Amazing Saturday…of Diệu Nhi
Participating in two highly anticipated prime time TV shows on VTV3, namely Chị Đẹp đạp gió rẽ sóng (Sisters Who Make Waves) and Cuối tuần tuyệt vời (Amazing Saturday), Diệu Nhi seizes every opportunity to showcase her passion and knowledge of music along with her desire to sing. Since the first episode of (Amazing Saturday), the actress has been in the spotlight with impromptu performances, supported by her teammates who are enthusiastic about the competition. In the second episode, when she is reunited with her former music teacher, singer Dương Hoàng Yến, Diệu Nhi becomes even more confident in demonstrating her ability to memorize lyrics in order to "score" points. However, despite her familiarity with each song and catchy performances, Diệu Nhi struggles to memorize the lyrics and often finds herself ranked below other contestants, including South Korean Hari Won.
Despite her poor memory for lyrics, Diệu Nhi wins the audience's favor with her humor, turning her singing limitations into memorable highlights. In the "Amazing Team", while Đức Phúc is innocent, lively, and always ready to liven up the atmosphere with dynamic dances, Diệu Nhi, in addition to her singing talent, always has many amusing tricks to eat delicious dishes. The prominence of Diệu Nhi and Đức Phúc in the first episodes is not predetermined or orchestrated by the program; each member brings their unique color. Depending on each episode and guest, the artists will actively engage in appropriate interactions to create a harmonious performance. Viewers can see that while Quang Trung and Jun Phạm maintain a kind and friendly image, true to their personality outside the program, senior members such as TV host Trường Giang and Tiến Luật often push for scenarios that allow their juniors to "shine" more.
The challenges are not easy to conquer.
According to the program rules, the artists will go through three rounds. In rounds 1 and 3, the common rule is to listen to and rewrite the lyrics of a famous song. If they succeed, they will be treated with delicious dishes offered by the show's crew; if they fail, these delicious dishes will be offered to the show's chef Trần Như Lộc. Round 2 is meant to be relaxing for everyone to unwind and exercise, so there are no set rules for the game.
The songs selected for the challenges include Vũ trụ có anh (The Universe Has You) (by Phương Mỹ Chi), Thích hay là yêu còn chưa biết (Like or Love, Still Unsure) (by Lona Kiều Loan - Ricky Star), Mưa cứ rơi (Rain Keeps Falling) (by Mr. A), Lạnh (Cold) (by Khổng Tú Quỳnh), among others. In the lyric guessing game, contestants often have to listen to fast-paced segments or rap music with playful language that can lead to confusion, making it a tough challenge to get the lyrics right. There have been many surprises and unexpected guesses. Initially, Tiến Luật entered the competition with the mindset of someone who has nothing to do with music and doubted his ability to keep up with modern musical life. But once in the game, the actor listens carefully to the lyrics and leads other members to find the lyrics together. There were even times when he stood out with his ability to write down the most accurate lyrics.
The producer of Amazing Saturday said that the program strives to include new songs that are currently in vogue to introduce Vietnamese music to audiences at home and abroad. They choose songs that are well known, such as See Tình (See Love), which is currently popular on music streaming platforms, as well as songs that were hits in the past and still have lasting appeal. There is no one-size-fits-all formula for selecting songs; it depends on the theme of each episode and the musical preferences of the audience.
The "hottest" area of the set
The set of Amazing Saturday turns out to be aesthetically and meticulously designed, creating excitement and enthusiasm for everyone involved, much like the original version from South Korea. It seems that every corner is photo-worthy, providing opportunities to capture "Instagrammable" moments. However, it seems that the favorite spot for the "Amazing Team" and guests is the Delicious Kitchen, where new dishes are introduced for each episode, motivating the artists to strive for victory while promoting local and international cuisine.
Episode 1, themed Gạo trắng nước trong (White Rice, Clear Water), immediately conjures up images of the cuisine of the Mekong Delta, so the dishes selected are somewhat representative of the specialties of that region. In Episode 2, which focuses on South Korea, grilled meats, kimchi, spicy octopus, and fried cakes are essential. Amazing Saturday received sponsorship from local restaurants to convey the true spirit of regional cuisine. In addition, the program also had the support of culinary consultant Chef Tran Cuong Thinh - winner of numerous gold medals in competitions such as Delicious Dishes of Various Countries, Watermelon Lantern Sculpture, Talented Chef 2013, and the Vegetable Carving category champion at the Food and Hotel Malaysia 2019.
The diverse and regionally distinctive cuisine, which even includes Asian dishes from countries such as Thailand and South Korea, is a prominent feature of Amazing Saturday compared to the original Korean version, and because the food is so deliciously prepared, viewers often see the contestants enjoying the food even when they lose the game. This is also a challenge for the production team to continuously seek out and introduce new local specialties in subsequent episodes, enriching the program's menu to both effectively promote local cuisine and encourage the spirit and efforts of the contestants.
