, the summit dinner included a particularly encouraging exchange regarding cultural cooperation. Kim revealed on Facebook that President Xi responded positively when South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Park Jin-young suggested organizing a large-scale concert in Beijing. The Chinese president's reaction was so favorable that he immediately called over Foreign Minister Wang Yi to provide direct instructions on the matter, signaling potential high-level support for renewed cultural exchange.
"It could mark a historic moment – not just the end of the Korean wave (hallyu) ban, but the beginning of a full reopening for K-content in China," Rep. Kim stated, reflecting the optimism many feel about this diplomatic breakthrough. His comments highlight the significant economic and cultural implications that such a policy shift would have for both nations.
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-rak provided additional confirmation of the positive atmosphere surrounding cultural cooperation. Following the summit, he noted that both leaders had reached a clear consensus to expand cultural exchange and cooperation, with particular emphasis on content-related initiatives. He indicated that further coordination and detailed planning would take place at the working level between the two governments.
The meeting carries special significance given the history of China's cultural restrictions on Korean content. China imposed the so-called hallyu ban in 2016 as retaliation for South Korea's decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system. This policy effectively halted the import and broadcast of Korean entertainment content, dealing a significant blow to Korea's cultural export industry and the many Chinese fans of K-pop, K-dramas, and Korean films.
While the ban has shown some signs of gradual relaxation in recent years, with Chinese authorities approving certain fan meetings and cultural exhibitions, large-scale K-pop concerts have remained strictly prohibited. This restriction has been particularly frustrating for both Korean entertainment companies and Chinese fans who have been unable to attend major performances by their favorite artists.
Despite the growing optimism following Park's meeting with President Xi, the Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange has urged caution in interpreting the encounter. Committee officials emphasized that "the exchange between President Xi and Chairman Park was a brief, courtesy-level conversation at an official diplomatic event," warning that it would be premature to interpret the meeting as indicating an immediate policy shift.
However, the committee did acknowledge the broader positive implications of the summit. "As this summit has clearly improved the atmosphere of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, we hope it will lead to more active cultural exchanges in the near future," they stated. This measured optimism reflects both the potential for progress and the need for realistic expectations about the pace of policy changes.
The potential lifting of the hallyu ban would have enormous economic implications for South Korea's entertainment industry, which has invested heavily in developing content specifically for the Chinese market. Before the restrictions were imposed, China represented one of the largest and most lucrative markets for Korean cultural products, generating billions of dollars in revenue and helping to spread Korean soft power throughout Asia and beyond.
