TikToker honored for reimagining Vietnam's traditional markets for digital generation

Quan Khong Go, whose real name is Le Nhut Quan, won the 'Lifestyle Creator of the Year' award at the TikTok Awards Vietnam 2026 for his great contributions through lifestyle content.

The award was presented at a ceremony honoring 11 outstanding content creators in Vietnam on November 9.

These winners will advance to the regional evaluation round of the TikTok Awards SEA 2026, which is scheduled to take place in Bali, Indonesia, in late November, according to the organizers.

With 4.7 million followers on TikTok, Quan Khong Go (@quankhonggo) has attracted a large audience with his videos documenting traditional markets across Vietnam.

His market-focused content includes the '100 Cho Que' (100 Rural Markets) series and the 'Thu Thach 100K Cho Que' (VND100,000 Rural Market Challenge) vlog project, which take viewers into traditional markets to explore local dishes, everyday trading activities and the stories of small vendors.

The idea behind the project stems from Quan Khong Go's childhood memories, the TikToker told Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper on Wednesday.

Born into a family that was not well-off, he grew up closely connected to traditional markets, where his mother made a living selling goods.

As he grew older, however, he noticed that many markets were becoming increasingly quiet, with fewer shoppers and vendors.

He also realized that many small traders did not know how to promote their products and personal stories to attract new customers, relying largely on regular shoppers for their daily business.

Concerned about the future of traditional markets, Quan Khong Go decided to use social media to introduce them to a wider audience, helping more people discover their local food, people and way of life.

Through the 'Thu Thach 100K Cho Que' series, which he has pursued for nearly three years, he has visited more than 100 traditional markets across Vietnam, documenting local food and the character of each destination.

His videos go beyond showcasing dishes, capturing the everyday lives of vendors and the warm interactions between sellers and customers that give traditional markets their distinctive charm.

According to Quan Khong Go, it is the everyday stories of hardworking vendors and their friendly, down-to-earth interactions with customers that make traditional markets appealing.

His videos have attracted millions and even tens of millions of views on TikTok, with many viewers expressing nostalgia for the atmosphere of traditional markets and the vendors' simple, welcoming manner.

For the TikToker, traditional markets preserve cultural values that go beyond food and shopping.

He hopes his videos will serve not only as entertainment but also as invitations for people to visit local markets when traveling and discover traditional dishes and experiences that cannot be found in shopping malls or famous tourist destinations.

His efforts also extend beyond filming and sharing content online.

Having grown up in a family that once made a living through market trading, Quan Khong Go understands the difficulties faced by small vendors and regularly gives them small gifts as a gesture of support and encouragement.

He said these gifts stem from his personal empathy for the vendors, as even small acts of support can carry significant emotional value for people making a living through market trading.

Beyond attracting public attention to traditional markets, the TikToker also wants to document a part of Vietnamese culture before it changes.

He believes that in 30 or 40 years, younger generations may no longer know the traditional markets he grew up with. He hopes his videos will allow them to look back and see that these markets were once beautiful, authentic and warm places.

Quan Khong Go began creating content as a vlogger in 2022 and first gained widespread attention for his charitable food series 'An Gi Kho, Co Quan Lo' (Having Trouble Getting Food? Quan Is Here to Help), which documented his efforts to give food and gifts to people in difficult circumstances.

His content creation efforts also earned him the 'Best of Lifestyle & Education Creator' award at the TikTok Awards Vietnam 2022.