k-pop & China

  • With CCP opening up, warming towards Korean content.

    (The Global Times praising IU's drama, is a sign of thaw.)


    Would Kpop again pivot towards China.

    Of course they aren't going to give up on the West, but with kpop kind of plateuing in the West and crowded field, they will resume attempts towards China.

    Lee Sooman was a major proponent.


    Which groups do you think will make the first moves and in what manners?


    Chinese lyrics in hooks/Chorus?

  • I think it would take some time before there was a major shift, if any, towards China.


    Lots of groups will head there to promote, but a major shift would need to start from pre-debut with language training and a focus on C-speaking idols.


    Outside of versions and special tracks/collabs, can't see C-lyrics going in to songs (at least in the next 5 years).


    Groups with existing Chinese members will probably be the first to move, I'm thinking tours obviously, and there may be a few who go on to promote on TV, cameo in movies etc more so depending on where they are in a group's contract lifetime.


    Groups that I immediately see making some move to promote there are Gidle, Aespa, Seventeen, some NCT variant, not sure who else has Chinese idols.


    Personally I hope groups don't go down the path of J-releases by releasing separate Japan-ified singles because they often don't follow the usual concept of the group.


    Just release their normal stuff that fits within their group concepts and then either do a C-version or just have some sections done in Chinese in their performances or concerts.


    I do think we will see more C-idols again, but there aren't many who are well loved in Korea unfortunately.

  • Outside of versions and special tracks/collabs, can't see C-lyrics going in to songs (at least in the next 5 years

    They may start like how they did with English.

    A phrase or two, in the hook or intro.. there have been few cases in the past


    They aren't going to ignore a huge market as China, but it will be slow going.

  • Groups with chinese members will be the first to see success cuz nationalism, then obviously the currently massive groups will also get success, the rest will need some luck

  • I think Gidle, with 3 Chinese members (the nationalities do not matter for this purpose) , will be the first to tour China.


    I wonder whether China has enough big stadiums. They would have stadiums, for sure, but their numbers are often unreliable.

  • I think Gidle, with 3 Chinese members (the nationalities do not matter for this purpose) , will be the first to tour China.


    I wonder whether China has enough big stadiums. They would have stadiums, for sure, but their numbers are often unreliable.

    What if the first mover was your Senior Singer?


    The Global Times likes her now.

  • What if the first mover was your Senior Singer?


    The Global Times likes her now.

    Given the controversy she got into by supporting the protestors against Yoon, it is unlikely that she will move first. Plenty of singers of Chinese origin in KPop so they will make the first moves.

  • Given the controversy she got into by supporting the protestors against Yoon, it is unlikely that she will move first. Plenty of singers of Chinese origin in KPop so they will make the first moves.

    Is the CCP pro-Yoon or anti?


    In either case, Global times praising Tangerines seems an icebreaker after the shutdown, so she does have an edge if she wishes to.

    But I doubt it, Senior singer walks to her own pace, so this year will just be the new drama shooting and a single at best.

  • Is the CCP pro-Yoon or anti?


    In either case, Global times praising Tangerines seems an icebreaker after the shutdown, so she does have an edge if she wishes to.

    But I doubt it, Senior singer walks to her own pace, so this year will just be the new drama shooting and a single at best.

    Considering Yoon is often seen as one of the US's main lapdogs in Asia, the CCP is very much anti. China already has stated it would like repair it's relationship with SK now that he's gone. I wouldn't think the US is willing to give up SK that easily, but at the same time the current administration seems to not mind alienating them.

  • I think had WJSN debuted today they would have benefited from the china ban being lifted. Probably could have been to China what Twice is to Japan.


    That being said, I see kpop in general probably shifting more to China being the second market they debut in instead of Japan since Kpop companies now are debuting their own Japanese groups and aren’t really catering their kpop groups to Japan like in 3rd gen.

  • I am reading that K-content is increasingly popular in India as well.


    But the challenge with both China and India, is that even though they are huge in population, they will not match the West in terms of revenues.


    C-bars at least crowd fund and buy physicals, I wonder what are the sales like in India?

    Mere digital consumption is not enough for agencies to consider reaching into the markets.


    Merch sales and concerts. Those decide whether the agency will pivot.

  • Is the CCP pro-Yoon or anti?


    In either case, Global times praising Tangerines seems an icebreaker after the shutdown, so she does have an edge if she wishes to.

    But I doubt it, Senior singer walks to her own pace, so this year will just be the new drama shooting and a single at best.

    The drama will die if MBC, the station, fails to secure a deal with Netflix.


    If that happens she will probably do a tour.



    However it would be best for an act with a Chinese member to try first to avoid controversies.

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