To help Vietnamese game shows reach further

Besides acquiring the rights to and adapting popular foreign television shows, many companies and television stations are striving to produce purely Vietnamese programs for domestic audiences. However, exporting these programs is a long and challenging journey.

FOCUS ON CORE VALUES

Recently, the Vietnamese market has witnessed an influx of programs licensed from abroad, including 2 Days 1 Night, Running Man Vietnam, My Brother Overcomes a Thousand Thorns, Beautiful Woman Riding the Wind, Our Song Vietnam - Our Song, Queen of Street Dance, Haha Family … The abundance of television programs has created fierce competition in terms of ratings and social media discussion.

My brother overcame countless obstacles to achieve success by harmonizing international formats with Vietnamese cultural elements.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER

Among them, "2 Days 1 Night" created a sensation from its first season, arguably launching the career of rapper Hieuthuhai, who had previously struggled in his career. Episodes of " 2 Days 1 Night " consistently attracted tens of millions of viewers and were maintained for three seasons. Set to return in 2025, this program, licensed from a Korean show, not only brings laughter to viewers through the witty and engaging interactions of its star cast but also through its journey across Vietnam, promoting the beautiful scenery and culture of various regions.

Despite only airing its first season, "Brothers Overcoming a Thousand Obstacles" (licensed from the show "Call Me by Fire ") has created immense popularity by bringing together 33 male artists to compete and deliver impressive performances. The show's success isn't limited to YouTube views; it's also evidenced by concerts attracting tens of thousands of viewers, creating events deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture.

For our foreign partners, this is not simply a show for the Vietnamese community, but a format that has the potential to win over their local audiences. We are not exporting audiences; we aspire to export Vietnamese intellectual capital.

Ms. Phuong Thi (producer of Gama: Fast-Paced Unbeatable)

Meanwhile, Haha Family (licensed from Haha Farmer ) is considered a "healing" show, as participating artists have the opportunity to experience the work and life of farmers across the country. Recently, the producers announced that episode 10 of the program achieved the top 1 rating among entertainment programs nationwide on VTV (according to data reported by VTV Ratings - VTV's audience measurement system, from August 11-17).

In general, the programs selected for licensing are those that have already gained popularity abroad. This is considered a safe approach, helping producers minimize risks compared to creating content from scratch, thereby increasing competitiveness in the market. "On the other hand, licensing also brings significant challenges. The biggest challenge is the audience's tendency to compare the Vietnamese version with the original. In addition, production conditions and facilities in Vietnam may be limited compared to abroad, making it difficult to recreate the meticulous and grand investment of the original," said a representative of the production unit for the two programs " Brother Overcoming a Thousand Thorns " and "Haha Family" .

Haha Family is a reality TV show that uses artists' farming experiences to promote the unique culture of different regions of Vietnam.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER

According to the production unit of Haha Family , to ensure that a licensed product is properly adapted to suit the Vietnamese audience, the producers focus on the core values ​​instead of completely copying the original version. "We focus on the spirit, message, script, and talent of the artists participating in the program. In addition, we always strive to invest as meticulously and professionally as possible, despite limited facilities, to create programs that not only retain the essence of the original format but also possess a distinct identity, are relatable, and suitable for Vietnamese audiences," the representative stated.

FIND YOUR OWN PATH

Meanwhile, many domestic producers are still striving to create purely Vietnamese programs, fostering fair competition in the market. Vietnamese-produced programs such as " Vietnamese Family Home," "Brave Soldier," and "Gama: Unbeatable Speed " demonstrate a diversity of genres, including charity, experiential, and speed-based shows, aiming to appeal to a wide range of audiences. Among these, " Brave Soldier" and "Vietnamese Family Home" are just as popular as reality shows licensed from abroad, in terms of viewership and social media discussion.

Regarding the direction in today's highly competitive market, Ms. Phuong Thi, producer of Gama: Unbeatable Speed , stated that the company aims to create a bold format that combines racing, action, and dramatic elements, hoping to give viewers the feeling of watching an action movie. Speaking about competing with foreign shows, Ms. Phuong Thi shared: "Foreign formats are expensive due to licensing fees, but they have the advantage of established names and endorsements. Meanwhile, Vietnamese formats face hesitation, even a lack of support, even in their own country. This forces domestic producers to invest more heavily in production and marketing to prove their value."

Gama: Unbeatable Speed ​​aims to build a product that meets international standards so that the world can use it.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER

According to the production team, they didn't create Gama: Unbeatable Speed ​​just to cater to Vietnamese audiences. From the beginning, the team built this game show as a product that meets international standards for global use. "For foreign partners, this is not simply a show for the Vietnamese community, but a format capable of conquering their local audiences. We are not exporting audiences; we aspire to export Vietnamese intelligence," Ms. Phuong Thi further shared.

Despite their ambitions, Vietnamese game shows face numerous challenges in their journey to win over both domestic and international audiences. Mr. Nguyen Minh, Director of Kich Ban Viet Media Company, observes that domestic producers have many ideas but lack the skills to elevate them into high-quality entertainment products that would encourage viewers to invest more time and sponsors to invest more money.

"It can be said that the biggest weakness of Vietnamese formats lies not in the idea, but in the packaging. We haven't yet developed the mindset to transform shows into replicable products that international partners can purchase and implement. In other words, Vietnamese shows have soul and color, but they lack the 'passport' to step out into the world," Mr. Nguyen Minh commented.

The success of a show doesn't depend solely on the format, but also on many other factors. Mr. Nguyen Minh further explained: "A poor format can still be attractive if it has a good team; but a good format without stars and media coverage can easily fail. Therefore, the format is only one part of a show's success; human factors such as the operating team, MCs, participating artists, production techniques, and multi-platform communication strategies contribute significantly."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/de-game-show-viet-vuon-xa-185250823210446058.htm