Spreading Vietnamese culture on cyberspace

Vietnam’s image is increasingly spreading strongly on the internet, especially through authentic experience videos of international tourists. On platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram or podcasts, the wave of content creation by foreign tourists about life in Vietnam is a trend, attracting billions of views.

Choose Vietnam for its friendliness

Many foreign TikTok channels such as: “Sam in Vietnam”, “Elena in Vietnam”, “Chiec Tay Valentin”, or YouTube channel “Dustin Cheverier”… have gradually become objective guides for international tourists who want to come and learn about Vietnam. Their videos have a natural spread thanks to the new emotions and the way they “localize” the content by speaking Vietnamese mixed with the original languages ​​of the video makers. In particular, video makers often insert slang words that Vietnamese people often use into the video to increase the entertainment value of the story.

Like Russian guy Sam Kupriyanov (born in 1988, currently living in Ho Chi Minh City), chose to record surprising experiences about Vietnamese culture and people. His TikTok channel “Sam in Vietnam” currently attracts more than 16,000 followers and has videos reaching more than 5 million views.

Russian TikToker Sam Kupriyanov shares about Vietnamese cuisine

“For me, Vietnam is a life full of freedom with the greatest treasure being the people, their kindness and openness. Like the time my motorbike ran out of gas in the middle of a deserted road, some Vietnamese strangers stopped to help me immediately, even went to buy me a bottle of gas without accepting payment. When my motorbike had a small problem, the repair shops also helped me for free even though I begged to pay. That is the warm heart of the Vietnamese people,” Russian TikToker Sam Kupriyanov recalled.

During her time studying in Vietnam, Laotian girl Bouavone Phanthabouasy (born in 2001, currently living in Hanoi) developed a love for the culture here. She built the TikTok channel “Maysaa” to share interesting things in Vietnam with her compatriots, the channel attracted 1.4 million followers. Through viral videos about the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day September 2 in Vietnam, “Maysaa” spread the image of Vietnamese people as friendly, united, and patriotic.

As an American who came to Vietnam in August 2014, and who is interested in Vietnamese cuisine and culture, Dustin Cheverier decided to stick with it and spread his love through videos about the lives of Vietnamese people and countryside with 842,000 subscribers on the YouTube channel of the same name. The comments under Dustin's videos always have thousands of views, many people express their interest in Vietnamese culture and wish to visit when they have the chance.

On the personal pages of the digital content creators, many Vietnamese people also commented and shared their joy at seeing more and more foreigners understand and respect Vietnam. This gives Sam Kupriyanov, “Maysaa”, Dustin Cheverier and other digital content creators… more motivation to continue creating. Sam Kupriyanov expressed: “When we convey the story of Vietnam with sincerity and love, the world will also see Vietnam that way”.

New promotional resources

International friends who create content about Vietnam are becoming a cultural “bridge”, helping the world understand Vietnam correctly. Sam Kupriyanov shared: “Many foreigners still think that Vietnam is a poor country, which is completely wrong. I want to break those stereotypes. Vietnam is my second home and my mission is to connect the culture between Vietnam and Russia.”

Meanwhile, “Maysaa”, a Lao girl who loves Vietnam, has created many videos comparing the unique features of Vietnam and Laos in the same cultural field, and telling stories of “Vietnam - Laos brothers” to spread the close friendship between the two countries.

Tourists capture moments during the Vietnamese Costume Festival parade held in Hanoi on November 15.

In the strategy of promoting the national image, instead of considering foreigners who create digital content about Vietnamese culture as independent creative individuals, it is possible to connect them with cultural and tourism programs of the state and localities. Thailand and South Korea have launched cooperation campaigns with international content creators, so it is time for Vietnam to have annual awards for "creative ambassadors for Vietnam" to honor and recognize foreigners who have made positive contributions to promoting the image of Vietnam to the world.

“Vietnam could consider a more open visa policy and simplify residency procedures. This would not only make it easier for foreign visitors and content creators, but also encourage them to stay longer to promote Vietnam’s image to the world,” said Russian TikToker Sam Kupriyanov.

Digital content created by foreigners about Vietnamese culture and people often brings a fresh, objective and emotional perspective. If Vietnamese people tell stories about Vietnam with inner emotions, foreigners tell stories with curiosity, seeing it as a “strange universe” that needs to be explored.

Associate Professor, Dr. BUI HOAI SON

Full-time member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education

Associate Professor Dr. Bui Hoai Son, a full-time member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education, said that Vietnam needs to build a "soft" orientation mechanism, instead of "hard" imposition through organizing cultural experience programs, short-term training, or accompanying communication campaigns for international content creators. In addition, establishing a set of guidelines for international content creators in Vietnam is necessary so that they realize their cultural responsibility when working in Vietnam.

According to many experts, foreign content creators are telling the story of Vietnam with love and respect. That love is spread more strongly because they are “outsiders” but feel Vietnam with the heart of “insiders”.

If Vietnam can build an attractive image from its own internal strength, nurture true love from storytellers and have appropriate support and management policies, then anyone, anywhere can become a "cultural ambassador" spreading the image of Vietnam to the world in the most beautiful, natural and sustainable way.

HA NGUYEN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/lan-toa-van-hoa-viet-tren-khong-gian-mang-post823673.html