Mini karaoke something to sing about
Print Edition
MINI karaoke booths are taking the country by storm.
The sound-proofed KTV booth is typically equipped with an air-conditioner, a couple of chairs and headsets. You pay a fee, put on the headset, close the curtain and sing your heart out.
Mini KTVs are everywhere: shopping malls, cinemas, subway stations. They have a similar function to traditional karaoke, but in a more intimate environment.
“No matter how good or bad I sing, nobody can judge me, and I can just have my moment,” said Li Rui from Changchun, capital of northeast China’s Jilin Province.
Li said that in traditional KTVs you have to reserve rooms in advance and there are always “extra charges” such as drinks and fruit.
According to research company iiMedia, the value of the mini KTV market in China will hit 3.18 billion yuan (US$473 million) this year, almost twice as much as last year. The market is expected to double again in 2018.
For many urban residents singing is a way of relieving stress.
“In the past, hosting a party in a KTV meant you had to invite a lot of people, set up a date when everybody was free and book a room, which was not so easy,” said Ma Yan. “But with mini KTV booths, everything is easy.”
Another reason behind the mini KTV fervor is the joy of sharing.
“Most mini KTVs allow you to record yourself and upload, so I can share the recording on WeChat and get a lot of ‘likes’ from friends,” said Guo Hanyu of Shenyang in northeast China’s Liaoning Province.
Liu Wei, a professor at Jilin University, said mini KTVs put the user in control, making the process “a lot more fun and personal.”
The pastime is also popular with investors. Mini KTV booths cost from around 10,000 yuan to 30,000 yuan.
If a machine runs 12 hours a day at 60 yuan an hour, the cost could be recouped in a few weeks.
However, operators also have to pay fees to owners of the venues, such as shopping malls and cinemas. But, so far, at least 20,000 mini KTVs are in operation.
“In rush hour, customers have to wait in line,” said a member of staff at the Changchun Ouya New Life shopping mall in Changchun. “The machines are mostly used by young people and they are cleaned every day.”
The machines have caught the attention of government officials.
In a circular issued by the Ministry of Culture, authorities asked local cultural management departments to strengthen supervision of the mini KTVs to avoid young people getting addicted.
“Demand drives development,” said Liu Wei. “We should give new things enough space to develop, and allow it to evolve with the market.”
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