International stars flock to Vietnam
Recently, a concert celebrating the 15th anniversary of the founding of the group 2NE1 - one of the groups that once held the top position in Kpop was held in Ho Chi Minh City, along with a series of countries such as: Singapore, Japan... 2 nights of 2NE1 attracted about 16,000 audiences, including many famous Vietnamese artists such as: Duong Hoang Yen, Dieu Nhi, Hau Hoang...
Many stars and music groups have held grand concerts such as Taeyang - Daesung (BIGBANG), Super Junior... In particular, it is worth mentioning the Korean girl group Blackpink, which held 2 shows at My Dinh Stadium (Hanoi) on July 29 and 30, 2023. The two shows of this famous music group attracted more than 67,000 audiences and earned more than 333.4 billion VND (according to statistics from Touring Data).
After nearly 2 years, member Jisoo of the group Blackpink continues to choose Vietnam as a destination to organize a fan meeting (interact with fans) as a solo artist. The fact that Vietnam is one of the 6 Asian countries chosen by Jisoo also partly proves that the top female idol has made a good impression on Vietnamese audiences after 2 shows in 2023.
Ho Chi Minh City is also the destination for Baby Monster's world tour in May. Blackpink and Baby Monster both have a management company, so Vietnamese fans expect YG to invest in Baby Monster's concert like its senior. In particular, recently on social networks, information has appeared that the upcoming tour of "king of Kpop" G-Dragon will also choose Vietnam as one of the destinations.
Not only Kpop stars, many US-UK international superstars such as Charlie Puth, Imagine Dragons, Maroon 5... have accepted to perform in Vietnam at music events.
A comprehensive strategy is needed to take advantage of attraction
There are many reasons why more and more international idols, especially Kpop stars, are choosing Vietnam as a destination for concerts and events to interact with fans. One of the most important factors is probably the strong development of the Vietnamese fan community in both quantity and spending allowance.
Vietnamese fans not only express their love for their idols with support on social networks but are also willing to spend a lot of money to buy concert tickets, albums, and idol-related products. This creates a potential market that international event organizers and entertainment companies cannot ignore. In addition, improving the infrastructure for event organization also plays an important role.
The interest of the Vietnamese media and public in international music events is also an attractive factor.
Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son - Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education - said that the fact that many international stars choose Vietnam as their destination is a positive sign, opening up many opportunities for Vietnam to become an attractive music destination in the region. However, to make good use of this attraction and turn them into a lever for the sustainable development of the performance industry, we need to have a comprehensive strategy, not only stopping at organizing events, but also expanding to accompanying services.
I think it is necessary to invest more in event infrastructure, from the venue to the transportation system, accommodation, to bring the best experience to both artists and audiences. When a big concert takes place, the number of tourists coming can be very large, not only from the country but also from neighboring countries. In addition to organizing concerts, we need to develop an accompanying service ecosystem. These activities not only generate additional revenue but also help expand the length of stay of tourists, turning a simple music event into a real cultural tourism experience. When the event organization environment is more professional and friendly, Vietnam will increasingly attract more and more international artists, thereby creating momentum for the sustainable development of the performing and tourism industry - Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son said.
