If one door is closed and another one opens, the other door is opened. The pandemic is causing grave consequences, but it also opens doors to opportunities.
In the wake of the lockdowns that have been imposed in many cities and provinces, off-line entertainment and programming which require physical interaction, like film screenings and fashion shows, music, and exhibitions, have been put off, and entertainment events are scheduled to be delayed for an indefinite period.
Although Vietnam has become a norm, performers and showbiz professionals are cautious when the process of planning their return. One of the reasons for this is the dramatic drop in budgets for entertainment.
But, it is also a source of wisdom. The pandemic has forced artists to embrace digital.
Unable to interact with fans face-to-face, artists reach out to customers via the internet. Many online music shows were launched on the internet over the past two years following the pandemic, including live In Sweet Home by Tuan Hung and Khac Viet as well as The Stay Strong Vietnam, which gathers many famous musicians as well as ‘Nhung chuyen”ke” (Stories to tell) written by Tuan Thang.
“When you’re on the stage, it is like you sing in the presence of crowds of thousands. However, tens or even hundreds of thousands of people can hear you sing when you stand in front of a screen,” said Thanh Bui, the famous artist.
In the height of the 4th Covid waves, a variety of galas and entertainment programs were broadcast on television and included ‘Chia Se de gan hon’ (Sharing difficulties to get closer) as well as ‘Cam On Nhung Dieu phi Thuong’ (Thanks for extraordinary things) and ‘O Nha van via (Having fun at home) and ‘San se You Thuong – Vuot Qua dai ditch (Sharing love and overcoming the epidemic) that did not just entertain people, but also strengthened morale.
People are more familiar with online music streaming. They are prepared to spend money on online music. They are also used to spending New Year at home instead of seeing Countdown Lights.
The platforms that offer copies of music protected by copyright, like Apple Music and Spotify, have gained a massive following over pirated music sites.
A Vietnamese internet-based film market has been gaining momentum due to the rise of Vietnamese digital platforms like POPs, Galaxy Play, FPT Play, and VieON, and international media like Netflix. With a single click, viewers can access Vietnamese films in high quality.
K+ Television ordered the production of a film that will be exclusively broadcast through its channels, similar to what Netflix is doing with Squid Game and Hellbound. Galaxy Play has also reportedly requested the production of films that will be aired on their online platforms.
The first national book fair was launched initially early April of 2020. It has achieved results that were higher than expected: 2 million visitors and VND1 billion in revenues.
The nation’s second book fair online in 2021 drew 5.9 million visitors and generated a revenue of VND3.5 billion.
The theater industry is changing digitally to adjust to changing circumstances. Theatres engage with the audience by bringing their productions to the digital realm. It cannot be lit each night because of Covid-19.
If the lights were unable to be turned on, companies like Tuoi Tre (Youth) Drama Theater, Hanoi Drama Theater, Hong Van Stage, Le Ngoc Theater put their work online.
In September 2020 In September 2020, The Department of Performing Arts under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) launched an official YouTube channel to test the model of online theater. Every Tuong, cheo, and can Luong (traditional Vietnamese types of music) performances are live-streamed for viewers to enjoy the show at their homes.
Which way for Vietnam?
Hosting Tribunal announced figures about the growth of online entertainment in the past five years. Livestream service usage increased by 20 percent annually, and Netflix will have 26 million new users by 2020. The market for live streaming services in 2017 was worth $184 billion. The market was 62 percent American users registered to the Livestream service.
The data illustrate that the pandemic is a significant threat and a fantastic chance for Vietnam to establish the online industry of entertainment.
Van Trinh, the ‘father of the online nightclubs Van Trinh, the ‘father’ of online nightclubs, believes that online is the answer for the entertainment industry both during and after the pandemic.
The way people buy tickets has changed, and performers can be confident about the growth of live streaming. At present, My Tam, a famous Vietnamese pop artist, is the only performer who has sold tickets to her show on the internet at a record-breaking price at VND1 million. The most surprising thing is that the site that allows customers to purchase tickets was already entire on the first day of the ticket sales.
Cinemas will soon be shut doors due to Covid-19, a new opportunity has been opened for filmmakers to showcase their work through digital media platforms. The director of the film ‘Gai Gia Lam Chieu (Camellia Sisters), Bao Nhan, and producer Nam Cito made their offering available to Netflix and Netflix, which had not occurred before.
The nation’s book fair is doing a fantastic job amid the epidemic and will continue to generate revenue for Vietnam’s publishing industry, satiating the needs of residents in all.
The analysts say that online entertainment can provide opportunities and create a more competitive environment for performers. The more it grows, the more ‘flat’ the world will become, possibly being shared equally among youngsters with passion and talent. Traditional technology for promotion will be outdated, and no person or legal organization will be capable of regulating the market. The performance metrics of their customers are quickly and publicly available on online platforms.