Vietnam is going mad for Korean movie stars and singers – little wonder then that its own stars are looking to Korea for inspiration and assistance.

Singer My Tam

Korean stars are increasingly gaining attention from wider audiences. Names such as Bi Rain and BoA are transcending Asia while others are famous throughout the continent - namely Wonder Girls, Bae Yong Joon, Se7en and Lee Hyori.

Korean movies and music are flooding the Vietnamese market. Korean TV series with beautiful actress appear on every channel. Increasingly they are also visiting Vietnam as part of cultural exchange programmes. Their vast entourages only make them seem more impressive to local entertainment professionals and audiences alike.

Now,in Vietnam, increasingly local singers are going to South Korea to learn their techniques or invite Korean teams to Vietnam to produce albums.

Pop star My Tam is a pioneer. Her album “Vut Bay” was produced in South Korea in 2007. She stayed in South Korea to practice dancing for over two months. After the trip, her style changed considerably. She’s now planning a return trip to back a project in 2010.

Singer Ung Hoang Phuc revealed that he is about to invite five Korean experts to Vietnam to help him implement a musical project.

Singer Ung Hoang Phuc

Menwhile, young singer Duong Quoc Hung, who was known through Sao Mai Diem Hen (Morning Star Rendezvous), a TV music contest of the national Vietnam Television, has signed a 5-year exclusive contract with the Korean-support Music Future Company. Next year, he will work for several months at an entertainment company in Korea.

Most recently, nearly 2,000 young people participated in the Super Star contest, which aims to seek entertainment talent. The organisers promise to take the winner to South Korea for a year to train into a star. The winner of this contest is Duong Thi Hong Nhung. The public is awaiting her progress with Korean star making technology.

Another pop star, Ho Ngoc Ha, who recently took part in the Asian Song Festival 2009 in South Korea, said: “Going to South Korea to witness their technology, I understand their entertainment industry. They can make anybody to become a bright star with that professional and huge system”.

“However, there is the black side of it. The lifespan of Korean stars is often short. But I’m proud to see Vietnamese making their mark,” Ha said.

Thanh Chung