Megastar cinemas renamed CGV

All Megastar cinemas have been renamed CGV as of Wednesday, January 15, announced the CJ CGV Group of South Korea, the new manager of Viet Nam's biggest cinema chain.

CGV cinemas will also be installed with 4DX, a motion picture technology that provides a four-dimensional cinematic experience.

CGV cinemas in Ha Noi and HCM City will be the first to offer the group's latest technology.

A joint venture between Vietnamese and foreign investors, MegaStar had opened its first cinemas in the two largest cities of the country in 2007.

Since then, the number of cinema complexes has jumped to 13 in seven cities and provinces nation-wide, claiming more than 50 per cent of the market share.

According to the group's CEO Seo Jung, CGV Viet Nam aims to maintain its market share and entertain audiences in Viet Nam with new and interesting experiences.

Jung said that Hollywood blockbusters will be screened in Viet Nam even before they are released in the North American market. The group also expects to organise a Viet Nam Film Festival in South Korea this year to promote Viet Nam's cinematography and culture.

CJ CGV operates South Korea's largest multiplex cinema chain and has expanded its investments to the US, Indonesia and China.

US provides restoration funds for Hue vestiges

Three wooden altars in the former Royal Palace's Trieu To temple in Hue will be restored with financial support from the US Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation.

Rena Bitter, the US Consulate General in HCM City, yesterday handed an amount of US$29,084 to the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre for the restoration in the former capital city.

The temple is renowned for its worship ceremonies honouring the ancestors of the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945), and used to be an important part of the former Royal Palace. However, over time, the temple's structure and royal altars have become dilapidated.

According to the centre's authorities, the restoration is extremely important for the ancestor-worship ceremonies conducted at the temple. "Ancestor worship is an integral part of the Hue culture and we expect to ensure that the tradition continues with the restoration of the unique altars," said the centre's director, Phan Thanh Hai.

The restoration work will be carried out by a local artisan.

Boutique brands gather at Tet fair

Visitors can purchase handmade products, fashion items, jewellery, home decor and accessories at the Tet Fair held at Do Luych Art Bar from today until Saturday.

Vietnamese specialities and mulled wine will also be offered.

Brands such as Ha Linh Thu, Not Simply A T-shirt, Jeans Talk, Moniq by M, Module 7 Design and May "Crafts and Drinks" have registered to join the event.

The fair takes place at 19B/12 Dang Thai Mai Street, Tay Ho District, from 8am till 5pm. No entrance fee.

HCM City painter depicts animal allegories

New and unseen works by Lien Truong will be on display at Galerie Quynh from today, marking her second solo exhibition at the venue.

Titled The Orient, The Occident, the exhibition features allegorical paintings in which the artist "integrates human figures, animals – at times anthropomorphized – mythical beasts, and hybrids of her own creation" to interrogate collective history and invent new narratives, the gallery said in a release.

Also on display are paintings that address the myth of the unicorn and its interpretation in eastern and western histories.

Born in Sai Gon, Lien Truong got an MFA in painting from Mills College in California, the US. She has exhibited extensively at venues around the US. The exhibition will run until March 8 at both venues of Galerie Quynh at 65A De Tham Street and 151/3 Dong khoi Street, both in District 1.

Preparations underway in Ha Noi

Friends of Vietnam Heritage (FVH) will host two excursions during this weekend that showcase how local Vietnamese people prepare for Tet – their biggest annual holiday.

Each trip will take visitors to Tay Tuu flower village to walk along the fields and enjoy different kinds of flowers that are sold during Tet. The group will then visit a pomelo garden in nearby Dien Village. Pomelos are used for ancestor offering trays during Tet.

The trip will continue to Phung Market, where local people are busy for the new year selling a variety of local products, before passing Duong Lieu Village which produces mien (vermicelli) for sale during Tet. Then turn to Son Dong lacquerware village to see the locals busy carving statues, parallel wood block couplets, altars and many items used for ancestor worship.

Both trips will start at 8.30am and return to Ha Noi around 4pm. To join the excursion, contact Mai at phmai@fpt.vn or 0917294923.

Hard Rock calls for rising stars

Hard Rock Cafe is searching for rising rock stars to perform at the first Hard Rock Live Rome in July, and a global contest will identify them.

