A trio of South Korean rappers performed in China last week, the first time South Korean artists did so in eight years.

According to diplomatic sources on Thursday, Homies, comprised of members Louie, Chin, and CK, opened their spring tour last Saturday in China's central Hubei provincial city of Wuhan.

The concert was held after Beijing enforced an unofficial ban on Korean popular culture since 2016, in retaliation against the deployment of U.S. Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense(THAAD) anti-ballistic missile system on the Korean Peninsula.

Performances by artists from the K-pop industry have been prohibited or called off, such as a concert planned by South Korean rock bank "Say Sue Me" in Beijing last July, which was cancelled amid an apparent anti-Korea sentiment.

Also on Saturday, Korean trot singer Yoon Soo-hyun performed at an event in China's southern Hainan Province, marking the 30th anniversary of the island province's forging of sisterhood with South Korea's Jeju Island.

Beijing's changing stance is believed to be part of an effort to improve ties with neighboring countries amid tariff pressures from the Trump administration.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is also expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) summit in Gyeongju later this year.