How one reality show rekindles Vietnam’s cultural pride and identity in Vietnamese communities worldwide

Hanoi (VNA) - A sea of vibrant Ao dai filled Ho Chi Minh City's concert venue on March 22 as over 5,000 attendees gathered to set a Guinness World Record for the largest assembly of people wearing Vietnamese traditional costumes. The record was officially presented while artists from "Anh trai vượt ngan chong gai" (Call Me By Fire) performed the song "Mot vong Viet Nam" (Traveling Around Vietnam) on stage. The event marked not just the remarkable success of that reality show but also signified a powerful symbol of cultural connection among Vietnamese communities across the world.

Over 5,000 "Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai" concert goers gather in Thu Duc city, Ho Chi Minh City, on March 22 to set a Guinness World Record for the largest assembly of people wearing Vietnamese traditional costumes. (Photo: Yeah1)

From Reality Show to Cultural Connection

Since its debut in June 2024, "Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai" has captivated Vietnamese audiences both within Vietnam and across its diaspora, creating an unprecedented bridge between generations and geographic divides.

Mai Thanh, a Vietnamese expatriate living in Canada and administrator of the group’s "Gai con quoc te" (International Fanbase), explains how the show has inspired herself and many other Vietnamese living overseas: "Our group was formed organically when we voted for the programme at the WeChoice Awards 2025 as many of us from various countries had become connected through a shared love for the show."

Thanh tells the Vietnam News Agency that the group has 224 Vietnamese members living and working in 25 countries. "Our members are not of the same age. Some were born in 1976 and others are of the Gen Z born in 2007 but with the love of music and particularly this show, we don’t feel any age barriers at all" she says.

Mai Thanh (L) and her sister Mai Thao come home for the third and fourth "Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai" concert on March 22 and 23. (Photo courtesy of Mai Thanh)

She says that many overseas Vietnamese didn’t mind flying 24 hours from the US and Canada to Vietnam just to attend the third and fourth concerts, then immediately flew back.

According to Thanh, the show’s appeal has spread to her whole family of different generations: "In my home, three generations can watch the programme together and it’s just amazing because not many shows can bring different generations together like that. My children may not understand every word of the lyrics, but they still feel the attraction and connection. This kind of show helps them understand more about our Vietnamese culture and roots and that’s what makes me so proud and happy."

“Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai” has also reversed a long-standing pattern in cultural consumption among overseas Vietnamese communities. "People used to choose to go abroad only to see international shows like Paris by Night or international artists' performances. Now, many want to return to Vietnam just to see Vietnamese shows," Thanh observes. "I think part of the reason is that the quality of shows produced by artists in Vietnam has reached international standards."

YeaJi, a Korean vocal coach who has created multiple reaction videos to performances from the show, including many contemporary folk performances, traveled all the way to Ho Chi Minh City for the show’s fourth concert on March 22.

"When I first watched videos from the programme, I was deeply impressed with the performances," YeaJi shares her ideas on a recent public post. "It felt like experiencing traditional Vietnamese stories and I was particularly surprised by the contemporary folk fusion elements."

Despite not understanding Vietnamese, YeaJi found herself swaying and singing along to the lyrics. "Before this programme, I only knew about Vietnam through typical traditional objects like the conical hat (Non) and Ao dai. Then with this show, I've learned so much more about Vietnamese culture, the fan dances, cup dances, and traditional instruments like the khen," she says.

YeaJi believes the show makes Vietnamese culture more accessible to international audiences. “When non-Vietnamese watch these performances, they can feel and understand the true values of Vietnamese culture.”

YeaJi, a Korean vocal coach, in her reaction videos to "Dao lieu", a performance in the "Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai" programme. (Photo: VNA)

Ancient rhythms, modern beats: Vietnam’s musical revival

At the heart of the show is its innovative approach to Vietnamese cultural heritage—reimagining traditional music and performance for contemporary audiences while maintaining deep respect for its origins.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong acknowledges the artists’ efforts: "The “Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai” programme has won such a huge applause because it has blended traditional values and folk culture into modern music . No doubt, performing arts still have much potential and provide distinctive spiritual nourishment."

