Newest V.T.E. member Mai Fin, also choreographer of the MV.

NSTT 2010 Kelbin

NSTT 2008 Sam Ha My

It appears that Hoa Hoc Tro has obligated themselves to welcoming certain occasions and each change of season with some grand MV collab. Well, since upcoming is Spring and Tet is the country’s biggest biggie of the year, count on HHT to present Vpop with a little biggie of their own. Check out the new teaser for “Khuc Giao Mua” continuing the same “passing-something-on” concept featuring Phương Thanh, Đại Nhân, Chí Thiện, Đông Nhi, Thiên Minh, Khổng Tú Quỳnh, V.Music, Thảo Trang, Yến Trang, Trúc Diễm (possibly the worst singer ever, I’ll have you know), Hồ Vĩnh Khoa, HoaHocTro Icon Phương Linh, 365 Band, and even YanTV’s VJs Hoài Nam & Thiên Trang.

The MV is slated for a Jan 24th premiere.

Linh Phi

Nguyen Hai Phong

Ngo Thien Thang

“Linh Hon Va The Xac/Body & Soul“, a self composition much reminiscent of his other self composition called “Goc Toi/Dark Corner”, is Nguyen Hai Phong’s first single from his Vol. 1 album of the same title which officially hits shelves today in VietNam (January 15).

After 4 months (Sept-Dec) of soliciting online youths to contribute creative maxims relative to living “đã” (no exact translation but, here, it vaguely means “to the fullest”, which is also the ad’s catch phrase) and what it means to them, PepsiCo Vietnam, assisted by artist Phuong Uyen, was finally able to put together this catchy little song using the 15 best entries:

Kim (right)

Half Egyptian singer Kasim Hoang Vu

Ta Quang Thang

Ha Anh Tuan

M4U member Dinh Manh Ninh

Check out the new family collab called “Chung Mot Nha/One Family” aka “Soul Nation Theme Song”.

“Soul Nation” is a new hip hop movement that has recently partnered with Paz y Dessarollo, the Spanish Peace and Development non-profit organization, as well as UNFPA to support the young people in Soulfaces to  participate in cultural activities as well as promote creativity, art, and music. The goal is for them to take a primary prevention approach to domestic and gender-based violence and instill gender equality attitudes in young Vietnamese people for healthy and happy relationships.

Music: Anh Khang
Lyrics: Pham Anh Khoa
Mix: Nguyen Hoang Anh

Internet-turned-real singer Anh Khang

VN Idol 07 Phuong Vy

Thao Trang

Rocker Pham Anh Khoa

VN Idol 08 Quoc Thien

RnB singer Le Hieu

Ho Ngoc Ha

Actress Kathy Uyen

Rapper/Singer Kim

White Noise band lead

Rapper Ha Okio

former AC&M band member Hoang Bach

supermodel Ha Anh

Quan Rapsoul

Suboi

“Do You Dare” Soul Nation Trailer

Pham Anh Khoa on domestic violence

Actress Kathy Uyen on domestic violence

Chung Mot Nha/One Family Concert

Vietnam’s Hang Son Doong cave is the largest in the world, with caverns big enough to fit an entire city street inside them.

The cave, which contains a river and jungle (and apparently even clouds), is located in the Annamite Mountains in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. It’s part of a network of about 150 caves in central Vietnam near the Laotian border.

The cave was originally discovered by a local man named Hồ-Khanh in 1991. The local jungle men were afraid of the cave for the whistling sound it makes from the underground river. However, not until 2009 was it made known to the public when a group of British scientists from the British Cave Research Association, led by Howard Limbert, conducted a survey in Phong Nha-Ke Bang from April 10-14, 2009. According to Limbert, this cave is five times larger than the Phong Nha cave, previously considered the biggest cave in Vietnam. The biggest chamber of Son Doong is over five kilometers in length, 200 meters high and 150 meters wide. With these dimensions, Son Doong overtakes Deer Cave in Malaysia to take the title of the world’s largest cave.

Amazingly enough, the cave is only now being properly surveyed.

Here is an excerpt from  2011′s first National Geographic magazine which features an in depth look at a mammoth series of caves discovered in Vietnam:

“An enormous shaft of sunlight plunges into the cave like a waterfall. The hole in the ceiling through which the light cascades is unbelievably large, at least 300 feet across. The light, penetrating deep into the cave, reveals for the first time the mind-blowing proportions of Hang Son Doong. The passage is perhaps 300 feet wide, the ceiling nearly 800 feet tall: room enough for an entire New York City block of 40-story buildings. There are actually wispy clouds up near the ceiling.” (Read the full article here.)

Photos: Peter Carsten (National Geographics)

After a series of auditions and casting calls for his horror flick Rh108, director Bui Thac Chuyen has narrow the list for his leading lady. And the lucky favorite is?

A well-known 17 years old named Nguyen Thuy Duong aka Yu Duong.

She possesses the right criteria to bring the “ghostly” role to life with her pale skin tone, child-like face, fragile body and gloomy eyes. While her resume isn’t short of TV roles, the teen had to compete and outperformed her competition in a series of acting tests and requirements set by Director Bui during the audition stages.

While there’s still no confirmation on this heavy favorite, the actress has expressed her interest in the script and her eagerness to fulfill this difficult role.

Currently, Yu Duong is in the final testing stages. If everything goes accordingly to plan, filming will start after Tet and hits theater Vietnam-wide by Halloween.

Meanwhile, this Vietchanneler will not be reviewing this film because I’m a scaredy-cat.

Duong as Trinh Thieu Khanh in Kenh14′s online picture novel, Mui Ten Cau Vong/Rainbow Arrow.

Duong, Gao (365′s manager also producer of Mui Ten Cau Vong), Will (365)

Girl’s got me on a roller coaster ride.

First I was iffy about her transitioning from an internet celebrity to singer. Then I was excited to know she could compose and is debuting with Noo Phuoc Thinh. However, I was disappointed when she sounded merely decent. Afterward, she goes M.I.A for some time and is randomly spotted in TV dramas. Then I was actually proud to hear that she only went M.I.A to return to training. Then girl releases a surprise demo of “Xe Dap” for Vietnam’s Teacher’s Appreciation Day, totally impressing me with the clearly improved vocals. However, that remains simply a demo for she had no plans to record the whole song as perfect as that song is to her voice & image. Most recently, she finally released a debut single, a cover of Noo Phuoc Thinh’s “Nhu Mot Thoi Quen/Like a Habit” and also my personal favorite from his album, in which the new instrumental, to me, was just mediocre. However, my philosophy for covers still stands: if you can’t cover something and make it better than the original, don’t. Regardless, it’s not a bad attempt though I’d still much rather her in songs like “Xe Dap”.

Original Version:

Now excuse me while I jump around like a hyperactive caffeine-addict trying to dance to this expecting to burn a million calories.

Original version

Bust into dance?

Naturally.

Nothing like a quick boyband-style dance number to loosen up those joints  after being frozen for so long. See, now the  random choreography doesn’t seem as random anymore:

The music video for the group’s debut single, “Awakening”, as promised, premiered December 16th on YanTV.

Check out the photos from the press conference:

L-R: S.T, Isaac, Tronie, Will, Jun

The Awakening Show at Hardrock Cafe:

Video recap:

And last but not least, Christmas greetings with the good ole Vietgrish:

Will, I shall pinch your cheeks then shrink you and keep you in my pocket forever. Not to sound creepy or anything.

Photos: 24h, Afamily.vn, Zing