Becoming an overnight internet sensation can sometimes come down to luck. But building a loyal audience and turning that attention into a serious, sustainable career over the years is an entirely different challenge.
Starting with spontaneous videos at 18, Khanh Vy has since become not only a familiar face on Vietnam Television (VTV), but also one of Vietnam’s prominent creators in edutainment - content that brings education and entertainment together.
Reuniting with host Hao Tran on Vietnam Innovators, Khanh Vy looks back at what happens behind the success: from videos she poured her heart into only to see them flop, to the expectations that come with brand collaborations, and the principles that have helped her maintain the trust of millions of followers as both she and her audience have grown.
Decoding Million-view Videos: Bop Or Flop?
To kick off the conversation, host Hao Tran invites Khanh Vy to revisit some of her old videos through a game of “Bop or Flop”, deciding whether each video was a Bop (a success) or a Flop (one that fell short of expectations).
Looking back at a 2018 video that reached one million views in just three days, in which she asked people how to pronounce the names of major fashion brands, Khanh Vy recalls how unexpected its success was.
At the time, she was simply a young creator filming at a shopping mall and even got chased out by security because filming was not allowed. “I think I just did that for fun. But then it just succeeded in a way,” she recalls. Even though she now looks back and feels her English was far from perfect, she still finds the video “cute.”
Reflecting on signature content such as VyVocab and a trivia series featuring students from different universities, Khanh Vy points to one of the biggest lessons she has learned from YouTube: consistency.
Some series she was deeply passionate about ended after only five episodes because she was not consistent enough to keep them going. For Khanh Vy, that remains something she believes she “could have done so much better.”
Her content has also taken her beyond conventional educational videos. During a visit by then Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to Hanoi-Amsterdam High School, for instance, she saw an opportunity to incorporate content creation into something “much bigger”, using her platform to communicate ideas around diplomacy and collaboration between Vietnam and the Netherlands
How Do You Move Past A “Flop” - And Doubts About Your Direction?
Not every video made with passion performs the way a creator hopes. Khanh Vy remembers releasing three consecutive videos sharing English knowledge for students preparing for university entrance exams. They came shortly after her breakout video had surpassed one million views, so she naturally expected the momentum to continue.
Instead, all three flopped. “I was so desperate. I was so sad,” she recalls. After her first major hit, seeing the numbers suddenly fall left her wondering what had gone wrong.
When she sought advice from another prominent creator, she was told that educational content was simply too boring. People were already tired from working and studying, the creator argued; when they opened YouTube, they wanted entertainment. Perhaps she should change direction altogether.
For Khanh Vy, that created a moment of uncertainty: should she follow what seemed to work, or remain committed to the value she originally wanted to offer? Ultimately, she chose not to give up on education.
“That is the direction I want to be consistent with.” Instead, she changed how she approached educational content, making it more fun, accessible and entertaining rather than abandoning knowledge-sharing altogether.
Building Audience Trust And Working With Brands On Her Own Terms
One reason Khanh Vy has managed to maintain a strong connection with her audience over the years is trust.
She describes content creation as a form of service: she regularly reads comments, studies what her viewers like and dislike, and learns from direct interactions with them. While she remains interested in languages, knowledge-sharing and lifestyle content, she also makes a conscious effort to listen to and respect her audience’s perspectives.
That sense of responsibility also shapes the way she works with brands. For Khanh Vy, there are several principles she continues to follow:
She is not a salesperson. When introducing a product, she sees herself first as a customer sharing her own experience, rather than someone whose job is to push a sale.
Know your community. Khanh Vy understands who watches her content and what they are interested in. If a brand’s target customers do not overlap with her community, she is willing to say that it may not be the right time to work together.
What works for another creator may not work for you. After once adapting an idea from an overseas creator for a branded video only to see it underperform, she learned that content creation ultimately depends on finding creativity in your own way.
Her core audience, she says, largely falls between the ages of 15 and 34 - another factor she considers carefully when deciding whether a collaboration genuinely makes sense.
Can Content Creation Really Be A Sustainable Career?
For young people wondering whether content creation can become a long-term career amid AI, digital transformation and an ever-changing media landscape, Khanh Vy’s answer is unequivocal:
“For sure. 100%.”
When she first started, “content creator” was not even a familiar term. Returning to her hometown, she struggled to explain what she did for a living and would simply tell people that she made videos online. Many assumed it was little more than a hobby.
Today, she sees a very different landscape. Content creators are generating income not only for themselves, but also for the communities and businesses around them, while the profession itself is receiving increasing recognition.
For Khanh Vy, this is “the golden era of content creation in Vietnam.” Vietnamese creators, she argues, are diligent and meticulous about their work. More importantly, they are increasingly putting their work on the global map, giving both local and international brands more reasons to collaborate with them.
Khanh Vy’s Advice For The Next Generation Of Creators
For young people beginning their journey from smaller cities and provinces, Khanh Vy draws from her own experience growing up in Vinh City, Nghe An.
When she first began making videos about learning English, she knew there were millions of people who spoke English better than she did. The question naturally followed: Why would anyone listen to her?
Her answer was simple. Even if only one person clicked on her video and walked away with something useful, that was already a win.
That mindset continues to shape the advice she gives aspiring creators today:
Stay consistent with your direction. Results may not come after one or two years. Give yourself the time to stay with an idea long enough to see where it can take you, even five years.
Focus on creating real value. One person learning something meaningful from your content can already make the work worthwhile.
Believe that you have something unique to offer. Where you come from does not determine the value of your perspective or story.
And perhaps most importantly, do not let numbers dictate everything.
“When I did YouTube videos, I didn’t really think much about the numbers,” Khanh Vy says. “I expect less. And when I expect less, everything just came very naturally.”
Her final reminder is equally simple: “Always believe that you have something special within yourself, no matter where you come from, because you always have something to offer to the world.”
Watch the full episode below: