ktv news

I've seen a few "K-TV" signs around town, and I seriously thought it was a local station with a bizarrely high number of studios around Jinan. HA! So wrong. It's karaoke. Now, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I can sing pretty well. However... I don't... sing... in public. As an ex voice major and a bit of a perfectionist, the idea of casually singing in front of my friends without a proper warm up and without a trusty accompanist and a key that agrees with me never seemed too enticing. Which is why I reluctantly accepted a friend's offer to experience K-TV. [Photo: outside K-TV, McDonald's next door, everyone looking hilariously awkward]

I envisioned it being like karaoke bars in America and Europe. Nothing fancy, kind of hole in the wall bars where people drink 'til they can't feel their face before stumbling off their stool and rushing the stage, inspired to share their talent with the world. Wrong again! Heading down to the building's basement, a host led us to a small soundproof room and closed the door behind us. Rather than having to wait your turn to sing at some normal old bar, each group gets their own room. Ours had yellow walls, dim green lights, a black couch, coffee table, and big-screen tv. I sat down on the sectional, Sean sat beside what looked like a PhotoHunt console and started picking out tunes, and the Chinese girls told us to sit tight while they ran to the store to get drinks and snacks (K-TV is missing out on serious G-flow by allowing that, btw). Karaoke in China is much less American Idol and much more sing-along. Everyone sings to the songs they know, the mic gets passed around at random. Or that's what we did, anyway.

Songs we sang:
Country Roads
(I've had) The Time of My Life
Phantom of the Opera
Simon & Garfunkel
The Beatles
Must Get Out (Maroon 5! We were in shock!)
... aka all the English songs they had, along with some Chinese songs I definitely didn't know.

But that's not all!

There was dancing...

air guitarage...

and beautiful, intimate moments.