K-pop’s Return to China: A Battle for Relevance

With China having reopened, South Korean pop groups hope to make their mainland comeback. But are Chinese consumers still interested?

From Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai to musicians Liu Shuang and Yuan Yawei, a multitude of Asia’s biggest names in music and entertainment converged at the 2023 Tencent Music Entertainment Awards show for the first time in years, following China’s post-pandemic reopening.

The awards show, held in Macau on July 8 and 9 this year, was a spectacle featuring Chinese celebrities and influencers. However, all attention turned to K-pop group Le Sserafim when it took to the stage for its performance.

The act was predictably upbeat, catchy, and vibrant, but the real surprise was that Le Sserafim had been able to appear at the event in the first place.

Comprising Japanese members Sakura and Kazuha; and South Korean members Kim Chaeowon, Huh Yun-jin and Hong Eun-chae — Le Sserafim is among the few South Korea-founded pop outfits to have been able to perform for Chinese fans in recent years. Continue to read the full article here