Could BTS Help Smooth Over China-Korea Relations?
- Promoters said to seek government permits for Korean concerts
- Long-running China backlash has been hurting Korean firms
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Chinese concert promoters are seeking permission for South Korean bands to perform in the country, according to people familiar with the matter, a sign of growing optimism that relations between the two countries are thawing.
Ties between Beijing and Seoul have been strained since South Korea agreed in 2016 to host a U.S. missile defense system strongly opposed by China. No major South Korean musician has performed in China since, and promoters haven’t bothered to invite Korean acts for a couple of years because of the perception that the government would reject such visa applications.