Cover The Made in Vietnam project by DTAP and director Kawaii Tuan Anh has broken all the limits of an MV
The Made in Vietnam project by DTAP and director Kawaii Tuan Anh has broken all the limits of an MV
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The Made in Vietnam project by DTAP and director Kawaii Tuan Anh has gone beyond the framework of a music video. It affirms that national pride is not simply a fleeting emotion, but a continuous endeavour to keep Vietnamese culture shining.
The year 2025 marks many milestones for the country, most notably the 80th anniversary of National Day on 2 September. With a vision of sustainable values, the DTAP collective formed by Thinh Kainz (leader, music producer), Tung Cedrus (mixing and arranging), and Kata Tran (lyricist) officially launched Made in Vietnam. This is their first music project carrying a personal imprint after six years of collaborating with celebrated artists.
Featuring three singers: People’s Artist Thanh Hoa, Truc Nhan and Phuong My Chi and the contribution of nearly 400 participants, the MV was staged by director Kawaii Tuan Anh, the creative force behind many million-view V-pop productions. Vietnam is depicted as a high-speed train racing towards the future, a seamless fusion of digital graphics with cultural traditions.
In the festive atmosphere of this important holiday, Tatler Vietnam sat down with DTAP and director Kawaii Tuan Anh to discuss the making of a series of projects deeply imbued with national pride.
See more: Legacy 50: Saigon – city of ‘firsts’
Above DTAP and director Kawaii Tuan Anh share stories about the creative journey behind the Made in Vietnam series, steeped in national pride
DTAP and director Kawaii Tuan Anh share stories about the creative journey behind the Made in Vietnam series, steeped in national pride
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What is the biggest challenge in telling the Vietnamese story through contemporary art while still preserving traditional values?
Kata Tran (DTAP): For me, lyrics should come from what feels most natural and familiar, so that listeners can find their own reflection in music. Vietnamese culture is an inexhaustible treasure, not only in the grandeur safeguarded within museums but also in the small, everyday details of life. When one looks deeply into the essence of tradition and history, beauty becomes visible – a beauty both artistic and sincere enough to reach audiences, especially the younger generation.
Kawaii Tuan Anh (KTA): When I first received the demo from DTAP, I was surprised. Instead of the usual bold colours, the song was gentle, earnest and accessible across generations. From there, I envisioned a project that could embody national pride while remaining close to, and engaging for, young audiences.
To achieve this, everyone involved from DTAP to Truc Nhan and Phuong My Chi spent nearly three months on script development. The idea of a “journey” was refined again and again: where to pause, which details to include, how to keep the imagery modern while still honouring identity.
The challenge lay in balance: what to preserve intact, what to stylise. For instance, in the scene where Truc Nhan performs puppetry, it had to be staged authentically with old, rustic bamboo. The food, too, had to appear as it would in a local restaurant, rather than resembling a glossy advert. What is familiar to Vietnamese people should remain untouched, because it is that simplicity which awakens shared memories and emotions.
“What is familiar to Vietnamese people should remain unchanged, for it is that very simplicity that resonates with shared memories and emotions.”
What did you do to combine spectacular special effects with Vietnamese cultural identity without losing the traditional “soul”?
KTA: We read books, consulted researchers, and even went into the field to study artefacts and hear stories from our predecessors. After that period of “immersion,” we selected the core elements that stayed with us.
Then came the question of expression through colour tones, arrangements, camera angles and 3D effects. For example, in the image of two water puppet characters, we kept their rustic features and traditional lacquer surface, but transformed them into giant symbols in the middle of a river to create a striking visual.
See more: Legacy 50: People’s Artist Kim Cuong—A journey through life and the stage
Is there any scene or detail that makes you feel most clearly the connection between generations of Vietnamese people during the process of making the MV?
KTA: Most of the MV was filmed on a green screen for practical reasons, but there were scenes I insisted on capturing in real spaces, such as the sequence with People's Artist Thanh Hoa at the Vietnam Military History Museum. It conveyed heroic emotions and a sense of true memory that no effect could replicate.
