291 million views is an insane number for any YouTube video, not just parody music. Yet Vanh Leg pulled it off with Đại Ca Lớp 12A. He also owns several other videos with hundreds of millions of views, proving his title as the “king of parody music” is well deserved.
But no one expected that right at the peak of his career, Vanh Leg suddenly disappeared, going from a top YouTuber to a “master diver” since no one knew why or saw any trace of him on social media. And you know how it goes, when there’s no official info, rumors start flying. Theories about his mysterious disappearance ranged from military service, marriage, to darker ones like jail time or even death.
Nguyễn Việt Anh (Nickname: Vanh Leg)
Born: 1993
Hometown: Hanoi
Musically talented and skilled pianist
Personal Facebook: 1.2 million followers
Vanh Leg Fanpage: 1.4 million followers
YouTube channel: 6.7 million subscribers, 1.4 billion total views
But every secret eventually comes to light. Let’s hear what Vanh Leg has to say!
From top YouTuber to “master diver”
Honestly, I think most people already guessed, but two years ago I decided to pause making YouTube videos and went into “hiding.” I know not just then but even later, many people, especially my fans, were confused and curious about this choice.
The real reason is something I included in my video Học Viện YouTube, but it seems some still didn’t get it. At that time, I needed to take a break to balance my creative emotions after about six years of being overwhelmed with work. Also, my channel faced copyright issues with YouTube, which pushed me to make that decision.
Images stamped with Vanh Leg’s signature style
Of course, pausing when things were going well, or as people say, at the peak, I spent a lot of time thinking and debating. But actually, I only took a break for about a year (from 2019 to early 2020). I started working on Học Viện YouTube in February 2020, so I wasn’t really “diving deep” as many thought.
The biggest drama wasn’t my disappearance but the rumors around it. Probably because I “vanished” without a word to the online community, people started guessing to find out: “Where is Vanh Leg?”
I heard it all and knew about it. But those rumors mostly came from fake social media accounts posting shocking, clickbait info. At first, I found it funny, things like Vanh Leg joining the military or getting married. But later, the rumors got out of hand and turned negative, like me going to jail or even being dead. That wasn’t funny anymore. Those became malicious rumors, and I got angry.
“King of parody music” makes his comeback
I decided to come back now without any special reason or goal. It’s simply because my project was finally finished after nearly a year of work. Also, two years is a long time, so it’s time to give the community and my fans a clear and early answer about my sudden “disappearance” and the rumors.
People say Vanh Leg disappeared and then came back, but I was always there. I kept watching YouTube daily and followed the community’s changes during my absence. I noticed YouTube was a bit “calmer” two years ago compared to now. But on the flip side, there are more quality channels with better content investments today.
Many might be impressed by Độ Mixi’s appearance in my comeback project. Actually, I’m a big fan of his streams and consider myself a loyal member of the MixiGaming clan. From the start, I planned to invite Độ Mixi to play himself in the video. But due to tight production schedules, I had to have someone else cosplay him. Hopefully, if fate allows, I’d love to collaborate with Độ Mixi for real in the future instead of using a “fake” version. *laughs*
“YouTubers who don’t follow YouTube’s rules get filtered out”
For me (and probably many others), YouTube is a great platform for young creators to grow and get noticed. Currently, Vietnam has many talented young YouTubers doing great work and helping the content community grow. These are the genuine YouTubers.
On the other hand, some people see YouTube just as a tool to get famous and end up making harmful content just for views. That’s really not okay and damages the reputation of the YouTube community. Plus, such content can negatively affect kids who can’t yet tell right from wrong. But YouTube has its rules, and creators who don’t follow them will eventually be filtered out and phased away.
As for me, I’m working on some personal projects I’ve been planning for a while. I can’t reveal much yet, but there will be exciting surprises coming soon. I hope my audience will keep looking forward to what’s next.
Thanks to Vanh Leg for sharing!
Photos: Compilation
