This morning, social media was abuzz with a nearly one-minute clip of YouTuber Thơ Nguyễn asking for good grades for students from a doll. In this clip, Thơ Nguyễn hugs a doll named Cư Ma Mập, referring to herself as “mom” and the doll as “child”:
“Mập, listen to your mom now, tomorrow your siblings will go to school, so pray for them to study well. If you can pray, shake it side to side; if not, shake it up and down, just shake it all around. Shake it, shake your head, and I’ll give you a good spanking right away.”
The clip, once posted, received a fierce backlash from the online community, especially from parents whose children frequently follow this YouTuber’s channel. Many opinions suggest that Thơ Nguyễn is subtly referencing or even promoting the practice of raising Kumanthong (a type of doll originating from Thailand, raised like a human). Many expressed concerns that the video could influence and distort the thinking of young children.
Recently, she officially posted a video on TikTok explaining the situation. Although aware that her audience has expanded to include many adults, Thơ Nguyễn still referred to herself as “sister” and the viewers as “siblings”:
“This could be the last clip and the end of my video-making career. After being asked by many people about Cư Ma Mập, I made this entertainment video just for fun. However, TikTok has a time limit, so I had to post two clips. Many people only posted the first video, leading parents to misunderstand me. In the second video, I also noted that to study well, it must come from hard work and diligence.
If I were doing YouTube just for me, I would have quit a long time ago because I have the financial means, and my degree allows me to pursue many other careers. But I believe that if we have the ability to earn a lot of money, why not do it to pay taxes, support children, and the elderly?
But from now on, I will stop, I need to rest, please don’t boycott me, I will stop on my own.”
Of course, for many parents, this explanation is merely a justification, and they hope that authorities will take appropriate measures to deter such behavior.