The sudden cancellation has caused a public stir in recent days. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Director of Ngoc Viet Company, the organizer, has been prosecuted and detained for investigation into fraudulent appropriation of assets.

The show initially was scheduled to take place on December 28 at the My Dinh Athletics Gymnasium (Hanoi).

At the police station, Ha admitted to the violations and testified that the program could not proceed because the company failed to meet the payment schedule with the music director.

Prior to that, composer Vu Quang Trung (the program's Music Director) spoke out, stating that the show was cancelled for several reasons, including the organizers' repeated late payments.

He said the producer's 50 percent deposit was more than 10 days late compared to the contract commitment; while the second payment installment was also not made on time despite multiple reminders.

Trung also mentioned that many famous singers and artists had to pay out of their own pockets for airfare and accommodation, flying from HCMC and the US to Hanoi for rehearsals, even when the producer had not fully fulfilled their financial responsibilities.

On January 1, messages allegedly between Thu Ha and composer Vu Quang Trung circulated on social media. The content revolved around the Ngoc Viet representative asking for a delay in payment, requesting to pay the performance fees after the show had taken place. However, the composer rejected this offer and decided to walk out.

Some artists, including Vu Thang Loi and Pham Thu Ha, had received a 50 percent advance from the organizers. They were present and waiting to rehearse, but the band ultimately did not show up.

Meanwhile, divas Ha Tran, Hong Nhung, and artist Tran Manh Tuan did not appear as they had already received cancellation notices from the organizer.

While some support the artists for sticking to their contracts, many believe they should have shown more sympathy when the producer faced difficulties. The act of walking out, causing the show to be cancelled, leaves the audience as the most severely affected party.

Artists’ roles

Editor Nguyen My Linh shared on her personal page a sense of sadness upon reading the exchange between the two sides. She questioned why the artists refused to perform at the last minute despite rehearsals and basic preparations being completed.

"If they don't care about the organizers, don't regret the money spent on venue rental, sound, lighting, or the workers' labor, and if they don't even value their own efforts, shouldn't they at least care for the audience?" she asked.

Critic Nguyen Quang Long hoped for a better resolution for those involved. He also expressed hope that show promoters would not be discouraged by this situation.

The case is also an opportunity for cultural management authorities to review and strengthen standard procedures for organizing artistic programs.

Artist Vuong Rau, a well-known comedian, shared that in his career journey, he had not been paid or had fees defaulted many times, yet still chose to go on stage to perform for audiences.

He believes that while everyone works for money, beyond that is the duty to return what one has learned to the audience and to show gratitude to those who love them.

For him, once an artist accepts money from a production unit, regardless of the percentage, they must be responsible to the audience. If they don't perform, it is the public who suffers.

“In some professions, just following the contract is not enough”

Communications expert Nguyen Thanh Son said that canceling a show at the last minute not only causes material losses, but also creates a feeling of being disrespected among audiences.

Nguyen Tuan Quynh, Chair Phuong Nam Culture JSC, shared his concerns on his personal page.

He wrote that in some professions, just fulfilling a contract is not enough. Doctors cannot drop emergency surgery because 20–50 percent of their monthly salary is unpaid. Teachers cannot turn their backs on students even if schools still owe 50 percent of wages. Engineers cannot abandon projects that threaten public safety due to paperwork disputes.

For him, business contracts exist to protect both parties’ interests. But professional conscience is what keeps society from becoming indifferent and is the most important contract of all, even if no one ever signs it.

Thuy Ngoc