Top 10 Most Popular Táo Quân Shows in Recent Years

Considered a 'spiritual dish' during the Lunar New Year, Táo Quân has been eagerly awaited by audiences for 14 years. 2017 was particularly notable for the many significant events that occurred, making audiences expect sharper and deeper humor than previous years.

Alongside familiar faces like Quốc Khánh, Công Lý, Xuân Bắc, Tự Long, Quang Thắng, Chí Trung, and Vân Dung, Táo Quân 2017 also introduced younger artists such as Duy Nam, Quân Anh, Minh Tít, Trung Ruồi, and Mạnh Dũng.

This year's Táo were assigned to report on key areas of life. However, unlike the previous year, the titles of the Táo were changed to reflect the prominent issues of the year. Instead of the usual four roles of Táo Economics, Education, Spiritual, and Social Affairs, there were new roles such as Táo Kinh-Công (Economics and Trade), Táo Environment, Táo Education, and Táo Civil Servants. The main message of Táo Quân 2017, delivered during the 'audience' session, was about selecting the right talents and appointing officials. Appointing the wrong person who exploits power for personal gain can have severe consequences for society. Thus, it is essential to select intelligent and capable individuals, rather than those with familial ties, relationships, or money.

Táo Quân 2018 served as a compact reflection of the socio-economic and political life of the past year, covering nearly every hot topic, from Vietnam's U23 football team's victory, major healthcare scandals, economic shocks, societal issues, to environmental concerns. These issues were humorously and sarcastically presented. The trio of Ngọc Hoàng, Nam Tào, and Bắc Đẩu, played by Quốc Khánh, Xuân Bắc, and Công Lý, returned. The Táo reported on six key areas, including economics (Quang Thắng), healthcare (Vân Dung), the environment (Minh Hằng), society (Tự Long), planning (Chí Trung), and pensions (Minh Vượng). This year was notable for the largest number of Táo, with three 'Táo bà' sharing the stage: Minh Hằng, Minh Vượng, and Vân Dung. The 'Thiên Lôi Group' had five members. For the 15th anniversary of Táo Quân, the team decided to skip the usual report section, replacing it with a game show organized by the heavens. Through this interaction, the Táo expressed their personalities while highlighting key issues of the year, under the direction of Nam Tào and Bắc Đẩu. The game 'fight for the throne' stood out, criticizing the issue of 'holding onto power.'

On cultural and social topics, Táo Quân 2018 mocked the boom in beauty pageants, condemned the misuse of social media, and addressed the collective 'keyboard warrior' mentality. To lighten the mood, the actors reenacted famous lines from popular TV dramas of the year and praised the U23 Vietnam football team's runner-up finish at the U23 Asia Championship. Alongside familiar faces from recent Táo Quân seasons, the return of Minh Vượng and Minh Hằng delighted viewers. Minh Vượng made a 10-year comeback, impressing with her natural, humorous acting. Minh Hằng played calmly yet humorously, with sharp wit. Younger actors like Trung 'Ruồi,' Minh 'Tít,' and Duy Nam added fresh energy to the program. Several elaborate musical performances were staged, with the actors changing costumes after each scene, adding vibrancy to the show. Familiar faces like Quốc Khánh, Xuân Bắc, Công Lý, Vân Dung, Tự Long, Quang Thắng, and Chí Trung continued to maintain their strong performances from previous seasons.

Tao Quan 2019 has a runtime of around 2 hours and 30 minutes. Compared to the previous recording, the program is more concise, with fewer details cut out. This year, the trio of Ngoc Hoang, Nam Tao, and Bac Dau are still played by Quoc Khanh, Xuan Bac, and Cong Ly. Four Táos appear, including Táo Education (Chi Trung), Transportation (Tu Long), Economy (Quang Thang), and Society (Van Dung). Three young artists participate: Dung Hon, Trung Ruoi, and Do Duy Nam, playing roles such as Thien Loi and two Deputy Thien Loi. In the first part, two Deputy Thien Loi disguise themselves as Nam Tao and Bac Dau, a new twist in the program.

The show follows the traditional format, in line with the “Tao Quan reports to heaven” spirit of Vietnam. However, instead of appearing one by one, this year features a joint appearance by Táo Society and Táo Economy, criticizing the issue of evading responsibility by those in power. Táo Society (Van Dung) faces questioning from Nam Tao and Bac Dau regarding the decline of social morality, such as teachers hitting students and parents attacking teachers. While the social issues discussed remain relevant, the questioning of Táo Society doesn’t hit as hard.

On the other hand, despite its grand entrance, Táo Economy is relatively subdued, without many memorable moments. The most notable part is when the words “catch” or “seize” are said, leading to a fall. This is thought to reflect the major economic cases that are currently being prosecuted. As expected, Education becomes the hottest issue in heaven this year. The cheating scandal in many highland provinces and the monopoly and waste of textbooks are humorously mocked by Nam Tao and Bac Dau, making Táo Education (Chi Trung) sweat.

The highlight of the program is the mirror scene with the Táos. However, only Ngoc Hoang looks in the mirror, while the others avoid responsibility, ducking out. In fact, this is one of the program’s more biting satirical segments.

