Three Vietnamese among Forbes Asia’s 100 most influential online celebrities

The list features 100 singers, bands and film and TV personalities from across the Asia-Pacific with a strong social media presence.

With millions of followers on popular platforms, they have leveraged the power of social media also to influence and support worthy causes.

To determine the list, Forbes Asia evaluated the candidates’ combined social media reach and engagement and also considered their recent work, impact and advocacy, brand endorsements and business endeavors, and their recognition profile on the local, regional and global levels.

Only those active in film, music or TV were eligible.

Thanh, 33, is well known as a comedian, actor, voice actor, and television presenter. In recent years he has become the popular face of many television programs and game shows.

Forbes Asia said: “With 29 million followers on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, Thanh is Vietnam’s best known TV host. Known for his impersonations of other Vietnamese celebrities, he was named outstanding celebrity star in the 2019 Metub WebTV-Asia Awards in Ho Chi Minh City.”

Chi Pu, real name Nguyen Thuy Chi, 27, rose to fame in 2009 after reaching the final 20 in Miss Teen Vietnam. She joined the entertainment industry and became a model, actress and singer.

In 2015 she marked a milestone in her acting career with the leading role in “Yeu” (Love), the LGBT-theme movie which won big at the box office, grossing more than half million dollars within three days of its release.

In 2016 she was named the winner of the Rising Star Award at the Asia Artist Awards in South Korea, and was the first Vietnamese artist to be signed up by Google for the Google App advertising campaign in Vietnam.

Forbes said: “With over 19 million social media followers, Chi is one of Vietnam’s most popular female celebrities. A model-turned-actress and singer, her music video ‘Anh Oi O Lai’ (Stay With Me) has over 92 million views on YouTube. She donated $50,000 this year to local Covid-19 relief efforts.”

Dong Nhi, 28, real name Mai Hong Ngoc, started her music career in 2007 and has won a number of awards since. She entered the dance-electronic genre in early 2014, and the music video Bad Boy was a hit.

In 2015 she was named among the ‘Best Asian Artists’ at South Korea’s Mnet Asian Music Awards, and in 2016 won the Best Southeast Asian Act category at the MTV Europe Music Awards.

“Nhi is one of Vietnam’s most beloved stars, with 2.3 million followers on Instagram, 8.4 million on Facebook and 858,000 on TikTok,” Forbes said.

“After failing an audition for Vietnam Idol in 2007, Nhi started posting songs to social media platforms until her boyfriend and now husband Ong Cao Thang became her manager and helped propel her to stardom.”

The list also features South Korean music bands BTS and Blackpink and Thai actors Mario Maurer and Urassaya Sperbund.