Vietnam KTV Director Prosecuted for Copyright Infringement in Karaoke Business

Hanoi – Vu Phi Diep, 46, former director of Viet KTV Electronic Group, has been prosecuted for copyright infringement for allegedly duplicating musical works and processing them into karaoke data for market distribution, thereby illegally profiting approximately 852 billion VND. According to the Hanoi Police's Economic Crime Investigation Department, Diep directed technical staff to copy musical works from various digital platforms without signing any copyright usage agreements. He then processed these into karaoke data and converted them into a proprietary format for integration into devices branded VietKTV. The data was stored on a cloud computing system and a 4TB original hard drive. He subsequently copied this data into karaoke players or integrated screen players before releasing them to the market. For products not equipped with a hard drive, users could still download songs for free from the pre-connected online system. Authorities allege that from 2023 to June 2026, Viet KTV distributed 919 products, generating illicit profits of around 852 billion VND. A review of over 41,000 data files by the Vietnam Music Copyright Protection Center (VCPMC) initially identified approximately 1,500 musical works under its management that were illegally exploited, causing estimated damages of about 600 billion VND. Mr. Diep has reportedly confessed to the charges. The case serves as a warning to organizations and individuals who exploit digital technology to infringe intellectual property rights for illicit gains. Viet KTV describes itself as a pioneer in hard disk-based karaoke solutions in Vietnam. In 2008, the company launched its first karaoke player in Vietnam with an integrated 500GB hard drive. The company advertises over 25 warranty units nationwide, more than 100 sales agency systems, an unlimited number of songs, and over 150 new songs added monthly, promising a superior user experience. Diep had also expressed ambitions to apply AI technology in song storage and selection to meet stringent customer demands. Under current Vietnamese law, the maximum copyright fee for a business establishment can reach 20.24 million VND per year. This collection is managed by the Vietnam Music Copyright Protection Center (VCPMC) and the Vietnam Recording Industry Association (RIAV). VCPMC currently protects the rights of over 7,700 domestic artists and is an official member of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), managing millions of international works in Vietnam through various bilateral agreements. According to Article 38 of Decree 341/2025/ND-CP, the act of not paying copyright fees for business purposes is subject to a fine of 10-40 million VND. VCPMC collaborates with relevant authorities for monitoring and does not directly impose penalties. Source: VnExpress