The Vietnamese gameshow market is buzzing once again with heavy investments from entertainment industry giants. The most notable competition is between two shows featuring male artists that are taking social media by storm: Anh trai Say Hi produced by Vie Channel, and Anh trai vượt ngàn chông gai by Yeah1 Corporation.
What’s worth noting is that the popularity of male artist-centric shows follows the unexpected success of Chị đẹp đạp gió rẽ sóng (a show adapted from a foreign format) which aired in late 2023. This show also marked the return of the Yeah1 brand to television entertainment.
Chị đẹp đạp gió rẽ sóng – the show that ignited the market and propelled Yeah1’s comeback
Photo: Chị đẹp đạp gió rẽ sóng was hailed as the most impressive show of 2023.
The fierce competition among 30 female artists topped VTV’s television programs for the year with an average rating of 4.3%. On social media, the show garnered 788 million views and over 20 million interactions. At the 2024 Annual General Meeting, Yeah1’s leadership attributed the program’s success to meticulous preparation, which helped attract sponsorships from major brands in finance, banking, aesthetics, and food industries.
The company’s substantial investment in the show contributed to a 25% year-over-year revenue growth in television, amounting to 91 billion VND in 2023 (primarily driven by Chị đẹp).
Not only did the show enhance the company’s brand value, but it also turned around Yeah1’s profitability. The company reported consecutive profitable quarters with tens of billions in profits (in contrast to meager profits previously). Ms. Ngo Thi Van Hanh, CEO of Yeah1 Corporation, proudly shared that Yeah1 has evolved from a powerhouse in creating short-form social media content to a leading producer of big-budget television programs.
In 2024, Yeah1 announced its continued commitment to Chị đẹp season 2 and Anh trai vượt ngàn chông gai. Despite being in its early stages and incurring a loss of 9 billion VND for Chị đẹp season 1, the management team is determined to invest during this golden period. “In the future, when the economy recovers, these preparations will enable the company to reap high profits, thereby delivering significant value to shareholders,” said CEO Hanh Van.
Yeah1 acquired the format rights for Anh trai vượt ngàn chông gai from Mango TV’s Call me by fire in China. Surpassing initial expectations, the show featuring 33 talented men has won the hearts of the audience and received positive feedback. Meanwhile, Chị đẹp đạp gió rẽ sóng season 2 has also been announced by Yeah1 and is expected to air later this year.
Photo: Yeah1 takes a bold step forward with Anh trai vượt ngàn chông gai in 2024.
Vie Channel joins the fray with a direct competitor
The success of Chị đẹp has led to intense competition this year from a formidable rival, Vie Channel. With a similar concept, Vie Channel’s Anh trai Say Hi premiered before Yeah1’s show, despite public backlash for allegedly ‘stealing the format’ and being ‘opportunistic.’
Vie Channel is a leading player in the production of television game shows. It is a company specializing in entertainment programs under the DatViet VAC Group Holdings conglomerate.
Currently, Vie Channel owns and operates HTV2 – Vie Channel (HTV), Vie Giải Trí, and Vie Dramas (VTVCab). The company has produced a string of hit television programs, including Rap Việt, Siêu trí tuệ Việt Nam, and Người ấy là ai…, generating millions of views per episode through its media platforms.
Vie Channel’s Anh trai Say Hi has also taken social media by storm, rivaling Anh trai vượt ngàn chông gai. The show led social media interactions from June 24-30, generating over 12.4 million interactions and a 64% positive sentiment score.
Photo: Vie Channel quickly joins the trend with Anh trai Say Hi in 2024.
Vie Channel is also gearing up for the return of Rap Việt for its fourth season. According to Vietdata, Vie Channel leads the pack in profitability among entertainment companies in Vietnam, with 140 billion VND in 2022, far surpassing its competitors, some of whom are struggling with losses.
Additionally, Madison and CJ ENM introduced Nữ hoàng vũ đạo đường phố (based on Street woman fighter), and BHD’s Let’s Feast Vietnam, titled Hành trình kỳ thú, also gained positive traction after its first season…
The market’s vibrancy is understandable, considering the promising nature of the entertainment industry in other Asian countries. Vietdata’s data also reveals that this market generates hundreds of billions of VND annually for prominent players like Sen Vang (known for the Miss Vietnam pageant), Vie Channel, and Đông Tây Promotion (both under DatViet VAC Group Holdings), as well as Cát Tiên Sa (renowned for The Voice of Vietnam and King of Rap…
