ACH뉴스레터-Lao Pop Culture: One of the World’s Greatest Intangible Cultural Heritage

Lao Pop Culture: One of the World’s Greatest Intangible Cultural Heritage

Life in ASEAN

Lao Pop Culture: One of the World’s Greatest Intangible Cultural Heritage

Written by Joo Jong-chan
(Professor of the Food Franchise Department at Kyungnam University)

< Fig 1 > Lao people love to sing, so microphones and amplifiers are essential household items

A rock group from neighboring Thailand is about to hold a concert in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Whenever celebrities visit the country, Wattay International Airport, the capital’s only airport, is crowded with fans. Today is no exception. Screaming out, they follow the band through the airport. Every such event is filled with excited female fans.

The pop culture in Laos is greatly influenced by that of Thailand. Due to their geographical proximity, the two countries not only have a shared history, but their languages are also similar to each other. It is not an uncommon phenomenon for two neighboring countries. It is somewhat surprising, therefore, that Korean cultural content has successfully entered the competitive Lao pop culture market, and during lunchtime, you can see Lao people watch the Korean TV series “Itaewon Class,” offered by several streaming platforms with Thai subtitles. Laos seems to be unable avoid the globalization of popular culture, which ignores geographical borders.

< Fig 2 > Lao people singing and dancing
Source: Cyril @ Tiger trail Laos
https://laos-adventures.com/

That notwithstanding, Lao people surely keep their diverse singing culture alive. If one walks through residential areas at sunset, one can sense that it must have been their singing that allowed people to survive in the midst of adversities. Through songs, which blare from loudspeakers all over Laos, Lao people’s cultural identity survives. Koreans may be renowned for their singing and dancing skills, but Lao people’s stylish singing and exciting dance moves are on par with theirs. Some may not own TV sets, but most own a microphone and loudspeaker, and Lao people seem always ready to burst into song and dance. While the origins of Laos’ singing culture are uncertain, its popularity matches that of Korea’s noraebang, or singing room, culture. As Lao people create impromptu singing rooms at any street or garden, without having to go to a proper singing venue, one could argue they surpass even Koreans’ love for singing. It is not like anyone is handing out awards, but the singing contest on Laos’ streets, which allow anyone, young or old, to hold a microphone and sing out loud, is representative of Lao people’s cultural pride. If you accompany your singing with a few Rambong dance moves, which can easily be learned by anyone in a mere minute, everyone gets into a good mood. It goes without saying that, without being accompanied by music, people may sing out of tune, but it does not lessen people’s enjoyment but spreads laughter and happiness. Even these days, with the streets having emptied due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Lao singing culture lives on.

< Fig 3 > Lao residents giving impromptu performances in the front yards of their homes

As about 80 percent of Lao territory is composed of mountainous terrain, moving between regions is somewhat difficult, and as a result, the country’s postal workers, who once traveled across the country, have disappeared. This also hampers the spread of pop culture, rendering Laos one of the few countries where significant local cultural differences remain. Although Lao people also use smartphones nowadays, the country’s pop culture still resists the dominance of commercialism. In Laos, people do not necessarily watch the same movies, listen to the same music, talk about the same topics or wear similar clothes. In that sense, Laos may boast one of the world’s largest intangible cultural heritage, with people in each region free to express their different cultural facets.

The content of this article may differ from the editorial direction of the ASEAN Culture House Monthly.