Art is being forced to conform to algorithms.

TP - Many young artists are caught between two pressures: they want to attract new audiences while also creating content that fits the algorithm. A traditional opera (cheo) actor in Hanoi said that behind-the-scenes clips of makeup or fun singing often get more views than clips of serious performances.

Traditional Vietnamese theater forms like Cheo, Tuong, and Cai Luong have struggled for years with the challenge of an aging audience. However, in the last two years, many artists and theaters have started appearing more frequently on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Facebook Reels. Short Cheo clips lasting only a few dozen seconds, behind-the-scenes videos, artist makeup, and even mashups with rap and electronic music are constantly appearing. This helps bring traditional theater closer to young people, while also forcing these centuries-old art forms to adapt to a fast-paced, scrolling culture.

Traditional Vietnamese theater forms like Chèo, Tuồng, and Hát Văn are featured on the “For You Page”.

Traditional Vietnamese theater forms like Chèo, Tuồng, Cải Lương, and Hát Văn are increasingly appearing on the "For You Page," TikTok's personalized video recommendation section. This is the first page that appears when users open the app, automatically suggested by the algorithm. Some optimists believe that by making its way into TikTok's video recommendations, traditional art forms are beginning to penetrate the familiar entertainment space of young people.

This is seen as a move to salvage the situation, because in reality, the number of live audiences for traditional theater is dwindling and there is no successor generation. Many theaters are beginning to increase their presence on digital platforms. The Vietnam Cheo Theater maintains videos of excerpts, live streams of festivals, and behind-the-scenes clips on YouTube. Some clips of Cheo and Hat Van (traditional Vietnamese folk singing) have recently achieved quite high engagement thanks to modern editing, fast pace, and visuals close to the language of short videos.

The "Hello Vietnam" project, which explores traditional Vietnamese opera (chèo) through a youthful visual language, has created a significant impact on social media. The team acknowledges that they learned cultural promotion techniques from South Korea, Japan, and China to draw Gen Z's attention to Vietnamese heritage.

Cultural researcher Nguyen Khoa (Institute for Research, Preservation and Promotion of National Culture) argues that traditional art has no choice but to move onto the digital platform. "Young people live in a digital environment. If traditional art doesn't appear there, it will almost certainly lose the opportunity to reach the new generation," he said.

According to Mr. Khoa, TikTok or YouTube Shorts can serve as the first gateway, sparking curiosity among young audiences before they seek out the real stage. The more important issue lies in preserving the core spirit of traditional art in this new environment.

The impact of the "Bac Bling" music video shows that folk material can absolutely become a mainstream product if told in a modern language. Hoa Minzy's music video reached 100 million views in less than a month and hit 200 million views in just 81 days, the fastest in Vpop history to date.

The "Brother Overcoming a Thousand Obstacles" program also generated significant discussion by modernizing many traditional performances such as "Trong Com" and "Dao Lieu," combining them with electronic music, modern stage design, and visually rich performances. Many clips from the program quickly spread on TikTok and Facebook Reels, attracting millions of views and tens of thousands of videos reusing the audio. The majority of trend-setting viewers were very young, with little exposure to traditional Vietnamese folk music or opera in their daily lives.

Following this phenomenon, content related to Quan Ho folk singing, Hat Van folk singing, and traditional musical instruments began appearing more frequently on TikTok. A segment of young people now view traditional culture as "cool" material that can be used in videos, fashion, or music . This is a notable change compared to many years ago, when Cheo, Tuong, and Cai Luong were primarily associated with outdated and obligatory school practices.

TikTok cannot replace the stage experience.

Behind the viral story, social media also puts traditional theater in a paradoxical position, having to operate to the rhythm of TikTok, meaning fast-forwarding and attracting short-term attention. Meanwhile, traditional Vietnamese theater forms like Chèo, Tuồng, and Cải Lương are based on slow tempos, psychological layers, and the accumulation of emotions. A performance can last for several hours, while a short video only lasts for a few dozen seconds.

