What is KTV? The cultural significance behind this growing musical trend

The history of karaoke is an interesting one. The first karaoke machine was invented in 1971, in Kobe, Japan, by Daisuke Inoue, an opportunistic bandleader, and musician who, upon sharing original music with a local businessman who was looking to sing along to recorded tracks in order to impress his clients, recognized the value in such a novelty and quickly set to work.To get more news about Karaoke CBD Melbourne, you can visit starsktv.com.au official website.

Inoue, along with several friends, began working on crafting audio machines that played recorded music for listeners to engage with and sing along to. Called the “8-Juke”, Inoue’s machine (one of 11 he created and released in that first year without a registered patent) was about the size of a small television set and featured a slot for coins. Leased to bars within the Osaka-Kobe area not long after, the machines were a hit with customers. Larger companies eventually took notice – and the rest is history.

Undoubtedly a Japanese phenomenon during its early days, karaoke became popular throughout eastern Asia in countries, before reaching China in the 1980s wherein, instead of “karaoke”, it is more commonly referred to as KTV. It has since gone on to become a national pastime, not to mention a hugely successful industry. But just how did this massive popularity come about?
While commonly referred to as "karaoke" or a "karaoke box" in areas like Japan, Macau, and Hong Kong, establishments in which karaoke is performed are called KTV (an informal abbreviation of Karaoke Television – modeled after the earlier MTV "Movie TV" at the height of its popularity in Asia in the late 1980s) in China, Taiwan, Singapore, and Cambodia. Not to be confused with noraebang as it is called in South Korea (more on that here) and videoke in the Philippines.

KTV essentially means having the run of your own private karaoke room, equipped with screens, speakers, mood lighting, and comfortable seating – as opposed to the more western-style karaoke that takes place on a stage in front of crowds of people. There is a personalized and intimate theme behind KTV, and various regions of the world embrace them, but typically with their own colloquial naming conventions.

At the end of the day, it’s good old-fashioned singing with friends in your own little hideaway. And, of course, like any other exceptional karaoke experience, KTV also includes having your room serviced with food and drinks.Depending on how many friends you are hoping to sing with, you can plan ahead by reserving a private room of corresponding size at just about any karaoke bar – KTV is all about intimacy and comfort, so knowing what to expect is key: small rooms in karaoke bars typically hold 3 to 5 people, while larger rooms can usually accommodate between 10 to 15.

Once you first step inside your karaoke venue, you’ll notice that the atmosphere is wild, glittery, opulent, and over-the-top. The glitzy décor and vibrant lighting is meant to get you in the mood and provide an exciting experience so that you WANT to get up and sing.