China is reportedly preparing to lift its long-standing "Hallyu Ban" on Korean content by May 2025. The ban, first imposed in 2017 as a response to South Korea's deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, has significantly affected the Korean entertainment industry.
Among the hardest-hit groups was EXO, which had a strong presence in China. With the ban finally lifted, fans are now hopeful for an EXO OT9 comeback.
Why Was the Hallyu Ban Imposed?
The THAAD missile defense system, deployed by South Korea to counter threats from North Korea, was viewed by China as a security risk due to its powerful radar capabilities. In response, China enforced an unofficial ban on Korean cultural exports, blocking K-dramas on streaming services, banning K-pop concerts, and restricting Korean artists from Chinese television (as per The Diplomat).
How EXO Was Affected
EXO, originally formed with a dual concept featuring EXO-K (Korean unit) and EXO-M (Mandarin unit), had a strong foothold in China. The group initially included four Chinese members—Kris, Luhan, Lay, and Tao—but the ban severely impacted their activities.
Chinese Member Departures: Kris, Luhan, and Tao left EXO between 2014-2015 to pursue solo careers in China. Though their departures happened before the ban, worsening relations between South Korea and China made any future collaboration with EXO nearly impossible.
Lay’s Solo Career in China: Lay remained an EXO member but focused on solo projects in China. Due to the ban, his participation in EXO’s Korean activities became limited.
Concert and Promotion Restrictions: EXO, once one of the most popular K-pop acts in China, could no longer hold concerts, attend fan meetings, or promote albums directly to their massive Chinese fanbase.
Why Is China Lifting the Ban Now?
Chinese media reports suggest that the decision to lift the ban is part of a larger effort to improve China-South Korea relations. A senior official from the China-Asia Pacific Cooperation Center stated,
"Starting next month, we plan to send a private cultural delegation to South Korea and expand cultural exchanges, aiming for a full cultural opening within the first half of this year"
With K-pop and Korean dramas gaining global recognition, China appears to be acknowledging the economic and cultural benefits of allowing Korean content back into its market.
The Korea Development Bank's Future Strategy Research Institute estimated that the ban resulted in economic losses of up to 22 trillion KRW (approximately USD 15.3 billion) for South Korea in 2017 alone.
Will EXO Finally Reunite as OT9?
With the ban coming to an end, EXO-Ls (EXO’s fandom) have renewed hopes for an EXO OT9 reunion. All members have either completed or are close to finishing their mandatory military service, making a full-group comeback a realistic possibility.
Social media is already buzzing with speculation about whether SM Entertainment will take this opportunity to reunite EXO, including Lay, for a long-awaited comeback.
With K-pop concerts in China set to resume, do you think EXO will finally return as OT9? Would you attend an EXO concert in China? Let us know your thoughts!
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