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Hello and welcome to VOV’s Letter Box, a weekly feature dedicated to our listeners around the world. We are Thanh Ha and Nhat Quynh.
 VOV media app is available on IOS and Androi
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A: First on our show today, we’d like to acknowledge an email from Miss Karobi Hazarika of India. After listening to our program on May 10 at 16:15 UTC on the frequency of 7280 Khx using Philips RL 207 receiver, she wrote: “As a regular listener of your wonderful station, I tuned in to your “Letter Box” program today. The song played during the show was so sweet. I very much enjoyed it. I found today’s program both helpful and knowledgeable.”
B: Thank you, Ms Karobi Hazarika, for your reception report. We’ll send you a QSL card to confirm it. In a letter to VOV this week, Bob Nagel of the United States sent us a detailed report of the program on April 25th from 00:00 to 00:27 UTC on the frequency of 7315 khz with SINPO of all 4s. He shared his interest in the “VOV Colorful Vietnam- Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups” saying it was the first time that he heard the program.
A: We appreciate your letter, Mr. Nagel. The “Colorful Vietnam-Vietnam’s 54th ethnic groups” is a weekly segment in which we feature culture, tradition, rituals, costume, cuisine, dances, and songs of each ethnic minority group. Through this segment, we hope to give you an insight into every ethnic group in Vietnam. Check it out on our shortwave broadcasts or on our website at vovworld.vn.
B: Atish Bhattacharya of India sent us several reception reports on our broadcasts over the past few days. In an email, he wrote: “I’m overwhelmed with delight to have received beautiful QSL cards for my earlier reception reports, along with delicate and decorative handicraft with colorful embroidery. Your QSL cards are very attractive in all aspects and I love to collect them. Thank you.”
A: Mr. Bhattacharya continued: “VOV always keeps us updated with the current events happening worldwide. I love to listen to your programs as they are the best source of knowledge about, food, culture, politics, economics and all other aspects of life in Vietnam. I appreciate you for your remarkable show of “Colorful Vietnam- Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups” where we are introduced with new indigenous people in each new episode. Personality of the week is also one of the best productions as it provides inspiring knowledge about successful people of Vietnam. Please let us know more about the Cheo or popular opera, the traditional folk genre of Vietnam.”
 Cheo or popular opera, the traditional folk genre of Vietnam |
B: Thank you, Atish Bhattacharya, for your regular reports on our broadcasts. Cheo is a form of stage performance that originated in the northern countryside of Vietnam. Traditionally, cheo was composed orally by anonymous authors. Today's playwrights compose cheo along more traditional lines.
A: The characters in the plays sing time-tested popular melodies with words suited to modern circumstances. Human rights and the battle of good against evil are common themes. The joyfulness and optimism of cheo is expressed through humour and wit.
B: In cheo performances, there is always an exchange between the audience and the performers. The performers, are called dao (actress), kep (actor), lao (old man), mu (female character) and he (buffoon). At present cheo is an integral part of Vietnamese theatre and is well liked by people in both the country and in towns, and by foreign spectators as well.
A: The buffoon is a familiar character in cheo, in which there is often a blend of the tragic and the comic. He speaks the language of the people and shoots shafts of satire at evil-doers, such as ignorant witchdoctors, greedy landlords, or arrogant mandarins. He may wear a short coat, the garment of the commoner or a long robe, an article of clothing favored by members of the upper classes in old society.
B: A couple of buffoons may appear on stage, including the master in a flowing gown and his servant in a short coat and carrying a stick, each speaking the language and behaving in the ways of his class. The buffoon may make his entry right at the beginning of a play, carrying a torch or a megaphone and provoking wild laughter from the audience.
 A performance of Cheo
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A: Cheo is now undergoing a strong revival. It is particularly relished by foreigners and by overseas Vietnamese visiting the country.
B: Next up is an email from Sutomo Huang from Indonesia. Reporting on a VOV broadcast on May 8 from 10:00 to 10:30 UTC, Sutomo Huang wrote: “I am glad to inform you that I’m enjoying your interesting and informative programs regularly. The reception of the VOV English service is very good. Via this email, I want to know more about Vietnam and South Korea’s relationship.
A: Vietnam and the Republic of Korea established diplomatic ties 25 years ago on December 22nd, 1992. Since then, the bilateral relationship between the two countries has been increasingly improving. This has occurred across a wide range of areas and contributed to development and cooperation in the region and across the world over the past quarter of a century.
B: Vietnam-Korea relations were upgraded to the status of comprehensive partnership in 2001 and then, to strategic partnership in 2009. Korea is currently the largest investor in Vietnam and its third largest trade partner, while Vietnam is the largest receiver of Korean ODA. The two countries have also promoted cultural exchanges and people diplomacy.
A: This week, we received a letter and an Easter greeting card from Robert Krolikowski of the US. It had been such a long time since we last heard from Mr. Krolikowski. He wrote: “I have not written to you in a while. I have been coping with the aftermath of my brother’s death. My younger brother passed away during the summer of last year. But I do send you occasional mail and will continue to remain in contact.”
B: We send you our condolences, Mr. Krolikowski. Thank you for tuning in to our broadcasts. We hope to hear more from you soon.
A: We’d like to acknowledge emails and letters from Hayato Furukawa and Masaru Sekimoto of Japan, Eddy Wiranto and Tjang Pak Ning of Indonesia, Richard Lemke from Canada, Sekar Thalainayar, SB Sharma, and Deekay Dimple of India, and Andrew Kuznetsov in Latvia.
B: We’ll send you our QSL cards to confirm your reports. We welcome your feedback at English Section, VOVworld Service, Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Our email address is englishsection@vov.org.vn. VOV has developed a new app VOV Media which can be used on both Android and IOS platforms. With this new app, you can listen to our program at anytime anywhere with your smart phone. So, download this app and click on VOV5 to listen to our broadcasts. Thank you for listening to VOV on shortwave and following us online. Good bye until next time.