For the first time in roughly six years, a South Korean film and TV series have been legally broadcast in Chinese theaters and via a local streaming platform, sparking cautious optimism that the years-long cultural thaw between the neighboring countries is thawing.

In December, the comedy "Oh! My Gran" (2020), starring veteran actress Na Moon-hee, became the first Korean-made film to be released in China since the period action thriller "Assassination" in 2015.

Last week, the state-owned Hunan Broadcasting System's online video platform Mango TV streamed Korea's 2017 fantasy romance series "Saimdang: Memoir of Colors," as well as a dubbed version of the TV series starring Lee Young-ae and Song Seung-heon from "Dae Jang Geum."

This is the first time in over six years that a Korean television series has been broadcast in China via an official platform.

"Saimdang" was finished in 2016 and premiered in Korea the following year. However, after Beijing imposed a de facto ban on Korean content in 2016 in protest of Seoul's decision to allow the deployment of a US missile defense system known as THAAD, the film's release in China was put on hold for years.

Since then, Korean television series, shows, and films have been unavailable on Chinese television networks, formal video streaming platforms, and movie theaters. Concerts and shows by Korean artists and performers were likewise prohibited in China.

The move was hailed as "good progress" by the government.

In a briefing last month, a foreign ministry official said, "We have delivered our ideas concerning cultural content to China on many occasions, and had hoped the consultations may lead to more beneficial activities."

Seoul has worked tirelessly to encourage cultural interactions with Beijing in order to foster a friendly atmosphere as the two countries celebrate their 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.

Some analysts believe that the release of "Oh! My Gran" and "Saimdang" may lead to China's openness to Korean culture ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

A top Chinese envoy backed up the upbeat outlook.

In a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency, Xing Haiming, the Chinese ambassador in Seoul, said, "I hope that more films and TV dramas will be broadcast in both nations." "I also wish that cultural and arts organizations can perform in each other's nations."

However, experts in the area cautioned that it is too early to determine whether the Chinese government will relax its tough stance against Korean content in the wake of a broad crackdown on the country's entertainment industry and other sectors.

"We only have two incidents, both of which appear to be appeasing measures," said culture critic Ha Jae-keun. "Political and diplomatic issues underpin China's ban on Korean culture; first and foremost, Seoul-Beijing relations must improve."