2.1 Million Viewers Tune In: Vietnamese Tycoon's Livestream Becomes Social Phenomenon

A livestream by Vietnamese businesswoman Nguyen Phuong Hang on TikTok has set a new record with over 2.1 million concurrent viewers, a figure representing approximately 2% of Vietnam's population. Hang, who previously gained notoriety in 2021 for her lengthy live broadcasts on entertainment gossip and social issues, targeted specific individuals, including celebrities and former beauty queens, in this latest session. While her direct and often vulgar language drew enthusiastic comments like "My aunt is the best" and "She can handle everything," it also elicited criticism for being rambling and overly coarse. The platform TikTok temporarily blocked Hang's account for violating community standards, but viewers quickly migrated to other platforms like YouTube to continue watching. It is estimated that Hang received millions of dollars in "donations" from viewers during the broadcast. Experts suggest that the popularity of such livestreams reflects a shift in how Vietnamese people consume information, favoring real-time emotional engagement and audience interaction over edited news reports. Social media algorithms are also seen as amplifying these phenomena. Nguyen Phuong Hang, co-head of the prominent Dai Nam Corporation with her husband, has a history of public controversy. She was previously convicted of "abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the state, organizations, and individuals" and served a prison sentence, reportedly being released in September 2024 and now residing in Europe. Despite this, she continues to use her influence through livestreams to discuss various issues in Vietnam. Her past statements, particularly regarding the diamond market in 2026, led to significant repercussions, including the arrest of a senior executive from a major jewelry company on diamond smuggling charges and causing a stock sell-off that impacted not only diamonds but also the gold market. Hang's livestreams highlight a new paradigm in information dissemination in Vietnam, underscoring her significant influence and the ethical considerations surrounding it. Source: BBC Vietnamese