I also recall the final scene, with more than 100 people placing their hands on their hearts. On set were 54 young people representing 54 ethnic groups, veteran uncles and aunts, social work students, the Saigon Xanh group, H’Hen Nie, designer Phan Dang Hoang, and athlete Anh Vien. Stories were exchanged like in a family circle. Many older participants wept right there on set, an outcome beyond anything I had expected.
Above For director Kawaii Tuan Anh and DTAP, Made in Vietnam is not only a project of high artistic value, but also one that carries profound pride in Vietnamese culture and people
For director Kawaii Tuan Anh and DTAP, Made in Vietnam is not only a project of high artistic value, but also one that carries profound pride in Vietnamese culture and people
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Compared to previous projects, what different feeling does Made in Vietnam bring to you about the social responsibility of artists?
KTA: I believe that anyone working in art needs a “root”: to use their talent, experience and connections to create value for the community. I learned this early from my seniors, through community projects more than a decade ago.
What is distinctive about Made in Vietnam is that at this moment, Vietnamese culture has a stronger influence than ever. The sectors give support, the audience shows welcome, and artists are investing with increasing care. My work may feel like a small contribution, but it shows clearly the opportunity for Vietnamese culture to step onto the global stage.
Our mission is to keep improving quality and to unite the team. A single product may not be enough, but if we persist and continue without pause, we can create a cultural wave that carries Vietnam far beyond its borders.
“A single work may not suffice, but through consistent and ongoing effort, we can create a wave of Vietnamese culture that spreads far and wide.”
How has more than a year of nurturing Made in Vietnam changed the way you view Vietnamese culture and people?
DTAP: For us, Made in Vietnam has been a journey of discovery, of culture, history, people and landscapes across the land. This journey did not begin with the album, but was nurtured from DTAP’s earliest artistic days. It started simply with a sincere love for our homeland, yet the more we created, the stronger that love grew, urging us to pursue and honour a first album about Vietnam.
The experience with Made in Vietnam has been unlike our six previous years of making music. In the past, knowledge came mostly from books or the internet. Over the past year, however, we have had the chance to work directly with folk culture experts, to meet artisans in craft villages, musicians of traditional instruments, and people quietly dedicating their lives to preserving Vietnamese culture.
There are cultural treasures that cannot be found in documents, but are passed down from generation to generation. Through that inheritance, we have matured, gaining knowledge of real value for our music-making process.
Above The experience with Made in Vietnam is very different from six years ago. That journey did not simply begin with the album project, but was nurtured from DTAP’s earliest involvement in art
The experience with Made in Vietnam is very different from six years ago. That journey did not simply begin with the album project, but was nurtured from DTAP’s earliest involvement in art
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In the MV, many everyday, ordinary images are honoured as cultural symbols. Why is this important to the project’s message?
Thinh Kainz (DTAP): We grew up surrounded by simple things. Our relatives worked in every field from selling goods at the market, repairing motorbikes, and trading dried produce, to being veterans, youth volunteers, or cadres developing new economic zones. Our childhood was marked by bowls of steaming pho, stalls of fish sauce with their strong aromas, and bustling fish markets. So when we speak of Vietnam, such familiar details cannot be overlooked.
The costumes of Phuong My Chi and the market vendors were inspired by what our mothers and aunts wore in everyday life. When we had the chance to create, we naturally brought those familiar materials into the project, so that the story remained simple but full of emotion – a place where everyone could recognise their own memory.
Putting traditional instruments into a modern arrangement in the MV carries commercial risks, yet you stayed firm. What made you hold to this choice?
Thinh Kainz (DTAP): For DTAP, traditional musical instruments are the backbone and soul of the song, indispensable in a work about Vietnamese culture. From the outset, we were clear: the instruments had to be recorded live, placed into content that reflected the spirit of the piece.
The link between the three regions lies not only in their melodies but in the instruments themselves. Some exist only in Vietnam, such as the T’rung and the Bau. We selected and combined them to create a “symphony of heaven and earth,” a uniquely Vietnamese symphony running throughout the MV.
