1963–2000: Background and founding Founder Tô Văn Lai first formed a music company in 1963, in
Saigon,
South Vietnam, as a precursor for the current company and record label. After the
Fall of Saigon, the company had to stop operating for a period of time. Tô began operations for Thúy Nga in 1984, in
Paris, France, starting with production for the show
Paris by Night. Afterwards, the company transferred to
Orange County, California, which has one of the largest Vietnamese populations outside of Vietnam. The company has since produced more shows in the series, along with other videos, and a catalog of albums by various artists from the Thúy Nga Music record label.
2000–present: Global spread and digital piracy issues In the 21st century, Thuy Nga Productions has held
Paris by Night programs and joint concerts around the world beyond
France and the
United States, in
Canada,
Finland,
Germany,
South Korea,
Thailand,
Singapore, and
Australia, attracting Vietnamese audiences, both from the native country of
Vietnam, and residents and/or citizens in these countries respectively. Over time, Thuy Nga Productions began to lose revenue due to the piracy of the video and album releases, with chief executive Marie To commenting, "Profit? We are barely making it." Works released by the company are also banned in Vietnam, which has the largest source of pirates. In 2010, Thúy Nga nearly shut down, but narrowly avoided it due to community support and new business strategies, which included lowering the cost to perform at venues and increasing advertising. The company has since moved to social media by 2010, posting videos of
Paris by Night performances and full albums on
YouTube along with advertising, to attract audiences to purchase the label's works. ==Organization==