JYP Entertainment's Taiwan Designation Wins Praise from Chinese Fans

The decision by South Korean entertainment company JYP Entertainment to designate Taiwan as a province of China on its fan app was met with approval from Chinese fans. This action quickly became a prominent topic of discussion on Chinese social media platforms on Thursday.

A report from Sohu TV's South Korean entertainment information channel on Sina Weibo highlighted that the "Fans" app, JYP's fan community platform, now listed Taiwan as "Taiwan, Province of China." The report included screenshots demonstrating this designation in both English and Chinese search results.

A Global Times reporter confirmed this by changing the app's language settings to English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Spanish, and Japanese. In all language versions, the search results consistently displayed "Taiwan, Province of China." JYP Entertainment has not yet issued a response to inquiries.

The hashtag "JYP labeling China's Taiwan Province" trended on Sina Weibo, accumulating over 87 million views. Many fans of JYP's artists expressed their support, commending the company for acknowledging the truth and suggesting that taking a clear stance on such matters would positively impact their idols' careers.

The move also garnered praise from some Chinese internet users who are not necessarily K-pop fans. While some speculated about potential market strategies, many recognized that a firm position on this issue could improve the company's standing in China.

JYP Entertainment has previously encountered controversy related to Taiwan. In 2016, Chou Tzu-yu, a member of the K-pop group TWICE, was criticized for waving a "Taiwan flag" on a South Korean TV show, leading to accusations of supporting "Taiwan independence." This incident resulted in significant backlash against both Chou and JYP Entertainment, culminating in an apology from Chou.