The Vietnamese version of "Our Song," produced by Dragon TV, premiered on the influential VTV3 channel (the entertainment channel) of Vietnam National Television on the evening of August 25. According to television ratings data from the market research firm Kantar Media, the first episode of "Our Song·Vietnam" ranked first in viewership on VTV3 for that week, pushing the channel's currently popular Saturday reality show off the top spot. The on-demand version on YouTube also achieved impressive results with 1.1 million views in just two days.
Poster for "Our Song·Vietnam"
This marks the entry of "Our Song" into the international market, following its successful debut on Spain's national television as the second international version to be launched overseas.
"Our Song" is a cross-generational music competition program developed by Dragon TV, centered around the core values of “intergenerational inheritance” and “collaborative innovation” among musicians. Many extraordinary song performances have emerged from this dynamic stage, reshaping the value of hit songs in the Mandarin music scene. Since its launch in October 2019, "Our Song" has aired six seasons. The suspense of hidden singers, the excitement of duet performances, and continuous innovation have kept the program in the spotlight, maintaining high ratings among provincial satellite TV shows during the same period.
The creative team behind the program at Dragon TV and the iFORMATS team from the internet program center have actively collaborated to promote the program's overseas sales, producing a "model compendium" that includes the program concept, process, production design, market performance, and more.
In 2020, "Our Song" was showcased online at the program market held in Cannes, France, garnering interest from peers in countries such as France, Germany, Spain, the United States, Italy, and Portugal, and resulting in preliminary cooperation intentions. By the end of September 2022, the first season of the Spanish version of "Our Song" premiered on La 1 channel of Spanish national television. Due to its excellent ratings, La 1 quickly purchased the rights for a second season, which premiered in August 2023.
The outstanding performance of the two seasons of the Spanish version paved the way for entering the Southeast Asian market. This year, the iFORMATS team signed a licensing contract for the Vietnamese version with a local production company and began recording at the end of June.
Stills from "Our Song·Vietnam"
The Vietnamese version of "Our Song" is being produced by Dong Tay Promotion, the most influential television production company in Vietnam, known for creating well-known formats like "Vietnam Idol," "Running Man," and "2 Days & 1 Night." In June of this year, the production team successfully replicated the Chinese version of "Our Song" within their capabilities, receiving enthusiastic responses from the live audience.
Notably, Thanh Lam, one of Vietnam's "Four Great Divas," and the renowned singer Thu Minh are competing as contestants this season, further heightening audience anticipation.
Vietnam's official media, Labor Newspaper, reported after the show's broadcast that "eight seasoned singers lead eight new generation singers who are just gaining a foothold in the music industry to collaborate, delivering stunning performances that audiences rarely get a chance to see."
Chinese culture has a significant influence on young Vietnamese viewers, with many Chinese dramas and stars being incredibly popular in Vietnam. Since its debut in 2019, "Our Song" has captured the attention of Vietnamese youth, with some enthusiastic fans even adding Vietnamese subtitles on YouTube for broader appreciation. The adaptation of "Our Song" in Vietnam seems like a natural progression, as it premiered to the top of the weekly ratings.
Stills from "Our Song·Vietnam"
Sun Kan, deputy director of the internet program center and head of the iFORMATS project, stated that the iFORMATS team has been continuously promoting Chinese original program models with international export value to major overseas film and television markets since 2018 through various themed international events like “Wisdom in China” and “Focus on China.” The cross-border cultural dissemination faces certain difficulties and challenges, especially with “Chinese-style variety shows.” The launch of "Our Song" in Vietnam aligns with the national strategy of “Chinese culture going global” and signifies efforts to promote high-quality original program formats abroad.