Hard Rock, in partnership with online musician community ReverbNation, is registering bands wishing to participate in the Hard Rock Rising global programme that started on January 6 and will go on until the 28th.

The winning band will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Rome, Italy, to perform at the event on July 12 at the Piazza del Popolo.

Two runners-up will each receive music equipment and gear valued at US$10,000.

"Over the past two years, more than 24,000 artists entered to compete in Hard Rock Rising where more than one million songs from these up and coming artists were downloaded by fans," said John Galloway, deputy president and chief marketing officer of Hard Rock International.

Bands in HCM City can register at https://www.facebook.com/hardrockcafevietnam.

Canadian jazz singer to debut in city

Canadian jazz vocalist Michele Kaye will make her debut in HCM City from January 21.

Kaye also composes pop music. In 2007, her composition and record Angora, an extended play (EP), was nominated for a Toronto Independent Music Award. She has performed all over the world, including China and India.

The singer will perform from 8pm –11.45pm at the Park Hyatt Saigon hotel every night, except Tuesdays, until April 14. The hotel is at 2 Lam Son Square.

Fun class for children to learn about new foods

Joma Bakery Cafe – To Ngoc Van will host a cooking class for children on Sunday.

During the two-hour class, attendees will learn how to make healthy quiche, packed with yummy vegetables and fresh herbs, and banana-choco pops for dessert.

This friendly class is suitable for children aged 4-10.

The class will take place at Joma, 51A To Ngoc Van Street, at 5pm. Advance tickets are required.

Museum wins Construction of the Year award

The 6,500sq.m complex of Quang Ninh Provincial Library and Museum won the "Construction of the Year 2013" award at a ceremony held in Ha Noi yesterday.

Jointly designed by the Viet Nam Institute of Architecture, Urban and Rural Planning (VIAP) and the S Design JSC, the complex consists of three building blocks having contemporary design.

The buildings' glass walls are meant to reflect the picturesque beauty of the nearby World's Nature Heritage Ha Long Bay.

The construction was completed last October with a total investment capital of VND900 billion (US$43 million).

Another key award of Architect of the Year was given to Bui Anh Phu Ninh, who is the head architect of CIC36 Architecture Company.

Veteran architect Dang Thai Hoang received the Architect Award for theory and criticism, while architect Dang Thai Hoang won the Community Architect Award.

The Potential Architect Award was given to Nguyen Phuoc Vinh, while the Honourable Architect Award was given to Vo Trong Nghia, who has won several international architectural prizes for his environmental-friendly designs.

Ashui.com, which is the official website of Viet Nam Urban Planning and Development Association (VUDPA), hosted the awards.

Reality show raises funds for the poor

Dau An Tinh Nguoi (Hallmark of Humanity), a reality television show, will be broadcast live on VTV9 television channel on January 19 to raise funds for the poor.

The event to be held at Hoa Binh Theatre in HCM City will raise funds from ticket sales and sponsorships. Proceeds will be used to hand out 4,500 gifts to the poor on the occasion of the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday.

The event also aims to honor individuals, companies and organisations dedicated to charity programmes organised by the Viet Nam Red Cross.

Famous singers performing at the show include Van Khanh, Quang Dung, Nguyen Phi Hung, Le Cat Trong Ly and Thanh Ha-Thanh Hang.

The show, organised by the Viet Nam Red Cross in coordination with Viet Nam Television and Kien Vang Telecast Co., Ltd, is expected to attract nearly 2,000 people.

Bridal night for brides-to-be

The InterContinental Asiana Saigon will present an "Intimate InterContinental Bridal Night" at the Purple Jade lounge on January 17 as a chance for brides-to-be and couples to meet wedding industry experts in the city.

It will showcase gorgeous wedding gowns and accessories from Minh Loc Bridal & Make Up Artist, as well as a collection of wedding-themed albums from vintage to lifestyle from professional photographer Zuki. The wedding planner Serenade Company will offer options and advice.

The event will take place between 5pm and 9pm at the corner of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan streets. Registration for tickets is at events2@icasianasaigon.com.

Classical music from Macedonia

Two young violinists from Macedonia, Eni Vucidolova and Eva Bogoevska, will appear with the HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera in a concert at the Opera House on January 19. They will perform under the baton of conductor Le Phi Phi.

