China–Japan political friction is now spilling over into the cultural and entertainment sectors, stirring debate around K-pop activities in both countries.
Japanese netizens recently filed a petition urging broadcasters to block aespa's appearance on the upcoming Kōhaku Uta Gassen. Meanwhile, in China, scheduled releases of Japanese animated films have been delayed or canceled amid rising anti-Japan sentiment. Even Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which opened in China, saw its box office projection drop to around KRW 4.1 billion after losing momentum just three days into release.
This shift follows heightened pressure from Chinese authorities after Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made remarks hinting at involvement with Taiwan. China has since issued advisories against traveling or studying in Japan and halted imports of Japanese seafood.
But the fallout is now reaching K-pop. China's QQ Music canceled a planned fan party in Guangzhou for JO1, a Korean–Japanese joint project group.
aespa Draws Unexpected Backlash in Japan
In Japan, aespa became a target of heated debate after the group's Kōhaku Uta Gassen appearance was announced. More than 86,000 people have signed a petition opposing their participation.
The controversy centers on a lighting photo member Ningning shared in 2022. Some Japanese netizens claim the cloud-shaped light resembled the mushroom cloud of an atomic explosion, calling it insensitive to victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The petition argues that such imagery "trivializes historical tragedy" and urges the broadcaster to withdraw the group from the lineup.
Local media covered the dispute from various angles. Shūkan Josei noted that an old photo posted by an aespa member had resurfaced and become a topic of debate. Jōshi SPA! criticized the petition as overreach, questioning whether Ningning intentionally referenced a mushroom cloud and calling the backlash an example of "arrogant online condemnation."
Concerns Rise Over Overheated Nationalism
Hong Kong's Sing Tao Daily described aespa as "victims of China–Japan tensions," quoting fans who asked that artists not be dragged into political conflict.
Music critic Kim Do-heon highlighted that the 2022 photo received no backlash at the time, pointing out that such controversies reflect the broader pressures facing the entertainment industry. He added that while K-pop is unavoidably affected by international relations, projecting ideology onto individual artists is neither fair nor constructive.
