Streamers are now recognized by society and seen as a real profession. In fact, they no longer have the image of big-headed, bespectacled boys glued to computer screens; calling famous streamers “superstars” is not wrong. Alongside their familiar streaming jobs, they are gradually getting accustomed to advertising gigs, shooting promotional music videos, or even appearing on television game shows.
2019 was perhaps the year we could most clearly see streamers being invited to many television shows, from game shows to programs that share content just like real artists. In reality, this trend is not too new; in 2018, Pewpew also made headlines with the phrase “I’m not afraid to go to Hanoi, I just need a reason” on a dating game show with hot girl Trâm Anh. However, it wasn’t until 2019 that this trend truly flourished, as a slew of new names like ViruSs, Cris Phan, Misthy, and Linh Ngọc Đàm enthusiastically made appearances on TV.
However, not all streamers can be considered successful when transitioning to television shows. The most prominent and controversial is Pewpew, who was labeled as staged and fake after the dating show with Trâm Anh ended. Then there is ViruSs. It can be said that 2019 was a year of significant development for him, as alongside becoming a “hitmaker” through collaborations with Justatee and AMEE, ViruSs also diligently participated in game shows like “Quick as Lightning, I Am a Teenager, Talented Challengers, 7 Laughs of Spring, Who’s the Voice, What’s Going On Here, Late Night Stories, Firewall, Thank God You’re Here” and on VTV…
Although he left a strong impression and emotional response with the audience on “I Am a Teenager,” ViruSs was also criticized by the online community when he participated in Quick as Lightning for claiming he didn’t watch football, yet netizens dug up old posts where he cheered for U23 on his personal page.
Alongside ViruSs, Cris Phan is also a name that has received a lot of attention for participating in game shows and was warmly supported thanks to his humor and playful nature. However, on the contrary, female streamers haven’t been as fortunate. Linh Ngọc Đàm participated in Quick as Lightning twice and was heavily criticized by the online community for lacking basic knowledge.
This shows that the trend of streamers transitioning to television shows seems to reflect society’s acknowledgment of this profession. But it is also a double-edged sword, as the more famous they become, the greater the responsibility, and a single misstep can lead to them being bombarded with criticism from the online community.