What can be done to bring "North Bling" to the world?

The reality shows that Vietnamese audiences are willing to pay and attend major music shows: the recent "Anh trai say hi" live show in Ho Chi Minh City sold out; Son Tung M-TP set a record with the Sky Tour; Den Vau attracted tens of thousands of fans across all three regions of Vietnam, etc.

Many young artists such as MONO, My Anh, Hoang Thuy Linh, Toc Tien… have gained attention beyond Vietnam's borders.

Large audiences, talented and promising artists – but that's not enough. We've talked a lot about South Korea as a prime example of a thriving K-Pop music industry. But Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia, is also doing well in this area.

In recent years, the Thai government has aimed to make Thailand a creative industry hub in ASEAN, with music being seen as a key area to promote Thai culture and attract tourism. According to the Creative Economy Agency (CEA), the Thai music market generated approximately 4.25 billion baht (nearly US$126 million) in revenue in 2023, an 18.6% increase compared to 2022 – an impressive growth attributed to the government's policy of integrating music into the national soft power strategy.

A scene from the music video "Bac Bling" by singer Hoa Minzy (Screenshot).

Thailand has launched numerous initiatives to support collaboration between the public, private, and international sectors to elevate its music industry. For example, the "Music Exchange" project, implemented by the CEA, aims to bring Thai artists to international music festivals and invite prestigious global event organizers to collaborate in Thailand.

In October 2024, Thailand's National Soft Power Strategy Committee, along with the CEA, announced an ambitious "Push & Pull" strategy to propel Thai music to the global stage. This strategy consists of two parts: "Push" – proactively bringing Thai artists abroad to perform at major festivals; and "Pull" – attracting international organizers to Thailand by inviting them to experience domestic music festivals for long-term connection and collaboration.

Besides efforts to bring artists abroad, Thailand is also focusing on building infrastructure and branding for domestic music events to attract international tourists. Bangkok and tourist cities like Pattaya and Phuket are becoming familiar destinations for Asian tours: most European, American, or K-Pop artists choose Bangkok as a stop when performing in the region, thanks to its good facilities (Impact Arena, Rajamangala Stadium, etc.), streamlined licensing process, and large audience market.

Countries with long-established and thriving music industries, such as the US and the UK, are not "sitting still" but are constantly evolving, innovating, and shaping global tastes. A prime example is Taylor Swift's tours, which not only create a sensation in the US but are also major events in any country she chooses to perform in.

Returning to Vietnam, despite its potential, we lack a long-term development strategy for the music industry. There are still concerns about the licensing procedures for performances, which make organizing large events time-consuming, costly, and prone to last-minute cancellations.

The performance infrastructure also fails to meet international standards: large stadiums like My Dinh (Hanoi) and Thong Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City), despite having a capacity of tens of thousands of people, lack many amenities – there is no connecting public transportation system (metro, rapid bus), no parking lots, service areas, or modern restrooms… resulting in a suboptimal audience experience and difficulties in organizing large-scale events. The sound, lighting, and stage technical systems in the country are also often inconsistent and unprofessional compared to international standards; some major programs have experienced sound system failures, damaging the organizers' reputation.

Fans flocked to Blackpink's music event held at My Dinh Stadium in July 2023 (Photo: Manh Quan).

Regarding human resource training, Vietnam lacks world-class entertainment artist training centers like those in Korea and Japan; the development path for young talents remains fragmented (most artists are self-taught or rise through television entertainment programs, lacking formal training institutions). The absence of large entertainment companies acting as leading forces is also a weakness – the Vietnamese music market currently consists mainly of small companies lacking the resources for long-term investment or international promotion of artists.

Furthermore, government funding for promoting Vietnamese music abroad is almost non-existent, while private companies are hesitant due to the risks involved in taking their music overseas.

Despite its shortcomings, the current context presents many favorable opportunities for Vietnam to change the situation. Firstly , the success of countries like South Korea and Thailand shows that Vietnam can learn from their models and avoid mistakes by following behind – this is an advantage in terms of lessons learned.

Secondly , the trend of international cultural exchange is booming through social media and digital platforms: music without borders can spread faster than ever before. Vietnamese artists can fully utilize YouTube, TikTok, Spotify, etc., to reach a global audience at low cost.

Thirdly , Vietnam is currently experiencing a demographic dividend with a large, tech-savvy youth population – this is a dynamic market for developing new music trends and boosting the industry.

From the perspective of government agencies, recent years have seen increased attention and investment in "cultural industries" and "soft power" within the national development strategy. However, to realize these potentials and opportunities, Vietnam needs a comprehensive strategy and decisive actions from the policy level to the organizational level.

Should the State soon issue a national strategy on the music industry and cultural promotion through music until 2030-2040, setting clear goals (e.g., music market revenue, number of international events, ranking on the world music map...)?

Vietnam needs to upgrade existing stages and stadiums (My Dinh, Thong Nhat, National Convention Center, etc.) to meet international standards in terms of sound, lighting, safety, and facilities. Simultaneously, it should encourage investment in building more professional performance complexes in major cities through land incentives and credit for businesses investing in cultural infrastructure.

Regarding connectivity, cities should ensure that public transportation options are in place to serve major events (e.g., organizing express bus or additional tram services to the venue, arranging temporary parking and shuttle services). Adequate supporting services should be established around the event area: parking lots, high-quality portable toilets, multilingual signage, and a team of volunteers to assist visitors. These details, though small, create a professional and friendly impression, especially for international audiences.

With improved infrastructure and streamlined procedures, Vietnam will become more attractive to international music event organizers.

People are the core element of the music industry. Vietnam needs a well-structured training plan to produce generations of professional artists, producers, sound engineers, etc., capable of competing internationally. Consider establishing a center for training young musical talents, modeled after idol training schools in South Korea and Japan. This center would select talented young people with singing and performing abilities for comprehensive training (vocal techniques, dance, foreign languages, communication skills, etc.) over several years, under the guidance of domestic and international experts.

For established talents domestically, the government can support connections with international partners: for example, partially funding artists to perform at major music fairs in other countries; sending them to study or intern in developed music markets.

Vietnam should also promote music tourism, for example by developing tours that combine concerts. Tourism agencies could collaborate with event organizers to promote special tour packages: attending a concert in Hanoi followed by a visit to heritage sites in the North, or attending an electronic music festival in Da Nang combined with a beach vacation.

Conversely, at international tourism and sporting events held in Vietnam, top artists should be invited to perform at the opening or closing ceremonies.

For the music industry to develop sustainably, the role of the private sector and international cooperation is indispensable. The government should implement policies to encourage investment in the music industry: such as tax incentives for music production companies and record labels; simplifying sponsorship procedures; socializing art programs; and providing stronger copyright protection to attract foreign investors and reassure them when doing business in Vietnam.

Vietnamese music reaching the international stage is not just a story of the entertainment industry, but also a story of elevating Vietnam's status and image in the eyes of friends around the world – a youthful, creative, and integrated Vietnam. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the creative industries account for more than 3% of global GDP and create tens of millions of jobs – Vietnam should not stand outside this trend. With the right direction and strong determination, we can bring works like "Bac Bling" to the world.

Author: Nguyen Nam Cuong is a lecturer at FPT University and a doctoral candidate in Human Geography at the AKS Korean Studies Institute (South Korea). He is also the author of several television documentary series about South Korea, Colombia, and the Mekong Delta.

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/tam-diem/lam-gi-de-mang-bac-bling-ra-the-gioi-20250502171614835.htm