BTS Fans Left Out as China Bans K-Pop

0:00It's April 10th. This is Canada News today. Your AI-powered local news. BTS is back on stage after a hiatus of more than three years, kicking off a 12-month world tour, but one massive fanbase is missing from the lineup China. The groups got 12 countries on the schedule, yet no stops in mainland China, home to some of their biggest supporters. This stems from an unofficial ban China slapped on most South Korean entertainment back in 2016, blocking K-pop, movies, and dramas. The ban kicked off over South Korea's decision to deploy the THAAD missile defense system against North Korea threats, which China saw as spying on. It's turf. It's not a full shutdown though, groups with non-Korean members still perform there, and pop-up shops draw huge crowds. Meanwhile, Hong Kong and Macau, as special regions, host shows like BTS' Plan 2027 Gigs, dodging the mainland rules. Fans of feeling the pinch hard, jetting off to soul for opening shows this weekend, shelling

1:03out for flights and hotels. Chinese devotees express gratitude for nearby spots like Taiwan or Hong Kong, but they crave closer access. Experts point out China is using this as economic muscle to push nationalism, curve foreign cultural sway on youth, and boost its own pop scene from the Bubu dolls to homegrown idols. Lately, South Korean President Lee Jae-mi and China's Eaching Ping have met up, signing deals for gradual cultural swaps, starting with soccer, and a, board game go. China denies any ban exists, insisting on healthy exchanges only. Rumors swirl the THAAD side-scaling back, maybe shipping interceptors elsewhere. South Korea's entertainment world has pivoted sharp. Japan's now the key market, North America's booming, and K-pop ain't sweating China like before. Devoted fans might chase shows to the ends of the earth, but with ties warming slow, that mainland stage could stay dark for a while longer.