The concert, which will feature works for violin by Handel and Bach, will begin at 8pm at 7 Lam Son Square in District 1. For tickets, please call (08)38237419.

Beats Saigon crew celebrates birthday

The Beats Saigon, a music event promotional crew that promotes underground music, will host a music party at the Cargo Bar on January 25 to celebrate its seventh birthday.

The show will present international DJs like Daedelus from Los Angeles, and Red-i and Soulflower from Black Market Manila, and local artists.

The party will begin at 9.30pm at 7 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street in District 4.

Vietnamese folk paintings in French people’s eyes

The French Development Agency (AFD) and the French Academy of the Far East (EFEO) are introducing the Vietnamese folk paintings - triptych in Hanoi from January 13 to February 28.

The exhibition aims to give visitors a fresh look into the physical civilisation of Vietnamese people in the 20 th century as well as their daily life via 15 outstanding images selected from Technique du Peuple Annamite (Mechanics and Craft of the Annamites) by Henri Oger (1908) and Imagerie Populaire Vietnamienne (Vietnamese Folk Painting) by Maurice Durand (1960).

The event also showcases unpublished wood engravings illustrating Luc Van Tien (The Tale of Luc Van Tien), an epic poem by Nguyen Dinh Chieu written in nom (the old Chinese-based Vietnamese script).

The engravings were carved at the end of the 19th century by a Hue-based artist hired to illustrate the poem. Intended as drafts for those illustrations, they stand out as art in their own right.

The paintings made it into a 300-page book, given to the EFEO in 1899 and rediscovered two years ago.

Ethnic minority culture remains a focus in 2014

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will continue speeding up projects on preserving and developing the ethnic minority culture in 2014, radio The Voice of Vietnam reported on January 15.

Deputy Minister Huynh Vinh Ai said the ministry plans to build a set of cultural development indicators for ethnic minority groups by 2020, take an inventory of ethnic minority cultural heritage, support cultural development of at least 16 ethnic minority groups and repair 300 relics.

It will strive to develop a healthy cultural environment, comprehensively upgrade grassroots-level culture and sports institutions, and raise the ‘Cultural Family’ rate to 87 percent and the ‘Cultural Village’ rate to 68 percent.

Most ethnic minority groups have devised plans to preserve and develop their culture till 2020 and set up a steering committee to oversee it.

Ethnic minority festivals have been organised in line with the Party’s guidelines and State laws. People are fully aware of their cultural identities, and are actively getting involved in creating new cultural values and preserving others.

In 2013, the ministry successfully organised the Vietnam Ethnic Minority Cultural Day on April 19 and implemented three projects on preserving villages, hamlets and communes of ethnic minority groups.

It also built entertainment sites for children in remote, mountainous and island areas in Lai Chau, Dak Nong, Lao Cai, Quang Nam and Dien Bien.-

Halong Bay named one of six Asian destinations

The well-known tourism website Lonely Planet has just recommended Vietnam’s Halong Bay as one among six most famous destinations in Asia.

In its “Top Things to Do in Asia” guidelines, the website refers to the six famous destinations. Apart from Halong Bay, the others are China’s Great Wall, Kinabalu National Park in Malaysia, the famous temple complex Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Indonesia’s Orangutan Feeding Center, and the Golden Temple in Myanmar.

Halong Bay is famous for its 2,000 magnificent limestone islands and numerous caves and grottos, according to the website. The bay has been twice recognized by UNESCO as a natural world heritage site in 1994 and 2000, and was also named one of the Seven Natural Wonders by the New7Wonders Foundation in 2011.

The website also recommends several other famous destinations, such as India’s Taj Mahal and Bhutan’s Tajshang Goemba.

HCM City artists join spring-themed exhibition

HCMC-based 5P Artist Club is holding a joint painting exhibition ‘A moment of spring’ from now until Sunday at the City Exhibition House in District 1.

On the occasion, the club also unveiled their book featuring art works by 21 members. Artist Nguyen Nhu Khoi, a 5P member, also launched his first solo exhibition consisting of over 70 pieces. Khoi has 20 years experience of teaching arts to disabled students. Since leaving that role, Khoi has concentrated on creating art works with major themes of reality and semi abstract.

