Vietnamese music crosses the border and becomes popular

See Tinh by Hoang Thuy Linh, and Two Minutes More by rapper Phao continuously created a fever on social networks in China and Korea, once again raising the hope of bringing Vietnamese music to the world. 

Musician Quoc Trung responded to the media by saying, "These phenomena may be the premise to promote Vietnamese music, but have not really made a profound impact." We can't claim that the success of Vietnamese music or Vietnamese musicians is due solely to their popularity on social media.

Before Hoang Thuy Linh or Phao, there were several talents whose music inspired Hollywood film production. Huynh Hien Nang's song "Nuu" was chosen as the official music for the movie Happy Death Day, while a few other songs by Wowy were selected as the music for an American TV series. Hoaprox's improvisation is popular around the world, to the point of being mistaken for Chinese music. However, the spread didn't stop there, instead of forming an influential wave like K-pop.

Mew Amazing, a V-pop musician, remarked that if you want to reach globally in modern Vietnamese music, the song must first appeal. "The song has a good melody, an interesting mix, can make a group of 100, 200, even thousands of people want to dance along, can stir up a crowd, there will be contagious". Mew Amazing added that in the past, language was a barrier for V-pop to merge into international music, but now the melody is more important even though the song is Vietnamese.

According to musician Lucas Luan Nguyen, V-pop struggles to reach the globe due to a lack of Vietnamese identity in each song. "It means listeners cannot find any features that make Vietnamese music different or unique compared to other popular songs around the world." Chinese music's five-tone scheme is stunning, while Korean music has engaging songs and dances.

Compared to many years ago, V-pop is easier to spread thanks to online music platforms as well as social networking platforms, from TikTok to YouTube. Many Vietnamese singers also receive great support from music platforms and record labels such as promoting on Times Square and signing exclusive recording contracts worldwide. "Besides the attractive music and the support of the platforms, the song promotion strategy also plays an equally important role," said musician Mew Amazing.

“This promotion cannot stop at just one song but requires a long-term strategy for each singer's career and the Vietnamese music industry in general. Music cannot develop on its own, but needs support from other factors such as movies, cultural factors ...", musician Lucas Luan Nguyen added.

K-pop's success today is a relay race, long-term, and meticulous. The Korean government envisioned this plan. Culture must lead to economic growth, they know. Since the mid-1990s, the government has formed the Bureau of Cultural Industry and Hallyu (Han Liu) content development institutions. This plan includes universities, media, and economic groupings. Lifting the prohibitions allowed the arts to flourish. Asians have sympathized with Korean culture, people, and the tensions between traditional Asian and modern Asian societies via cinema.

When K-pop swept Asia 10 years ago, Associate Professor - Dr. Phan Thi Thu Hien, Head of Korean Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City, spoke at a conference. Korea's Hallyu wave has two main causes. Korean entertainment companies are dynamic and creative. They always welcome audience comments and adapt to tastes. The second democratizes film policy by allowing artists to participate. All modifications are realistic and industry-driven.

Music became independent after the movie. K-pop's adaptability and openness to new influences have helped it flourish. "K-pop idol music has its roots in early 'gayo' songs," said Korea Herald pop critic Jung Min Jae. sing and listen). Its distinctive melodies are created by blending Western pop and J-pop into a modern feel.

Since Gangnam Style, K-pop has evolved with top groups like BTS, BLACKPINK, and TWICE. K-pop outshined American mainstream music's "wall". K-pop has swiftly adapted to digital technology and aggressively promotes music with lots of self-produced content, reaching fans, according to music critic Kim Do Heon. globally. K-pop becomes a distinct genre linked with Korea."

Koreans expanded Hallyu-related cultural items such as online games, comics, and cartoons as movies and music evolved. Returning to Vietnamese music, how to keep creating waves? It's not only a few talented people or entertainment corporations.