Several standout performances in the "Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai" programme. (Photo: Yeah1)

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong, Director of the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, sees the show's success as a testament to Vietnamese creativity. "The success of the show demonstrates the ceaseless creativity of Vietnamese people," she observes. "Traditional materials and the artists’ ambitions to create new, unique products are so important to contemporary arts and that combination should always be encouraged for the country's cultural advancement."

Meanwhile, Dr. Vu Lam from the University of New South Wales in Canberra, Australia holds that the popularity of the music programmes shows Vietnam’s success in adapting international cultural elements into a domestic platform. This is in line with the 2021 Cultural Diplomacy Strategy which sets out the direction of learning from the best of the world to serve Vietnam’s social and cultural development, Lam affirms.

The blend of Vietnamese cultural elements and national pride in the shows is creativity, Dr. Vu Lam says, suggesting that this model should be expanded further.

Soobin Hoang Son, one of the show's standout performers with his rendition of “Trong Com”, shares the same view with Dr Phuong.

"I really want my future musical works to have folk colours," Soobin says. "Coming from a family with folk music background, I very much want to preserve traditional elements in my works and promote the spirit of national culture to friends around the world."

Soobin Hoang Son in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency. (Photo: VNA)

Soobin acknowledges the guidance he has received from industry veterans on how to make folk music more accessible to young people. "Our new products like “Trong Com” and “Ngoi Tua Man Thuyen” won much attention from overseas Vietnamese and foreign audiences right after they were released and I think in the coming time, blending folk music to contemporary tunes will continue to attract more younger audience. There will be more songs like “Trong Com” and “Bac Bling” that will bring even more overseas Vietnamese back to their roots."

The performance of "Trong Com" (Photo: Yeah1)

As for Thanh, she finds that the show's meticulous attention to cultural authenticity has impressed audiences worldwide. "As a person originally from Vietnam, all the songs in the show have been in my mind for a very long time but their new versions, new ways of expression performed in the show are incredibly impressive," she says.

Beyond entertainment, "Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai" has become a powerful vehicle for changing international perceptions of Vietnam and inspiring renewed pride in Vietnamese cultural identity.

Take the "Gai con quoc te" community as an example. This diverse fan group coordinated a campaign that promoted the show on 500 media outlets worldwide with a small budget of just 210 million VND (8,200 USD). “It took us less than two weeks for turning ideas into real efforts to support the show and spread the love for Vietnamese culture to as many people as possible”.

Now, in coordination with the Nuoi Em ecosystem, a voluntary group supporting children in the remote mountainous regions of Vietnam, “Gai con quoc te” and several domestic fans will carry out the "Thap lua tuong lai" (lighting up the future) project that builds IT classrooms for students in Cao Bang, Lao Chau, Thanh Hoa, and Dak Lak provinces, using the amber funding they were able to raise in just 4 hours of time.

The "Thap lua tuong lai" (lighting up the future) project will benefit 2,212 students in eight schools in Cao Bang, Lao Chau, Thanh Hoa, and Dak Lak provinces. (Photo courtesy of Gai con quoc te group)

The combination of cultural promotion and humanitarian endeavours exemplifies how cultural soft power can translate into meaningful community engagaement and development.

"I'm very proud that the programme has helped overseas Vietnamese and foreigners see Vietnam differently. Vietnam is no longer known as a war-torn country or a poor, underdeveloped nation. Vietnam is now a country of innovation," Thanh says.

"Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai" is a music reality television programme broadcast on VTV3 channel. It is the Vietnamese version of the Chinese television show "Call Me by Fire" produced by Mango TV. The programme has been widely acclaimed and has won numerous awards including "Inspirational Program" at the Vietnam iContent Awards, "Impressive Entertainment Program" at VTV Impressions, "Digital Platform Program - Television" at the Mai Vang Awards, "Program of the Year" at Lan Song Xanh (Green Wave), Entertainment Show of the Year at WeChoice Awards, and "Program Series of the Year" at the Cong Hien (Dedication) Awards organised by the Vietnam News Agency. Its producer Yearh1 has organised four concerts so far, with tickets sold out in less than 30 minutes. The programme and its concerts have attracted Vietnamese, overseas Vietnamese, and many foreigners from the Republic of Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, and the UK./.

Hong Nhung & Ngoc Ly

VNA