The times for game show artists

Many artists are becoming rich and famous by participating in game shows and reality TV programs.

Vietnamese artists in a game show. Photo: Producer

Gameshow artist

Running Man Vietnam has just announced that it will produce its third season, airing in 2025. This show has been a huge success since its first season, featuring a host of famous Vietnamese celebrities such as Tran Thanh, Ninh Duong Lan Ngoc, Jun Pham, Ngo Kien Huy, and others.

Along with Running Man Vietnam, a series of Reality shows and entertainment game shows have also been announced for production, such as "The All-Round Rookie," "Team 1002," "You're Beautiful, Say Hi," "2 Days 1 Night," "Brilliant Journey," etc.

In 2024, a series of music- related reality shows such as "Brother Says Hi," "Brother Overcomes a Thousand Thorns," "Beautiful Woman Riding the Wind," etc., demonstrated strong appeal, disrupting the music market on digital platforms and creating sensational concerts with thousands of fans scrambling to get tickets.

Game shows in 2025 are expected to be more diverse and varied in terms of genre and content, and will not be solely focused on music.

A number of artists are predicted to appear in upcoming game shows. In recent years, many artists have been making a living primarily from game shows, earning large incomes, building their fame through game shows, and neglecting their artistic careers.

Ninh Duong Lan Ngoc was once a name that was highly anticipated. Vietnamese films After participating in "Endless Fields," "The Old Lady with Many Tricks," etc., in the last 3 years, Lan Ngọc has become somewhat engrossed in game shows, participating in many entertainment programs, and also venturing into singing despite her limited vocal abilities.

Many names like Truong Giang, Lam Vi Da, Kieu Minh Tuan, Ngo Kien Huy, Thuy Ngan... are featured in programs like 2 Days 1 Night, 7 Spring Smiles... Even HIEUTHUHAI, before participating in Anh Trai Say Hi and making his mark in music, was nicknamed the "gameshow rapper" because he mainly appeared in game shows.

Many new labels for artists have begun to emerge. Instead of titles like singer or actor, many showbiz stars now call themselves "entertainment artists," because apart from participating in game shows, they have almost no other professional activities.

A prime example is Le Huynh Thuy Ngan, whose acting roles can be counted on the fingers of one hand. For a long time, Thuy Ngan's image was only associated with physical games and comedic acts in Running Man Vietnam season 2, 7 Nụ Cười Xuân, or 2 Ngày 1 Đêm.

What do artists gain if they only participate in game shows?

Speaking to a reporter from Lao Dong newspaper, Ms. Ngan (name changed) - a former artist relations officer at D.T Entertainment Company - said: “For game shows filmed in studios, guest artists can receive a fee ranging from 5 million to 20 million VND per episode. This is the fee the producer covers for makeup, hair styling, and travel expenses for the artists. Generally, artists participating in music game shows receive a higher fee than the average. For artists acting as judges in game shows, the fee is calculated per project, not per episode. Depending on the game show, they can earn from several hundred million to several billion VND.”

Game shows and reality TV are providing good income for artists, and also helping to spread their image to a large television audience.

However, as singer Truc Nhan said: "The value of an artist must lie in their personal work." In 2024, Truc Nhan refused to participate in the show "Anh trai" (Brother) to invest time and effort in his personal project. After becoming the runner-up in "Anh trai say hi," RHYDER shared that reality TV is just a stepping stone to spread his name, and from there, artists must invest in developing their own "unique style," their own musical identity, on their journey to establishing themselves.

To go the distance, to assert their talent and individuality, and to build their personal brand, artists need to have a body of work.

For a long time now, Truong Giang hasn't appeared on Vietnamese screens like he did when he starred in "Flip Face" or "49 Days". Lan Ngoc also risks losing her title as the "screen goddess" as a new generation of actors is rising, with many singers and beauty queens venturing into acting.

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