A backlash against South Korea over its deployment of the American THAAD missile defense program might be hitting a most visible export product: its pop culture.
THAAD is an acronym for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, a system that was installed last month in South Korea to defend against potential attack by ballistic missiles from a belligerent North Korea.
Korean drama and K-pop enjoy great popularity in China. Shows such as The Heirs and Descendants of the Sun broke sales record in the Chinese market as part of a “Korean wave” in pop culture.
But the Chinese authorities, having consistently voiced displeasure at the THAAD deployment that can defend against Chinese as well as North Korean missiles, now seem to be putting pressure on South Korean performers and media in retaliation.
On Aug. 2, the state-run China Central Television reported an upcoming ban on Korean shows. Several Korean actors have cancelled promotional events in China, and Koreans set to play lead roles in Chinese productions have been replaced, the Sohu news outlet reported.
Several Korean actors have canceled their promotional events in China, including EXO’s concert scheduled in late August. Korean lead roles in the Chinese drama were replaced, and Chinese visa agencies in Korea have halted handling business visas. A “blacklist” circulated online estimates 42 Korean stars and 53 TV plays to suffer from the upcoming ban, according to the popular Chinese news website NetEase.
Yoo In-na, a Korean actress known for her casting in the romantic drama film “Queen In-hyun’s Man,” was reportedly forced out of “Love Weaves Through a Millennium,” a Chinese version of the original film, just a month before its September release. Yoo’s agency said she had finished most of the shooting.
