The Chinese government has reprimanded Korean girl group EVERGLOW over its performance at a military event in South Korea. Though the event was organized in June 2019, the Chinese government has taken note of the same now as the relationship between South Korea and China has soured.
EVERGLOW took part in an event at a military consolation concert in June last year. KPop bands performing at military event is a common occurrence in South Korea. But here is why Chinese authorities are seeing red over EVERGLOW's performance.
EVERGLOW's China Connection
The first reason is that EVERGLOW girl group is managed by Yuehua Entertainment. Yuehua is originally a Chinese agency which formed a subsidiary company in South Korea to launch Kpop groups. The agency was punished by the Beijing Cultural Market Administrative Law Enforcement Unit citing that EVERGLOW's performance had harmed the national (of China) and personal honor. The charge against the agency also included the fact that the girl group had performed showing support for a foreign military i.e. South Korean military.
Another reason is that Kpop band EVERGLOW consists of six members including Yiren, Aisha, Onda, Kim Si Hyeon, Mia and E:U. Among them Yiren is a Chinese national. Reports stated that penalty can also result in suspension of the members who took part in the performance. There are chances that the matter might be settled with warnings and fines, but if the authorities consider this as a serious problem then the team can even face criminal investigation.
THAAD Deployment Adds Fuel to Fire
It is not sure if all the members will be made to undergo investigation, but it looks like Yiren will be in trouble being a China citizen. However, so far the Beijing Cultural Market Administrative Law Enforcement Unit has not announced the degree of violence and penalty. EVERGLOW debuted in Korea last year and has performed twice in the Korean military events.
Currently, South Korea and China are not in good terms. China has even banned imports from South Korea and performances on domestic land have also been halted till further notice. South Korea's actions as an ally of the United States of America have upset China, especially the decision to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile system in South Korea. China has repeatedly said that the THAAD deployment is not only a threat to the Korean peninsula but also has the capacity to destabilize the entire region.
The political developments have affected the cultural relations of China and South Korea. It looks like EVERGLOW and its agency Yuehua are paying a price due to their connections with China. It can also be noted that recently three soldiers from North Korea faced punishments for dancing to the tune of BTS song Blood, Sweat and Tears.
