Beijing has issued a “Korean restriction order” to retaliate against South Korea over its deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) system. Many South Korean stars are now embracing the Southeast Asian region after losing the huge Chinese market, hoping to mitigate the impact of this move.
Despite efforts to expand in China in recent years, the South Korean show business industry has been hit badly. China no longer airs Korean TV programs, and has canceled most Korean artists’ commercial events. The ban has also made the South Korean entertainment industry think more about market diversification.
South Korea’s pop cultural exports — known as the “Korean Wave” (or “Hallyu”) — have already swept Southeast Asian countries, China previously being the focus. Now, K-pop stars are targeting the Southeast Asian market. Boy group “EXO” held three concerts in Malaysia last month, and finished another show in Singapore this month, for example.
Photo courtesy of Super Dome Enterprise Co.
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(CNA, translated by Eddy Chang)
為了報復南韓布署終端高空防衛系統（「薩德」系統），北京祭出「限韓令」。南韓明星失去中國這個龐大市場後紛紛轉戰東南亞，希望能彌補「薩德」系統帶來的衝擊。
近年來積極開拓中國市場的南韓娛樂圈損失慘重，中國已經不再播放南韓節目，南韓藝人的商演活動也紛紛遭到取消，該禁令更引發南韓娛樂圈對於市場多樣化的思考。
被稱為「韓流」的流行文化輸出早已經風靡東南亞國家，而中國曾是韓流的重點。現在K-pop明星則轉戰東南亞市場，例如偶像天團「EXO」上個月在馬來西亞舉辦三場演唱會，這個月又到新加坡巡演。
（中央社）
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