Not studying in the same school or class, but sharing a common passion is how these famous friend groups became closely bonded. A decade ago, surely everyone spent countless hours on YouTube with countless viral clips, vlogs, short films,… It’s similar to TikTok today, but back then, it had a different, exciting vibe!
A decade has passed, and everyone has grown up and taken different paths. Some have pursued professional artistic careers, others have started families, and some have faded from the public eye… Nevertheless, when reminiscing, fans can still name the group, even each member of these friend circles. However, what everyone remembers most is the full gathering of those days, a sight that seems hard to recreate now.
Phở Đặc Biệt and Ngọc Thảo
Phở Đặc Biệt (Tô Bửu Phát) was one of the most prominent names on YouTube back in the day. Born in 1991, he was among the first to pursue the path of creating humorous content, always bringing new trends to the youth. His companion in each clip was Ngọc Thảo – an early hot girl from Saigon.
If Phở was quirky and silly, Thảo’s image in the clips was that of a “typical girl” with her distinct whiny voice. These two seemingly different personalities harmonized well, creating a series of challenge videos that garnered millions of views. In 2015, when their careers were soaring, the duo decided to stop their series “Thích Ăn Phở,” leaving many fans disappointed.
As of now, Ngọc Thảo is a beautiful, wealthy actress, owns a fashion business, and has ventured into real estate. Phở Đặc Biệt is also very successful as a businessman, CEO of an entertainment company, and mentors young talents. Although they don’t appear together as often as before, Phở Đặc Biệt and Ngọc Thảo remain each other’s best friends, which fans admire.
The Vlogger Group: Huy Me – JVevermind – Toàn Shinoda – Lâm Việt Anh
Around the same time as Phở Đặc Biệt, the strong YouTube empire in the North must include the close-knit group: Huy Me – JVevermind – Toàn Shinoda – and Lâm Việt Anh. Most of this friend group started as overseas students or attended prestigious specialized schools. Therefore, they were eager to learn and quickly adapted to modern trends like vlogging.
From working independently, this group unexpectedly gathered in Hanoi and collaborated to create famous videos. Not only on social media but even in real life, they were very close, “partying and dancing” together everywhere, enthusiastically supporting each other’s projects.
However, this is also the group that left the audience with the most regrets when a member, Toàn Shinoda, passed away at the young age of 27.
Currently, the overseas students who were in their 20s or 22 years old are now in their 30s with mature appearances. Only Huy Me remains active in the arts, frequently appearing in the media. In 2020, JVevermind returned to YouTube as a director but later also “disappeared.” Meanwhile, Lâm Việt Anh – the most reserved member has settled abroad.
The Beautiful Boys and Girls Group: BB&BG
BB&BG is one of the comedy groups that dominated trends in Saigon. The group attracted a large youth audience not only due to their interesting scripts and charming performances but also because of the attractive looks of members like Kim Nhã, BB Trần, Lâm Á Hân,…
However, as they became more famous, they couldn’t escape regrets, unfinished business, and silence in their relationships. The peak was in 2017 when group leader BB Trần decided to pursue a solo career. This was also seen as the end for the group. Nowadays, aside from the former leader and a few members still acting professionally, most others have chosen their own paths.
Though they stopped operating 5 years ago, the parody videos of BB&BG are still occasionally mentioned by the audience. The members still active in the arts sometimes meet and even troll each other on social media. However, others have “vanished,” and not many remember them.
Group leader BB Trần can be considered the most successful name as an actor. He has established his name, charm, and talent in the comedy scene. Due to his humor, BB Trần is frequently invited to participate in game shows, TV dramas, and music videos, gaining more and more fans.
Like BB Trần, Kim Nhã is currently pursuing an acting career. She has appeared in many famous films and is highly regarded by the audience. Besides her work, Kim Nhã leads a happy life with her Thai husband. Previously, the beauty born in 1987 went through a marriage breakdown.
With equally beautiful looks, Lâm Á Hân (born 1994) is also one of the hot girls from BB&BG. However, her love life has been quite tumultuous. Currently, Lâm Á Hân has two children. Although she does not frequently engage in the arts, her life as a former hot girl still attracts considerable attention from the audience.
FAP TV Group
Appearing later on YouTube, FAP TV has not fallen behind its predecessors in terms of viewership. After many years of operation, they have proven their capability with numerous heartfelt projects. The original four members of the group are: Huỳnh Phương, Thái Vũ, Vinh Râu, and Ribi Sachi. Over time, the number of actors has increased, but the audience still remembers these four main characters the most.
In 2019, FAP TV made history by officially receiving the diamond play button from YouTube, the first in Vietnam. From 10 million subscribers, their channel has now reached 13.3 million followers. They still produce regular clips every week, but in terms of “explosiveness” and effect, it’s not like before.
Besides impressive clips, FAP TV has gained many fans due to their friendship in real life. The trio of Thái Vũ – Vinh Râu – Huỳnh Phương are always close to each other. This is why their friendship remains strong and is admired by many.
Friendship That Everyone Loves – a campaign launched with content series and interactive activities across multiple platforms, will join you in “showing off” moments; sharing memories or telling many stories about the friendships you have.
Because true friendship is beautiful, and I cherish the friends around me, the relationships I have. Join the Friendship That Everyone Loves campaign and don’t forget the hashtag #tinhbanvannguoime so we can find each other, okay?