Inside your personal KTV room, there is a big TV screen (or two) with the lyrics to the songs as well as the music video (for more popular songs). This is one of example of room you might find in a KTV bar KTV places are decorated to be fancy, glitzy, and over the top! The atmosphere is meant to get you excited to sing, usually with lights and decor everywhere. The past few times I’ve gone, I’ve paid between 80 and 100 RMB just for myself. Any longer would start to get boring.Ī room on a weekend evening might cost a few hundred RMB, but split between the number of people who go, it can be fairly affordable. In my experience, three hours is generally enough time. Prices also depend on how long you want the room for. Generally, reserving on a weekend evening will be more expensive than during the day or on a weekday. You can sing along without the mic or share the mic with the friends sitting next to you.
The difference here is that you don’t necessarily have to sing in front of everyone, and nobody really cares if you can’t carry a tune! Not only does the room generally have a stand mic where one person can sing in front of the others, it also has a couple of handheld mics, as well as a booth with a table and seats. Unlike Western-style karaoke, which often involves singing with a mic in front of a big group of people, KTV here involves booking a personal room for you and your friends. You can pay a few RMB for 15 minutes (or longer, if you’d like), put on the headphones, and sing along to your favorite songs. There are even small KTV booths in malls or other public places, made for only 2-3 people. Chinese KTV – Going to karaoke is a great way to spend a few hours with friends! KTV is especially popular in the evenings and on the weekends. One of the biggest, Haoledi, has over 30 locations in the city (2). Karaoke, or KTV as it’s called here in China, is a very popular activity.Īlthough it originated in Japan, China now has over 100,000 karaoke bars (1). What is Chinese Karaoke? Can us foreigners enjoy it and what should we expect? Be sure to enjoy food, drinks, and music, as well as magnificent views of the city.KTV / Chinese Karaoke – Discover One of China’s Most Popular Pastimes The Keio Plaza Hotel features its own karaoke facilities at “Karaoke 47” on the 47th floor with the Tokyo’s dazzling nightscape. They have also found their way into the East Asia, South East Asia, and many other countries. Karaoke boxes are popular destinations for close friends or colleagues getting together after company parties in Japan. These establishments offer private rooms for singing in pairs or small groups, and participants can even order drinks and food to go with the music. In Japan and elsewhere, so-called “karaoke boxes” are beloved by many, especially the young. The term “karaoke” was coined from the Japanese terms kara (empty) and oke (short for “orchestra”). Karaoke machines around the world play popular songs without any verbal accompaniment, allowing people to sing along with lyrics displayed on a screen. Karaoke has long since left its original home on the islands of Japan to gain international acceptance as a popular form of entertainment.