The King - the clown and the art story

Is Dam Vinh Hung the “king of Vietnamese music”? Many people will say “No”. The king of stars in the Vietnamese music industry, although the modern music scene is still young, has already had enough famous artists such as Van Cao, Nguyen Van Ty, Quang Tho, Quoc Huong… followed by Tuan Ngoc, Tran Tien, Bao Yen, Nha Phuong, Cam Van… But if we need to speak up in a public forum, we will probably stay silent. We are afraid of trouble. It is the trouble that comes from the community that loves Dam Vinh Hung, which is quite large and crazy enough to be willing to do anything to protect their idol.

To be fair, Dam Vinh Hung is one of the few singers who is serious about his career. Many musicians who have collaborated with Hung have praised his discipline, respect for his reputation, and generosity. Hung is also very passionate about his work, willing to invest heavily in new and innovative ideas. Hung's programs are all elaborate and splendid. However, among the things Dam Vinh Hung has done and is doing, how many are of sufficient stature to be considered an art project? Hung is still just a mere entertainer. Hung has many "hits", but what have those "hits" really contributed to the development of contemporary Vietnamese music?

Dam Vinh Hung's release of the biographical film project "The King" has caused a lot of controversy surrounding the two words "King". The public opinion was so strong that Hung corrected it, changing the project name to "The King" and explaining that the image of the chair at the premiere was not a symbol of the throne, but just a chair that reminded him of the barbering profession that he started when he was poor. Hung said it was a mistake of the production team and director.

It sounds like Hung is innocent and full of learning spirit. But those who have worked with Hung understand that only Hung can tell someone what to do, but few people have the ability to tell Hung what to do. And the image of the crown in the invitation is still there. It shows that the desire to be considered a “king” is Hung’s, not simply the admiration of his fans.

Fans have always loved to give their idols nicknames. The press also loves to give nicknames to the stars they admire. For example, in football, people still call Pele the king and Beckenbauer the emperor. But both never considered themselves kings or emperors, although they were very aware of their superstar status. Many artists have also been elevated by the nicknames that their fans have given them. Affirming one's unique position is also a legitimate desire, but it must go hand in hand with achievements and the right way of expressing it, both in language and at the right time.

Also from the “Brilliant halo” of the controversial “king” Dam Vinh Hung, the story related to Tran Thanh became hot again. As the MC leading the premiere, Tran Thanh used it as a place to express his feelings when he said “The life of an actor is hard to swallow”. Of course, Thanh confessed that he had to cry, as a habit. But this time, it seemed like the tears were really hard to swallow. The phrase “hard to swallow” has become a keyword to be mocked on many social networking forums, applied to the context of many different professions.

Tran Thanh cried while talking about the pressure of living with the fame of an artist at the press conference to launch Dam Vinh Hung's movie.

It must be admitted that Tran Thanh is talented, intelligent, and quick-witted. The success of record-breaking films such as “Bo Gia” and “Nha Ba Nu” is enough to confirm what a capable person Thanh is. However, all the successes Thanh has gone through, all the products Thanh has participated in, is there any that is worthy of being called a good work of art? Not yet. All are just pure entertainment. And Thanh himself has not had a memorable role that is enough to overcome the label of himself as a comedian or an MC. And once there is no work of art, it is definitely impossible to call yourself an artist. That mistake is not only made by Thanh. In Vietnam, where the custom of more than two decades has allowed even a model to call herself an artist, it is natural for Tran Thanh to say “The life of an artist is hard to swallow”.

Tran Thanh's film has the highest revenue in Vietnamese cinema history.

But even if we easily consider Tran Thanh as an artist, such a statement is not okay. In Thanh's position, he has enough fame, money, and praise around him. Enjoying those blessings, of course he has to accept all the pressure of his career, so why should he cry? Every profession in society is full of pressure. But how many people speak up to demand that the community sympathize with them like Thanh? And even in true art, people like Nguyen Xuan Khoat, the eldest brother of Vietnamese modern music, or Nguyen Van Ty... have all gone through real hardships that many ordinary people may not have to experience. Yet they do not demand that the public must be this or that. So why would a young person like Tran Thanh use tears to challenge the audience to roughly try to touch the words "brilliant halo" to see how hard it is to swallow?

In a talk show, artist Thanh Loc once said that he did not understand why there were people who were just running barefoot in the fields and were already shouting about sacrificing for art. And Thanh Loc himself also admitted that the life of an artist is hard, but with money and fame, what else is there to complain about? For Tran Thanh, a talented entertainer, perhaps he should focus his energy from crying and blaming his fate on developing art projects. He still does not have a project that can be called art and only by making his mark with true art, he is worthy of the title of artist.

There is a funny story to close this topic. In the late 70s, when they were on the other side of their careers, Pele and Beckenbauer went to America to play football to earn money. In 1977, in Jersey, after a match, they went into the team's communal shower and a reporter took a historic photo. Both were 100% naked in the shower, laughing and chatting with each other very simply. Yes, it's the same whether you are a king or an emperor, when you take a shower you have to take off all your clothes and return to being a normal person. Artists should also be normal people before becoming someone on stage. And normal people should understand humility, so as not to put themselves in a superior position in a friendly professional community where there are predecessors who have achieved much greater things than themselves. At the same time, when entering the artistic life, you should have a work of art. Art needs works, not titles like the royal court, where there is always a king and a clown as many famous literary works have used as a form of expressing profound ideas.

Source: https://vtc.vn/nha-vua-chu-he-va-cau-chuyen-nghe-thuat-ar765666.html