South Korean indie rock band, Say Sue Me, have spoken out about the withdrawal of their permit to play in Beijing during July. This cancellation is just one event in China’s so-called ‘Hallyu ban,’ prohibiting entertainment and pop culture from neighboring South Korea. The geo-political tensions appeared after the United States deployed a missile defence system on Korean soil in 2016. This move saw South Korean entertainment agencies prohibited from investing, performances by idol groups cease and a ban on K-dramas and K-variety projects. Though the Beijing show would have marked a significant milestone for the denial of South Korean culture, which has lasted about seven years, they were hit by news of the permit withdrawal.
Say Sue Me were among the South Korean entertainers feeling optimistic about finally performing for their Chinese fans. The Beijing promoter expressed his desire “to organise a show for us as the first rock band [to perform in China] after the Hallyu ban,”. The band sent their documents, including setlists for the show, lyrics, and explanations of the song meanings via their agent, the permit for performing in mainland China was successful.
The news that a South Korean act had obtained permission to perform in China quickly spread in both countries, even becoming one of the top 10 search topics on Chinese social media app Weibo in late May. A month out from the Beijing show, Say Sue Me were hit by the news that their permit to perform had been cancelled without explanation. The band wondered if the media attention may have played a part. Say Sue Me are still looking for other routes to reach their audience in China, such as creating an account on Weibo.
Choi Sumi tells of the band’s determination in overcoming setbacks, including a cancelled North American tour in 2022 and being forced to pull out of Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival due to a band member contracting COVID-19. Say Sue Me’s attention is turning to their upcoming performances and a follow-up to their 2022 studio album, ‘The Last Thing Left’. The band plans to play at several festivals in Korea this year and tour Japan this autumn. Say Sue Me’s fans in China can take heart in the band’s message, “Be safe and healthy, if so, we’ll meet someday!”
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