Theater critic Nguyen Thi Minh Thai believes this puts immense pressure on traditional art. "If a work is cut into segments just to attract attention, the audience will remember the humorous or shocking parts more than the value of the entire performance," she stated.

According to Ms. Thai, TikTok can be useful for promotion, but it cannot replace the experience of performing on stage. Traditional Vietnamese theater forms like Cheo, Tuong, and Cai Luong require time to build emotion, something that is very difficult to sustain in the current short-video consumption environment.

The success of "Trong Com" (Rice Drum) shows that folk material can absolutely become a mass-market product if it taps into the right taste of modern audiences.

Traditional stage performances are increasingly appearing on TikTok and Facebook in a simplified form.

A traditional Vietnamese opera (chèo) actress in Hanoi said that behind-the-scenes clips of makeup application or lighthearted singing often get more views than clips of serious performances. This makes it easy for artists to fall into a cycle of constantly creating content to maintain engagement. "Sometimes I feel more like a TikToker than a stage actress," she said.

This phenomenon is actually happening throughout popular culture. Many songs become "hits" thanks to a viral snippet on TikTok before their full release. This is changing the way people produce cultural products. Much content is now designed with the criteria of "beautifully edited clips," easy to remix, and easy to spread, rather than prioritizing a complete structure. This significantly increases interaction, but at the same time, it worries many veteran artists about the risk of "losing their essence."

However, from another perspective, social media is also achieving something that traditional theater has failed to do for many years: attracting the attention of young people. The remaining question is whether online viewership will translate into ticket sales.

Actress Thanh Huyen (Hanoi Cheo Theatre) said that many videos have millions of views, but live performances still attract low attendance. Many traditional shows rely heavily on tourists, students, or commissioned performances. This means the gap between online interaction and the habit of paying for art remains very large.

"A segment of young audiences might enjoy a few lines of traditional Vietnamese opera on TikTok, but they're not necessarily willing to sit for hours watching an entire performance. In the age of Netflix, concerts, and millions of free short videos competing for every minute of attention, traditional theater is having to adapt at an unprecedented pace," researcher Nguyen Khoa observed.

Mr. Khoa also argued that the problem with traditional Vietnamese theater forms like Cheo, Tuong, and Cai Luong today doesn't lie in the art forms themselves, but in the gap in their accessibility to younger audiences. Traditional art forms need to innovate their methods of delivery to survive in modern life, but absolutely must not lose their core performance language. Elements such as melodies, dances, rhythms, and theatrical conventions must be preserved as the soul of the heritage.

“What needs to change is the storytelling and promotion. A performance can be staged with a more concise pace, more modern lighting and stage design, and explore themes that resonate with young people. In addition, bringing traditional art to digital platforms, organizing seminars or experiential workshops will help young audiences understand that traditional Vietnamese theater forms like Cheo, Tuong, and Cai Luong are not unfamiliar or outdated. When approached correctly, young people will realize that these are not just forms of entertainment, but also represent the depth of Vietnamese culture and soul,” Mr. Khoa commented.

The online effect doesn't last long.

Mr. Dam Quang Minh, representative of Dong Kinh Ancient Music, recounted that there was a period when the group unexpectedly gained significant attention on social media after several videos of them singing traditional folk songs like "xam," "ca tru," and other classical music went viral on TikTok and Facebook. Many clips garnered hundreds of thousands of views, and comments were filled with phrases like "This is the first time I've seen such beautiful traditional music," and "Vietnam still has so many wonderful things." However, the online effect didn't last long in real life.

“There are videos that go viral quickly, phones ring constantly with calls from the press and content creators wanting to collaborate, but the audience at the performance is still only a few dozen people. Most online viewers approach traditional art as a novel experience. They are willing to pause for a few dozen seconds to watch a folk song or a segment of temple singing, but taking the time to attend a real performance is a different story,” Mr. Minh said.

According to Mr. Minh, many of the group's performances still depend on foreign tourists, regular audiences, or those genuinely interested in traditional culture. While the number of young audiences has increased, it's not enough to create a significant change in revenue or ticket sales.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/nghe-thuat-bi-ep-theo-thuat-toan-post1845502.tpo