Tao Quan 2023: Powerful and eye-catching
As usual, at exactly 20:00 on New Year’s Eve, Tao Quan 2023 was broadcast on all channels of VTV. This is the 20th year of this special art show, and despite many mixed opinions, Tao Quan has always been the subject of public discussion.
The Tao Quan 2023 is no longer an adoration show where the Apples will report their achievements and the Jade Emperor – Nam Cao – Bac Dau trio will question the Apples regarding outstanding issues. Instead, Thien Dinh held a contest called “Bold” with the competition of more than 30 apples from many fields and industries. According to the humorous introduction of MC Thao Van at the beginning of the program, this is a way to “support” the booming beauty contest movement in Vietnam today.
Tao Quan 2023 changed to a contest called “Bold”. (Photo: VTV)
In fact, this is not the first time that Tao Quan has switched to the exam form, before that “Apple Blossom” 2009 – one of the seasons that Tao Quan was considered successful, when highlighting many outstanding issues in the competition. society. The difference is that this time, the “Bold” contest gathers more contestants, with a careful investment in costumes and stage, just like how beauty contests have blossomed in the past year.
Tao Quan 2023 brings together perhaps the most massive artist lineup in nearly 2 decades with familiar faces: Meritorious Artist Quoc Khanh, Meritorious Artist Xuan Bac, People’s Artist Tu Long, Meritorious Artist Chi Trung, Meritorious Artist Quang Thang, Artist Van Dung … The program also welcomes back artists who have made more or less impressions or participated for the first time: MC Thanh Trung, Meritorious Artist Tien Minh, Thanh Duong, Minh Quan, Anh Duc, Chi Huy…; Young faces can be considered as the “next generation of Apples” such as: Duy Nam, Ha Trung (Trung fly), Manh Dung (Dung hum)… Especially, the appearance of People’s Artist Cong Ly following a year of temporary absence on stage because of the serious illness expected by the audience.
Return of Xuan Bac and Justice
Tao Quan 2023 opens with the appearance of a series of Apples on the program stage – the contestants of the contest called “Bold”. There, Ngoc Hoang Quoc Khanh was the Head of the Organizing Committee, Nam Cao Xuan Bac was the Deputy Committee, Trung Ruoi – Duy Nam was the assistant of the Heavenly Court.
Although many Apples appeared, but unfortunately, only a few people spoke, Tao Quan 2023 quickly entered the Top 5, with the appearance of 5 artists: Chi Trung – Giao Giao; Quang Thang – Economic Apple; Van Dung – Medical Apple; Tu Long – The Social Apple; Energy Apple – Thanh Duong. Xuan Bac’s importance cannot be denied as his return adds to the show’s appeal. As a connector and introduced the contests, he leads naturally, humorously but still has the weight, which young artists are not experienced enough to show.
Veteran artists appear in Tao Quan 2023 (Photo: VTV)
That is also the stage bravery of veteran comedians such as Chi Trung, Quang Thang, Tu Long, and Van Dung brought to the show. Their way of emphasizing and releasing words makes the public laugh, even though sometimes the comedy is nothing new. After 20 years, they seem to understand each other’s expressions too well, so they easily respond and transform.
The most anticipated at Tao Quan 2023, the appearance of People’s Artist Cong Ly made the audience below cheer loudly. However, that joy was mixed with sadness, when the artist might only appear modestly on the palanquin and might not say much except for a short line: “Debt”. Cong Ly suddenly stepped onto the stage, then quickly disappeared behind the velvet curtain in the audience’s disappointment. But perhaps those are still the most touching moments at Tao Quan 2023 and viewers realize that everyone has to be old, memories always need to be treasured.
Artist Justice appeared modestly in Tao Quan 2023. (Photo: VTC)
In the journey of the talent competition, a series of social stories were mentioned in the program, with many outstanding issues. That is a series of officials falling into labor, is the scarcity of energy when heaven also has to reserve gasoline; is a “falling donut” that “crushes the pavement”; The urban planning is destroyed, the subdivision of plots for sale, the BRT bus route makes traffic congestion worse…
Hot spots on social networks are also mentioned in Tao Quan 2023, when Quang Thang invites MC to eat a plate of “fried heart with melon”, referring to the scandalous affair in the online world. The 17 billion fraud case, or Miss Grand’s unique way of introducing the origin, also became a topic on the stage.
In efforts to “catch the trend” (catch the trend), a series of popular languages on social networks are also included in Tao Quan, making it difficult for older viewers to accept, like when The Apples simultaneously mocked Ngoc Hoang “country river”, or Xuan Bac used a series of exclamations “O apro”. However, in the opposite direction, surely these excerpts will be spread on TikTok and enjoyed by many young people.
Music is an impressive and attractive point of Tao Quan and at this year’s show, the remixed hit song “Beyond the Floor” by Tang Duy Tan promises to become a fever in the first days of the new year. A series of impressive songs by Tao Quan over the past 20 years such as: “Flood from the crossroads”, “Pangling style”, “Unexpectedly”, “Love song in debt”… were also “remastered”. “The lyrics are also a spice that reminds viewers of a long journey that has passed.
Artists in the competition’s Top 4 competition. (Photo: VTV)
Rambling, lack of emphasis
In the two-decade-long journey, Tao Quan always tries to renew himself, despite many challenges: Old motifs, old character lines, what to say to be both good and right and funny… On the 20th anniversary of the show, Tao Quan showed a lot of creativity, but also many regrettable points.
It is a rambling, lack of emphasis when a series of stories are given and slip away in a continuous stream of events, from big to small, from society to culture, sports, and tourism. The part Apple fainted because of a whisper from the Jade Emperor, followed by a long and lengthy story regarding the celestial family’s relatives, while the topic of “children and grandchildren of fathers” was nothing new. Similarly, the part where the Vice President of the Organizing Committee Nam Cao – Xuan Bac asked questions to the Apples to choose the best face, also making viewers “tired” because of the back and forth, the ending was nothing special.
People’s Artist Tu Long and two young artists Duy Nam and Trung Ruoi in Tao Quan 2023. (Photo: VTV)
Bringing new faces into the show and creating more acting space for them, but Tao Quan 2023 did not make these artists make much of an impression. Apple Energy – Thanh Duong came out of the stage following a whisper of Apple Traffic; Duy Nam – Trung Ruoi had more acting ground but fell into an unimpressive comedy segment; other artists only a few lines.
The future of Tao Quan following 20 years is a question many viewers ask, when veteran artists are in middle age, young artists cannot be replaced. And what is more important is that “a funny story is boring forever” – as the way “Traffic Apples” Chi Trung once affirmed.