Lien Truong presents myth to our evolving morality in ‘The Orient, The Occident’

‘The Orient, The Occident’ – an exhibition of ambitious new paintings by Lien Truong – will open on Thursday at Galerie Quynh’s two venues in District 1.

Rich with symbolism, the allegorical paintings fuse Eastern landscape space with Western oil painting technique to depict fantastical, watery landscapes. Truong integrates human figures, animals, mythical beasts, and hybrids of her own creation into the paintings to interrogate collective history and invent new narratives.

A phoenix symbolizing empire hovers over eastern peacocks in The Salvation of the Heathens, referencing western colonial expansion. A white tiger violently accosts a Chinese dragon in Blue, White and Red. The pearl, representing desire, consciousness, and wisdom, becomes an object of exchange in the largest and most symbolically complex works. In The Apple, a western-type siren offers a pearl to a kinnari – a half-female, half-bird creature in Buddhist and Hindu mythology, referencing the fall in the myth of Adam and Eve and even alluding to the history of social taboo proscribing mixed race and same gender unions.

In The Dilemma of Consciousness and The Visitor, pearls are offered from one creature to another, their exchange bringing dubious benefit and subtly foreshadowing calamity.

Also showing are paintings that address the myth of the unicorn and its interpretation in Eastern and Western history. In My Trophy, Your Saint the sacred cow of the Hindu world becomes a hunter’s trophy on an Occidental wall. Truong compels visitors to reflect on the way longstanding mythologies and unexamined conceptions wreak havoc on living animal and human populations. Several smaller works feature heads of state in hybridized form with their corresponding Chinese zodiacal animals. These portraits show the emotional side of power by evoking the qualities of human temperament as represented in the Chinese zodiac and in Greek mythology.

Truong represents mythology, but she also questions the relationship of myth to our evolving morality.

Born in Saigon, Truong received an MFA in painting at Mills College, Oakland, California. She has exhibited extensively in notable venues in the U.S. Truong lives and works in northern California.

The exhibition will run until March 8 at both venues of Galerie Quynh at 65A De Tham Street and at 151/3 Dong Khoi Street, both in District 1.

Koganecho Bazaar 2014 calls for Vietnamese candidates

Koganecho Bazaar 2014 artist-in-residence program is calling on Vietnamese artists to get involved.

The art festival hosted by the Koganecho Area Management Center, a non-profit organization that uses art to revitalize the Koganecho Urban Area at Yokohama City’s Naka Ward in Japan, has been held every autumn since 2008.

The festival uses everyday spaces in the city as stages and it has invited and presented more than 140 groups of artists, curators and architects from Japan and abroad. The festival examines current issues raised by contemporary art with an organizational plan that considers creation from concept to presentation as a consecutive process.

This year, the festival will be expanded into an international art festival showcasing thirty new works by both local and international artists and groups.

Artists from around the world can submit applications to the curator panel of Koganecho Bazaar and local cooperated curators. In Vietnam, curator Nguyen Nhu Huy, founder of ZeroStation in HCMC’s District 3 is selected to accept applications from Vietnamese artists.

Two other curators Yamano Shingo and Makiko Hara will come to Vietnam to consider presentations of Vietnamese artists from 10:30 a.m. on January 21 at ZeroStation, 288 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street.

Each artist has 20 minutes to present their project before talking with the curators. Artists can email Huy at huybeo@gmail.com or 0903 747 779 to register their presentation. The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. on January 18.

The theme of Koganecho Bazaar 2014, organized in collaboration with local and international organizations and curators, is Fictive Communities.

The term community refers to both a residential area and a social unit, a group of people who share things in common, like language, interests, family, friends and a wide sense of contexts. From this point of view, everyone belongs to multiple communities and these communities are constantly changing and updating over time.

Koganecho Bazaar 2014 aims to create a place where artists can share and exchange thoughts on the utopic concept of Fictive Communities through the experience and interpretation of artworks by participating artists from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds.

Through the various cultural-exchange programs such as artists in residence, exhibitions, symposiums and workshops, Koganecho Bazaar 2014 hopes to incubate new thinking about relationships between heterogeneous communities that before had no contact with each other, while imagining Fictive Communities as a society in which diverse values coexist.

