Coming from the US and A, Karaoke is popular there as well but it seems to be quite restricted to bars where people get up on stage one by one and try their hand at emulating their favorite songs. It is extremely rare that anyone is actually any good and I've even been to a place that if you were really bad, or just some drunk asshole that is screaming into a microphone, they will stop the song and make you leave the stage.
I have participated in Karaoke many times in my life but I have never seen it as widespread as it is in Vietnam. I mean, it is literally everywhere.
I was in a shopping center the other day and there were these little closets that you could go into if you wanted to and sing some karaoke with just you and I guess if you were really small, 2 other people. This all seems very bizarre to me but while there was no one in the booths this time, I have seen teenagers that go in there and just hang out and sing songs with probably way too much reverb and echo. This hides the fact that you don't really have any singing ability.
I have been a few events in Vietnam, one of which was a wedding and there was another one my landlord had for a holiday I was unfamiliar with and guess what? There was karaoke. There always is, and you can be guaranteed that it is going to be really really loud too.
Every now and then I will hear a sound in the distance that sounds like there is a massive party going on and will discover that no, it's just a few guys with an extremely powerful speaker getting drunk and doing karaoke outdoors.
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I can't imagine anyone being ok with this but it is a part of society. In certain parts of the country like the big cities it has become such a huge problem with noise pollution that the have made it illegal. I can't say I really feel as though this is government overreach. The problem is that they do it so damn loud.
I'm not going to try to tell an entire culture what they should and should not enjoy but to me this is one of the very strange things about living here. I just can't understand the mentality of someone that would think that it is ok to blast music, especially that which is sung very poorly, loud enough that the entire neighborhood is forced to listen to it.
So if you are ever thinking of moving here or just visiting, go ahead and prepare yourself for this because I can all-but guarantee that it is going to be a problem that you encounter.
During Tet, the entire city has quieted down because people have moved back to where their family is from for a New Year visit, but it seems as though one of the favorite things to do at these gatherings is to have family karaoke with the the volume up to 1000%
It's funny until it is across the street from where you live and goes on for 5 hours in a row. :)
Sounds really bizarre and weird if you ask me. They obviously are a nation that lacks in no self confidence which is a good thing in many ways. I think we would rather refrain as we don't like looking like a fool especially in public. Give me a few drinks and I make think differently though.
They certainly are not afraid to give it a try. It seems to be a major focus of living rooms here as well. I have been walking down the street on numerous occasions wondering if there is a block party in the distance only to come upon a private residence where a 4-person family is just hanging out in their living room singing karaoke with a sound system that would impress AC/DC.
I would say it's a pretty similar situation in Cambodia, karaoke is almost as important as rice. Even though I don't partake, I've unwillingly gone along to many karaoke adventures with friends. Here there are ones that are prostitute dens that fly under the karaoke banner, but I'm not even sure if you can actually partake in karaoke there. There are also ones that blend karaoke and prostitution, and there are even family-friendly karaoke places. I always opt for the family-friendly karaoke places.
Oh right, I have heard that this is the case with the KTV lounges here. Prostitution isn't as in your face here as it is in neighboring countries but i don't think it is a coincidence that all the girls in the KTV places hang out in front of it dressed to the nines to lure customers in for a sing-song.
I have sung Karaoke exactly 2 times since I have lived here and I was pressured into it. If I have a choice, I will normally avoid it.
⋆ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ғᴏʀ sᴏᴜᴛʜᴇᴀsᴛ ᴀsɪᴀɴ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ ᴏɴ ʜɪᴠᴇ
⋆ sᴜʙsᴄʀɪʙᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀsᴇᴀɴ ʜɪᴠᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴜɴɪᴛʏ
⋆ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀsᴇᴀɴ ʜɪᴠᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴜɴɪᴛʏ ᴠᴏᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʀᴀɪʟ
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