Life in Vietnam

An inspiration amid the online noise

From a first vlog four years ago that focused on matters facing young students studying abroad, Giang Ơi’s YouTube channel has evolved to boast more than 1.3 million subscribers, with Giang herself nominated for WeChoice Awards multiple times in succession. Her content over the years has consistently set out to help people find balance and create more happiness and satisfaction in their lives.

While the topics may seem simple, what sets Giang apart from other local YouTubers is the way she creates room for discussion. This includes on love, relationships, and marriage, as well as things like personal finance, self-growth, and emotional management. She has also adopted four stray cats and dogs and has always been an advocate of organisations helping animals.

SOURCE OF STRENGTH: Giang takes a break from her busy life. Photo Giang Ơi

She places importance on being nice and on being authentic. Pursuing higher education in the UK had a strong influence on her thinking, so the way she approaches problems and shares her stories is quite novel for Vietnamese followers.

As she is part of the Creators for Change movement, she has recently created YouTube content on gender equality. Other topics have included whether male students should wear an áo dài (traditional long robe) to school, presenting an opinion different from that held by many teachers. She also shares anonymous stories of women’s lives and hidden pains, in the hope it will encourage others to be a little more sympathetic to and understanding of those from different walks of life, especially people who are disadvantaged.

There was also a scandal regarding her being bullied in childhood, which was heatedly debated for a while. While some supported her, others claimed she was lying. Regardless, her number of supporters didn’t change. Giang Ơi’s impact is shown by the number of shows she’s been invited to be part of over the last year. Tâm Lâm, a viewer, commented: “It’s interesting to see how Giang evaluates herself in her videos. She courageously faces her weaknesses. The scandal only proves that I’ve admired the right person (Giang Ơi).”

OUT & ABOUT: Giang and fans at Đà Nẵng’s UK Education and Technology Roadshow. Photo instagram ukinvietnam.

She doesn’t confine her content to a single topic, instead discussing everything dear to her, from environmental protection and greener living to weight loss, skincare, and self-growth, like being more confident.

After starting out by simply recording her life as she stepped into adulthood, stories of her continued journey now she’s reached adulthood have helped many of her readers. The way she talks can be quite soothing. Perhaps because everyone can feel lonely at some stage, she has created a safe community for people to share their journey with others. From job hunting to office outfits, she believes, taking charge and taking care of yourself gives you freedom.

“Life is extraordinary,” she says, “and there’s so much to learn and experience. I get to relive memories I created and collected along the way, by re-watching my videos later on and sharing the incredible journey with readers while also providing companionship.”

“I am a weirdo,” she admits, “but there is a place for weirdos no matter how weird they are.”

She believes in being yourself, doing what you love to do, and being kind to others. She wants to inspire young people to live life to the fullest. There’s nothing wrong with being different, she tells them. As long as you’re brave, hard-working and kind, good things will come to you. Her firmly held belief in the power of herself inspires her fans to similarly love and believe in themselves.

And her love story has become a major source of inspiration for others. Since her husband recently began making content on YouTube, their shared platforms allow viewers to see both sides of their love and marriage and how it progresses. As a young, modern couple, they provide inspiration for many by showing what a happy marriage looks like.