Selected artists to the resident program will be provided with a round-trip ticket between Vietnam and Yokohama, allowances during the residency from one to three months, costs for materials to make artworks, exhibition space and assistance to help them to finish their works.

Thai professor to talk about Buddhocentrism

Thanes Wongyannava, an associate professor from Thammasat University in Bangkok, will conduct two lectures on ‘Buddhocentrism’ at Hoa Sen University on January 16 and 21 as part of the program ‘ENCOUNTER’.

Wongyannava will discuss his ideas concerning ‘Buddhocentrism’, which embraces the idea of Buddhism as a system of ideas in contemporary life that has moved away from a focus on ‘enlightenment’ towards a belief in all things ‘delightful’.

He will look at how visual art illustrates such attitude, including an examination of how we understand the ‘self’ and ‘truth’ within such a society.

‘The art of Buddhocentrism’ takes place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on January 16 at room NZ0204 on the 2nd floor at Hoa Sen University. The second lecture on ‘Truth, Self and Buddhocentrism’ will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on January 21 at the same venue.

‘Encounter’, a three-year cultural lecture series initiated by San Art, will showcase eight internationally renowned creative thinkers.

Hoa Sen University is located at 8 Nguyen Van Trang Street in District 1.

Indian consulate general holds two cultural events in HCMC

The consulate general of India in HCMC, the General Sciences Library and the Union of Friendship Organizations last week named winners of a children’s painting contest and launched an Indian Corner at a ceremony at the library in District 1.

The “India-Vietnam Solidarity” themed contest attracted nearly 70 Vietnamese and Indian students aged between 6 and 16 from schools in HCMC and Binh Duong and Dong Thap provinces. The organizers granted two first prizes, four second prizes and six third prizes for winners in the 6-8 years old and 9-16 years old categories.

“I am really amazed at the imagination and creativity of all the contestants. These works constitute a valuable collection. From the consulate general of India side, we would like to publish these works into a desk calendar for wider circulation,” said Dr Deepak Mittal, Indian consul general in HCMC, at the event.

“I am so inspired by the enthusiastic participation and wide support to this event that I propose that we hold this painting contest every year,” he added.

The paintings are on display at the General Sciences Library at 69 Ly Tu Trong Street in District 1.

At the award ceremony, the organizers also opened an India Corner on the library’s ground floor featuring books on economy, culture, the arts, tourist information and children’s books to enable a useful source about the various facets of India.

The two events were held to mark the 42nd anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and India.

The 2014 Book Road Festival, themed ‘Ho Chi Minh City – My beloved city’, is scheduled to take place along the city’s main streets from January 28 to February 3, featuring activities to honor traditional Vietnamese cultural features and affirm the nation’s sovereignty.

Like previous years, the route includes Mac Thi Buoi, Nguyen Hue and Ngo Duc Ke streets in District 1 and will be held with the participation of the General Publishing House, Fahasa, Phan Thi and Thai Ha companies.

The books in the festival will be divided into four categories: ‘Books and Culture’, ‘Books and Knowledge’, ‘Books and Vietnam’s sovereignty’ and ‘Favorite Books’.

Among 200,000 titles offered by Fahasa, the ‘Books and Culture’ category will introduce a vast number of titles on southern folk music don ca tai tu, which was recently recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

There will also be a number of don ca tai tu musical instruments to increase the public’s awareness of the intangible heritage.

Moreover, the company also praises the beauty of the city via photo books on iconic images of Saigon such as Ben Thanh Market, the Central Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral.

Phan Thi focuses on children’s books with the highlight the comic series ‘Than dong Dat Viet: Truong Sa-Hoang Sa’, while the General Publishing House introduces a series of books featuring the late General Vo Nguyen Giap and documentation of Vietnam’s sovereignty over its territorial waters and islands.

Additionally, the festival will present visitors with children’s titles, e-books, audio books and book cafés.

F Fashion Vietnam honors top artists

F Fashion Vietnam magazine last week announced the winners of its Best Artist of the Year awards at an event in HCMC.

Winners who have contributed to the development of Vietnam’s fashion industry were voted for by fashion editors, stylists and reporters.

Specifically, winner of Vietnam’s Next Top Model in 2010, Huyen Trang was named Best Model. Vietnamese-American Phuong My was named Best Designer. Best Photographer and Best Stylist were Milor Tran and Lam Thuy Nhan. Actress/singer Ngo Thanh Van received Best Style award. Best Makeup Artist and Best Hair Artist respectively went to Tung Chau and Crazy Nhoc.

