The China-Korea Cultural Relations Thaw refers to the recent diplomatic warming between China and South Korea, particularly regarding the lifting of China's unofficial ban on Korean entertainment content. This ban, imposed in 2017 following South Korea's deployment of the US THAAD missile defense system¹, restricted K-pop performances, K-dramas, and other Korean cultural exports in China for nearly a decade. In 2025, signs of thaw emerged with China hosting its first major K-pop concerts in years² and implementing visa-free travel for South Korean visitors³, signaling a potential end to the cultural embargo.