On the evening of the 30th of Tet, the show Year-End Gathering Spring Canh Ty 2020 officially aired on VTV during prime time. After Tao Quan concluded its 16-year run, Year-End Gathering for this Tet brought a completely new format, surprising viewers with its humorous moments and meaningful messages. Instead of the Táos reporting to Ngoc Hoang about the year's cultural, economic, and social situations, the story shifted to depict the lives of people in Vu Dai village during the era of integration, showcasing the simple, rustic charm of rural Vietnam. The familiar artists from Tao Quan took on new roles as characters from literature, such as Lao Hac, Thi Mau, Anh No, Thi No, Chi Pheo, Xuan Toc Do, Ba Pho Doan, and Anh Mo.

Audience feedback shows that the show met expectations for delivering laughter to families on the 30th of Tet, before welcoming the new year. However, some viewers have not fully accepted the replacement of the old format, comparing it to previous Tao Quan shows. While there are similarities in the artists and the clever integration of past events into the program, only a select few events were chosen, not providing the comprehensive picture Tao Quan used to offer. Some viewers feel that Year-End Gathering 2020 only partially fulfilled the wish for a Tet comedy show and did not live up to the 'traditional' Tao Quan show that had been a staple for 16 years.

Meanwhile, many viewers hope for Tao Quan's return next Tet, with the iconic trio of Ngoc Hoang, Nam Tao, and Bac Dau, and a full team of Táos reporting as they did in previous years. Despite the confirmation from the VFC (Vietnam Television Film Production Center) that Tao Quan will no longer be produced, the appearance of Tao Quan Vi Hanh and the participation of most of the familiar artists in Year-End Gathering 2020 has led audiences to hope for the return of Tao Quan in the future.

Tao Quan 2016 aired on the evening of February 7th (29th Tet), the final night of the year of the Goat (At Mui). The show featured several artists, including MC Thao Van, Quoc Khanh as Ngoc Hoang, Xuan Bac as Nam Tao, Cong Ly as Bac Dau, Chi Trung as Tao Xã hội, Tu Long as Tao Tinh Thần, Van Dung as Tao Giáo dục, Quang Thang as Tao Kinh tế, Bình Minh as the new Thiên Lôi, along with singers Minh Quân, Mỹ Dung, and other artists. Some of the memorable quotes from Tao Quan 2016, widely shared on social media, include: "Rich people are hated, the poor are despised, and the smart are eliminated", "Clear water has no fish, and good people have no friends", "A drain can’t compare to the ocean, and a canal can’t match the hydropower", "I used to need a place to stand, now I need to stand in the right place", "Hear whispers? Go to the place where it’s happening and ask!"

Tao Quan 2015 was critiqued for lacking humor and having dialogues that struggled to elicit laughter, but it still remained one of the most anticipated programs of the year. Tao Quan 2015 introduced a slight change in content, with the Táos no longer representing various fields of life but instead embodying the five elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. The program's MC, Thao Van, remained the same, and artists Quoc Khanh, Xuan Bac, and Cong Ly continued their roles in the heavenly court. Other artists included Chi Trung as Tao Tho (Earth), Tu Long as Tao Moc (Wood), Van Dung as Tao Thuy (Water), Quang Thang as Tao Hoa (Fire), Minh Hang as Tao Kim (Metal), along with Chí Tài, Viet Huong, and many others. The program was inspired by the popular show 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?', where the five Táos participated in a contest called 'Who Wants to Be an Assistant' to select another assistant for Ngoc Hoang, joining Nam Tao and Bac Dau in the heavenly court.

Memorable quotes from Tao Quan 2015, inspired by viral social media phrases, included: 'A true hero, I surely tower over you,' 'Bitter heart,' 'Bitter... oh never mind,' 'Do you feel stimulated?', 'Hoy đi nha,' and hits from singer Son Tung M-TP like 'Not an Easy Type' and 'My Yesterday' were also humorously adapted in Tao Quan 2015.

Tao Quan 2014 addressed major issues that caused public outrage in 2013, such as child abuse by caregivers, medical ethics, food safety, reckless dam releases, a 30 trillion VND bailout for the real estate market, performance licenses, and climate change. The program featured MC Thao Van and artists like Quoc Khanh, playing the role of both the real and fake Ngoc Hoang (with the fake character being Teo, a parking attendant in the mortal world), Xuan Bac as Nam Tao, Cong Ly as Bac Dau, Van Dung as Tao Y Te (Health), Tu Long as Tao Giao Thong (Transportation), Quang Thang as Tao Kinh Te (Economics), Chi Trung as Tao Dien Luc (Electricity), and singer Minh Quan as Thien Loi (Thunder).

Exciting moments included Tao Kinh Te (Economics) impersonating 'The Handsome Exile,' Tao Y Te (Health) hosting a 'Health and Friends' live show, and a famous line from the fake Ngoc Hoang character: 'This is a sensitive issue; we need approval from the local authorities, cooperation in spreading awareness and education, and strict measures for deterrence. Only then will it be effective... Got it?' while struggling to answer a question.