'Hundred Flowers Walk' organizers speak out about the controversy over Vietnamese cosplay: 'Regulations will be tightened'

The founding group of Bach Hoa Bi Hanh paraded for the first time "Southward" on Nguyen Hue walking street last weekend, explaining the controversy surrounding the meaning of the name; at the same time, they said they would have to tighten regulations in the next management regarding costumes to ensure the spirit of the project.

Controversy over the name 'Hundred Flowers Walk'

Recently, the name "Bach Hoa Bo Hanh" has caused controversy in the community. Many people believe that the event emphasizes Vietnamese identity through the Ao Dai costumes, while the name has Sino-Vietnamese pronunciation.

Organizers and models attending the 2025 Flower Walk in Ho Chi Minh City

PHOTO: LE NAM

Mr. Vu Duc, 32 years old, co-founder of Bach Hoa Bo Hanh shared: "Bach Hoa Bo Hanh" can be simply understood as "hundred flowers strolling the streets" - a metaphor for the diversity and richness of Vietnamese traditional costumes when applied in modern life. This name also evokes the ancient cultural space, in line with the spirit of ancient style and helps expand the content and value of the event in the future."

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"The naming of "Bach Hoa Bo Hanh" is essentially associated with the style and culture of ancient times. Nowadays, the concept of "co phong" is often mentioned to refer to aesthetic values ​​​​with a breath of the past. To harmonize with that spirit and recall a period of square-letter culture in Vietnam, the group of authors chose this name.

Not only symbolic, "Bach Hoa Bo Hanh" also contains many layers of meaning, while opening up creative space and developing more cultural values ​​for future events," the father of the Bach Hoa Bo Hanh project further explained.

Controversy surrounding Vietnamese costume cosplay

At the ancient costume parade organized by Bach Hoa Bi Hanh in Ho Chi Minh City last weekend, the appearance of some costumes considered "Vietnamese costume cosplay" caused controversy.

Mr. Vu Duc spoke up: "Cosplay Vietnamese costumes are not yet included in the content or regulations of Bach Hoa Bo Hanh, but there are still some people participating with new mixed styles. Personally, I think innovation or mixing is not the problem, the most important thing is to still maintain the cultural spirit and respect for the past."

Mr. Vu Duc - co-founder of the Bach Hoa Walking project

PHOTO: NVCC

According to the organizers, this year's event has some differences compared to previous years. Allowing cosplay or innovative costumes in 2024 is actually only a separate category of the Creative Design Festival in Hanoi , not the general direction of the entire program.

This year, because it is the Ao Dai Festival organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism , participants in the official procession are required to wear traditional or appropriately modernized ao dai.

The event in Ho Chi Minh City attracted nearly 4 times more attendees than the organizers expected.

PHOTO: NVCC

People wearing other costumes can still participate in the event as spectators, but cannot become official members of the parade. Although this rule has been popularized, the number of people registering to participate still exceeds expectations, making it difficult for the organizers to control costumes.

'Hundred Flowers Walk' organizers speak out about the controversy over Vietnamese cosplay: 'Regulations will be tightened'

With the controversy over Vietnamese cosplay, the organizers said they will add clearer rules about costumes in the upcoming events.

Bach Hoa Bi Hanh was born in 2022, when the Viet Phuc movement, although having developed for about 5 years, was still unfamiliar to many Vietnamese people. The founding group, consisting of 3 members, Vu Duc, Quynh Nga and Gia Loc , wanted to bring Viet Phuc closer to the public through parade events on walking streets and open spaces.

Born from a passion for traditional costumes since childhood, Mr. Vu Duc, 32 years old, studied at the Faculty of Political Science (University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU Hanoi) . He participated in researching and practicing Vietnamese costumes, especially royal costumes , before building Bach Hoa Bo Hanh with his teammates. The project not only encourages people to experience Vietnamese costumes but also inspires artistic activities, cultural recreation and creative development related to traditional costumes.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/btc-bach-hoa-bo-hanh-len-tieng-tranh-cai-cosplay-viet-phuc-se-siet-chat-quy-dinh-185250311153137642.htm