Notably, young designer Phuong My was honored after launching her flagship store in town and her two Spring-Summer and Autumn-Winter collections were debuted in Vietnam, France, the Middle East and the U.S.

Vogue magazine in the U.K. and Italy introduced My as a young talent found in the Asia Pacific region.

Art Performance Marks New Year’s Eve

A special art performance celebrating Year of the Horse 2014 will be held by Vietnam Television on Lunar New Year’s Eve on January 30.

The event titled “Letters of the Spring” will present letters from fashion designer Minh Hanh to Master Ceremony (MC) Tran Thanh and letters from singer My Tam’s fans to the program’s organization board. It will also present letters from soldiers in border areas and islands to their relatives, letters from overseas Vietnamese’s congratulation on Tet holidays to the people at home and letters from kids to the future.

The show will combine fashion, musical performances, dancing and circus.

Famous performers My Tam, Thanh Bui, Ho Trung Dung, Uyen Linh, Ho Ngoc Ha, Minh Quan, Ngoc Anh, Phuong Vy, Duong Hoang Yen, The MTV band, the High school Musical dancing group, magician Nguyen Phuong and others will join the event.

Music Nights Flood Hanoi

A concert titled “Carmina Burana” featuring Japanese conductors Honna Tetsuji and Baritone Kuroda Hiroshi will be held at Hanoi Opera House on January 15-16.

Tenor Minh Tri, Soprano Thang Long and artists from Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, Hanoi Freude Choir, Choir of National University of Art Education, Hanoi International Choir, Choir of Vietnam National Opera Ballet and Chorus Master Graham Sutcliffe will participate in the show.

Zea Champagne Unicorns, the trio consisting members from France, Canada and Scotland will give a performance at Hanoi Social Club on January 18.  The band uses a combination of traditional instruments like ukulele, flute, cello and saxophone to create a traditional sound with a modern twist.

British comic Mandy Knight headlines Apocalaughs Now

Apocalaughs Now returns to Cargo Bar on January 21 with the first female to compere The Comedy Store in London, Mandy Knight, in action.

She was once described as “as frisky as a terrier on heat” and is a true dame of British stand-up comedy. Joining her is Glenn Wool, the Canadian comic who performed at the Hard Rock Café last year. The gig is part of a Southeast Asian tour.

Fully-trained classical actress Knight decided to ditch the period frocks and the pinafore and enter the world of stand-up comedy. It is a decision she has never regretted. After almost 20 years as a comedian, Knight remains one of the most respected and loved stand-ups in the business by fellow comics, promoters and punters alike.

As a stand-up she has headlined all over the world and has deservedly scooped the Best Female Comedian title at a host of different awards ceremonies over the years, including the Time Out Best Female Comic gong.

A brilliant compere, host and stand-up, as well of course as an actress, she has used her combined talents to perform three one-woman shows in Edinburgh, London and Sydney.

Wool was nominated for Best International Stand Up at The New Zealand Comedy Awards and Best Headliner at the Chortle Awards. In recent years he has hit the international circuit in a big way, performing to huge crowds in Singapore, Holland, Dubai, New York and Los Angeles where he is currently living. The organizers are also teaming up with Stand-Up Saigon again to bring two local comics Steve Jackson and Tat Lay into the fray.

Doors open at 8 p.m. with a free Magners Cider as part of the VND250,000 surcharge. Organizers warn to book in advance. Email saigoncomedynights@gmail.com.  for more details. Cargo Bar is located at 7 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, District 4.

Local karaoke company buys music copyright

The Recording Industry Association of Vietnam (RIAV) has signed a VND10-billion agreement to sell the copyright of 3,000 songs to Viet KTV Company.

This is the first time a local karaoke company has bought the copyright to music with more than 80% of companies and firms operating in this field accused of music copyright violation.

After this bold step the association has called on other companies to follow the laws and respect copyright and creativity of music producers.

Tran Thi Dung, vice chairwoman of the association, said that she really appreciated this agreement with Viet KTV, stressing that copyright violation is a crime and an unfair practice and that authorities should take action against it.