Monthly Press Review 17 – June & July 2025
The end of K-pop ban in China (again)?
Another article on the possible end of the unofficial K-pop ban in China since 2016, this time on NBC News. The K-pop band Epex was supposed to perform in May but cancelled their concert due to “local circumstances”. But other South Korean bands have been allowed to perform in the past year: in April, the South Korean hip-hop trio Homies became the first all-Korean act to perform in China in eight years. And in September, a large-scale K-pop joint concert is also scheduled to be held at a 40,000-seat stadium in Hainan. Let’s see in September. A the same time, there is an influx of Chinese capital in K-pop, according to KBS news.
Patti Smith loves Chinese dramas
An interesting article in Sixth Tone on Patti Smith’s endorsement of the C-drama “A Perfect Match” on Instagram and its lead actor Wang Xingyue.

Teresa Teng’s Japanese newly discovered song finally released
On June 25, the newly discovered song by Taiwanese eternal queen of pop music Teresa Teng was finally released in a tribute album for Japanese composer Takashi Miki on June 25 according to The Conversation. The Japanese song is entitled “Love Songs Are Best in the Foggy Night” (“ラブソングは夜霧がお好き” in Japanese and “情歌最愛夜霧時” in Chinese). Talking about Teresa, perhaps the worst article I’ve read on the Taiwanese diva in decades was published in the neo-liberal website of the Foundation of Economic Education. And in other Teresa Teng news, her nephew is taking part in a K-pop reality TV show according to 8 Days.
Music censorship in Taiwan
Not something I thought I would talk about it here, but the lyrics of a Taiwanese song was censored during a baseball game at New Taipei City. The line “I’m from Taiwan” (我台灣來欸) from the song “All Eyes on Me” (“世界都看見”, the theme song of Taiwan’s team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic) by the hip-hop band Nine One One 玖壹壹, sang in Taiyu, was muted twice while the lyrics were changed by “we come here together” (“阮作伙來欸”) during the closing ceremony of the World Masters Games in New Taipei City (governed by the 2024 KMT candidate for the presidential election Hou Yu-ih) on May 31 according to an editorial in the Taipei Times.
How Taiwan’s B’in Live Became Asia’s Top Live Concert Producer
An article in Commonwealth Magazine (天下) on B’in Live, the Taiwanese concert producer that is producing live performances of Coldplay, Mayday, Bruno Mars or BTS.
Jackson Wang’s “Hate to Love” MV hits 9 million views in a week
Hong Kong pop singer Jackson Wang’s “Hate to Love” music video hits 9 million views in a week (now 16 million) in anticipation to his forthcoming album “Magicman 2”, according to ABC-CBN.
Weirdo rappers from Chinese provincial cities
A very interesting article in The Face on Nu China: a wave of musicians experimenting with rap, pop and hyperactive club music in Chinese provincial cities, as Chalky and Billionhappy. Lot of subversive humor and experimentation, like CHALKY WONG’s new MV, “Regular Rappers”.
Taiwan punk band Youth Tear in Korea
The Taiwanese punk band Youth Tear is set to perform in Seoul alongside Korean melodic punk band Smoking Goose, according to The Korea Times.
Cantopop Exhibition at the Chinese Canadian Museum in Vancouver
An exhibition at the Chinese Canadian Museum in Vancouver shows the Canadian ties of 100 Cantopop singers, from Leslie Cheung to Nicholas Tse, according the the SCMP.
Faye Wong is officially a star
A star is born. The name of Asia pop diva Faye Wong has been used in a minor planet as the International Astronomical Union’s Working Group on Small Body Nomenclature (WGSBN) announced that asteroid No. 34815 will be called “Faye Wong Star”, according to the Global Times.
Mirror singer falls into the sea
Hong Kong boy band Mirror member Keung To rescued after falling into the sea off Sai Wan district located near the Western Wholesale Food Market, according to CNA, sparking a city-wide discussion on alcohol consumption and mental health according to SCMP.
SKAIISYOURGOD surpasses Jay Chou
Big day for music streaming. For the first time, a Chinese artist surpasses Jay Chou in music streaming according to LIFTED. The rapper SKAIISYOURGOD from Huizhou (Guangdong) is now the most streamed Chinese artist in the world, with bangers like “八方来财·因果” on winning big while gambling or “大展鸿图” on, well, gambling at the races and winning big.
2025 GMA winners
The Golden Melody Awards (GMA) awarded Waa Wei her second Golden Melody Award for her 2024 album “Ordeal by Pearls” (珍珠刑) according to Focus Taiwan.Lu Shih-hsuan (呂士軒) won best male Mandarin singer and best Mandarin album with his 2024 album “Good Sound with Attitudes” (好聲豪氣) according to Focus Taiwan.
Wild Days of Beijing
A Sixth Tone article on a photo book by French photographer Anaïs Martane who witnessed the rise of Chinese folk music in Beijing between 2001 and 2005. She published her photo book in China, entitled “They Said Who Will Listen to Your Songs”, a line from a song by Wild Children 野孩子, a true testimony of Beijing’s wild days.

An overview of Taiwan live venues
An article in Taiwan Beats on Taiwan small to medium live venues, and their capacity, which suspiciously reminds me of an article by Jian Miaoju.
China’s best music (so far)
A list of the always incredible Jake Newby’s favorite Chinese music in 2025 (so far) on China Talk.
UN.TOMORROW and Hong Kong DIY scene
A much-needed article by the also incredible Josh Feola on Bandcamp on UN.TOMORROW, the Hong Kong DIY collective born on the ashes of the bar/restaurant/DIY collective Black Window which closed its door earlier this year.
F4 reunited!
Taiwanese Meteor Garden’s boy band F4 thrills fans with surprise reunion at rock band Mayday’s concert in Taiwan on Saturday, according to BBC.

Now you can get married at music festivals in China
According to Xinhua, you can now get married during a music festival. These incentive measures were rolled out amid a decline in marriage registrations in China. Now you can get married during a Miserable Faith concert, who doesn’t want that?
History of Beijing jazz community
After the untimely death of Liu Yuan, the China Daily published an article on the contemporary Beijing jazz community and its history.
Wang Yitai and Chinese hip-hop in a museum
A CGTN report on a hip-hop exhibition in Chengdu’s A4 Art Museum, featuring the Chengdu rapper Wang Yitai.
Taiwan’s music scene mourns death of Ozzy Osbourne
Focus Taiwan wrote an article on the death of Ozzy Osbourne from Black Sabbath and its impact on the Taiwanese music scene, interviewing Freddy Lim or Fire Ex.
OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
Nathanel Amar (1 août 2025). Monthly Press Review 17 – June & July 2025. Scream For Life. Consulté le 23 janvier 2026 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/14gct


