Why do so many people blast karaoke loudly in public?

Year-end parties only make this worse. Casual gatherings quickly turn into volume battles among families and friends, each trying to outdo the other.

Karaoke, invented in the 1970s by the Japanese, was meant to be an intimate activity confined to private rooms or designated spaces. In Vietnam, however, karaoke often spills into public areas, forcing everyone to endure the blasting singing. Why has it become a public nuisance here in Vietnam?

A group of friends is singing in a karaoke bar. Illustration photo by Pexels

Just because your friends praise your singing during a drinking session doesn't mean others will also find it pleasant. Most of the time, the singing is off-key, slurred, or simply too loud after alcohol kicks in.

However, during a trip to Phan Thiet, I saw a different example of karaoke.

A group of friends sat by the beach, singing without microphones and using only their phones for music. A girl's soft, melodic voice carried just far enough for her group to enjoy. They had fun without disturbing anyone else strolling under the moonlit sky.

But such considerate examples are rare. Why can only a few apartment buildings or resorts enforce bans on loud karaoke? Everywhere else, people freely crank up the volume, blasting their music into the ears of everyone around them.

How long will we stay trapped in this exhausting cycle of drinking and disruptive entertainment, where karaoke and deafening speakers dominate and destroy the local peace?