Tung Cedrus (DTAP): The greatest challenge came in the arrangement, particularly in choosing the right sound. The question was how to preserve the rustic subtlety of traditional instruments while blending them with modern elements. If the sound is pushed too sharply, it overwhelms and destroys the delicate tone of those instruments. The most difficult task was to keep the balance so both worlds could be heard together, without one drowning the other.
Above For DTAP, pride does not lie in simply calling out the word “Vietnam,” but in presenting culture, history and people in the most vivid and authentic way
For DTAP, pride does not lie in simply calling out the word “Vietnam,” but in presenting culture, history and people in the most vivid and authentic way
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How is the spirit of “Pride of Vietnam” in this project different from regular patriotic media campaigns?
DTAP: For us, pride is not about shouting the word “Vietnam,” but about allowing Vietnamese culture, history and people to appear in the most vivid and genuine way.
In earlier collaborations with Kawaii Tuan Anh, each MV was like a slice of life, portraying a region or a cultural nuance. With Made in Vietnam, however, the focus lies in the most representative images from across the country – from landscapes, music and customs, to historical journeys and the distinctive character of the Vietnamese people.
It is this combination that allows each scene to convey emotion and offer a far more comprehensive perspective than previous projects. For DTAP, Made in Vietnam is not merely a music video; it is a mirror reflecting the journey of discovering Vietnam’s culture, people and history, a profound national pride that DTAP, Mr. Kawaii and nearly 400 crew members have infused into every detail.
In the context of global integration, how can Vietnamese art products both meet international standards and retain their roots?
KTA: In terms of imagery, I began working 13 years ago, when I moved from my hometown to the city. At that time, the Hallyu wave, with K-pop and K-drama, flooded Vietnam, creating new production standards and familiarising audiences with international quality. I went to school, studying mainly engineering, and quickly noticed the vast gap between academic knowledge and the ability to create tangible products. To achieve this, machinery, equipment and funding were required, but conditions then were limited.
Today, the infrastructure and technology of the domestic film industry have advanced, allowing us to realise past ambitions. The role of professionals like me is to master these tools and create works that meet technical standards, approaching international quality.
Technique, however, is only a starting point. What truly matters is identity. Vietnam’s culture is rich and diverse in regions, history and ethnic groups. It is a vast and profound treasure, giving us the confidence to tell stories visually, so that products not only meet international standards, but also bear the mark of Vietnam.
What do you think determines whether patriotism in art becomes a passing emotion or a lasting action?
Thinh Kainz (DTAP): For me, patriotism in art is not a fleeting feeling that vanishes with each project. It is a long journey. Over the past six years, DTAP has continually researched and learned, aiming to bring Vietnamese culture into modern music. Made in Vietnam is the first time we have proactively organised, called for collaboration, and produced with numerous artists. It is only the beginning of a long journey we are committed to, with each work serving as a meaningful way to tell Vietnam’s story.
KTA: For me, sustainability comes from an artist’s willingness and heart. We do not create or chase trends; we act because we genuinely want to. When emotion arises naturally, rather than being forced, the effort, time and energy invested all become joy and motivation.
“One or two individual works may not be enough, but through consistent, ongoing effort, we can create a wave of Vietnamese culture that reaches far and wide.”
If you could send a message to young people who want to express their love for Vietnam through art, what would you say?
DTAP: We are still young, so we cannot speak like seniors. But if we could share one piece of advice, it would be this: if you truly love something, start doing it. You do not need to be perfect from the beginning, nor do you need to conform. As long as you work sincerely, music or any form of art will find its way to be heard. Do not fear standing apart from the crowd, and do not rush for instant recognition. The important thing is to be kind to your craft, study it carefully, and have the patience to see it through.
If you could send a short sentence to close the project, what would you want the audience to remember most about Made in Vietnam?
Kata Tran (DTAP): “This place has remained the same for many years; people join hands to preserve and pass down a thousand-year-old brocade. We are made in Vietnam.” In that line, there is the image of us, of Kawaii, of everyone who contributed, and of every Vietnamese person. Our origin is something that must be preserved.
Tung Cedrus (DTAP): The simplest and most important message is: “Be proud of being Vietnamese.”
Credits
Photography: RABHUU
