K-pop stars most likely won't be invited to NHK's 'Kohaku Uta Gassen' due to the current issues between South Korea and Japan.
On November 6, Japanese media outlet Zakzak reported that TWICE and BTS might be excluded from the lineup of 'Kohaku Uta Gassen', a popular Japanese end-of-year music festival, due to the current tension between South Korea and Japan revolving the wartime forced labor issues.
A rep from NHK, the host of 'Kohaku Uta Gassen', stated, "Maybe if the ruling was in early next year, but the ruling was so close (to the event). The controversy is at a boiling point. It'll be difficult to have Hallyu artists."
Another Japanese affiliate stated, "Recently, there was a controversy involving a BTS member's t-shirt. There were many complaints when an article about BTS' attendance to 'Kohaku Uta Gassen' got released. There could be greater criticism if a Hallyu artist makes an appearance."
Last year, TWICE attended 'Kohaku Uta Gassen'. It was the first time in 6 years that a K-pop artist made attendance to the event. The Hallyu wave in Japan has undergone a revival. However, the recent conflict between Japan and South Korea is expected to play a detrimental effect, not only in government but also in entertainment.
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Even if Japanese and Koreans can't get over their old grudges they should leave idols out of it, they're just entertainers who want to make people happy. The whole point of PD48 was to bring Korea & Japan together and instead some people are still giving them shit.
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