Anh trai vượt ngàn chông gai

The show features male artists (referred to as "anh tài" (lit. 'Talented brothers')) who perform together in teams for different performance rounds, in order to compete for a spot in the "all-powerful family" (alternative form of a musical group), consisting of the final winners. Originally, the show only allowed for artists who are near the age of 30 or more, but recent changes have allowed for artists under 30 years old to compete. Additionally, following the original Call Me by Fire format, after each performance round, members of the losing team would have some of their members be eliminated.^[5][6][7]

All the "talented brothers" will split into teams to compete. They will undergo training to perform in official competition nights, to select the top "talented brothers" for the "all-powerful family." Throughout the competition, in addition to performing, there will be special rules: bidding for songs and performance order. The studio audiences would evaluate and vote for the "talented brothers" to determine the ranking of the performances as well as each person's "firepower points" after every show.^[8][9]

On January 25, 2024, the producers announced via the official fan page of Sisters Who Make Waves Vietnam that they would be producing and airing the adaptation of Call Me By Fire. The producers stated that the Vietnamese version will maintain the spirit and values of the original while making appropriate changes to meet the tastes and entertainment culture of the local audience.^[10][4][11] In response to opinions suggesting that Call Me By Fire is simply a male version of Sisters Who Make Waves, a representative for the producers denied this, stating that the criteria, rules, and methods for resolving conflicts in this show are completely different from the latter.^[12][13]

In early April 2024, the producers announced the key members of the production team for the show's first season. Accordingly, Đinh Hà Uyên Thư serves as the stage director, SlimV as the music director, Anh Tuấn and Khánh Vy as the show's hosts, Đặng Thiếu Ngân as the content consultant, and Trần Quốc Vương as the stage visual director. The identities of the participants for the first season were revealed throughout April and May 2024.^[14][15]

Starting June 23 (about a week before the official premiere), the show released its identity bumpers, teasers, the official MV teaser, and the official trailer.^[16][17] Before the air date, a representative for the producers further revealed that the contestants "don't just compete in singing but also in wits," demonstrated through the song auction rules. With this signature gameplay, the producers aim to portray men who, while friendly in real life, are highly strategic and resourceful when competing against one another.^[18][19] On June 28, the show's official theme song MV, titled "Hỏa ca" (Song of Fire), was released.^[20][21]

The official press conference took place on June 26 with the participation of almost all the "talented brothers" (except for artist Tự Long, who was absent due to his own schedule)^[22] along with several guest artists.^[23][24] During the press conference, the production representative stated that the show is not looking to form a group like in *Sisters Who Make Waves*, but rather to find an "all-around family," meaning the winners. The producers view this as a beautiful journey with a meaningful destination, and the participants are not required to perform together after the show ends.^[25] Additionally, addressing opinions that the votes from the 350 audience members do not represent the majority, the production representative confirmed there will be an independent auditing firm to oversee the results. The representative asserted that the on-site audience voting is only momentary and does not represent all viewers.^[26] Furthermore, the audience can also vote to choose the winners for seven sub-awards for the "talented brothers."^[27]

At the beginning of 2025, the producer announced that they would not be producing Season 2 of Call Me by Fire in 2025, along with Season 3 of Sisters Who Make Waves,^[28] giving up the airtime for the show Gia đình Haha. The program is expected to resume production for Season 2 in 2026.

The program is produced by the Arts Department of Vietnam Television in collaboration with 1Production (a subsidiary of Yeah1).

Anh trai vượt ngàn chông gai broadcasts every Saturday from June 29, 2024, at 8:00 PM on VTV3 and premiered at 8:30 PM on the same day on the channel YouTube Yeah1.^[35]

Right from the announcement of the contestants' identities, Brothers Overcoming Thousands of Thorns attracted audience attention by consistently ranking among the most discussed programs on social media, according to Kompa's statistics.^[36][37] With the program Brothers 'Say Hi' – a program with the same theme, content, and motif – airing at the same time as this program, many viewers predict there will be a competition in terms of popularity and the ambitions of the producers, as well as an expectation that the programs will have their own special elements to attract audiences.^[38] However, according to Người Lao Động, the participation of many artists in the same show can become a disadvantage; the article cited the example of the show Sisters Riding the Winds and Breaking the Waves by the same producer, Yeah1, where too many 'beautiful sisters' caused the audience's attention to be dispersed. Each artist has their own audience and fans, so arguments and accusations to protect idols constantly occur, thereby affecting the producers to some extent.^[39]

The MV for the show's theme song "Hỏa ca" (Fire Song) received much support and praise from the audience upon its release. A review by Znews stated that in addition to the captivating and attractive music and meaningful lyrics, the MV's content was also highly appreciated, and giving all the talented brothers equal vocal time was also a big plus.^[40]

When the first episode aired, the show received widespread audience support; most of the controversial issues in Sisters Who Make Waves were reportedly resolved in Brothers Overcoming Thousands of Obstacles.^[41][42] A review by Law Life stated that it had been a long time since the first seasons of The Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam Idol, or The Remix, that a television program broadcast on national television was as "attractive, impressive, and enjoyable for audiences of all ages" as this one. The review also mentioned that the discussions and comments from the audience about the talents, songs, etc., after each episode on social media were a sight that had not been seen again for a long time. Writing in the online newspaper Communist Party of Vietnam, Anh Tuan commented, "the program has attracted the attention of the audience because of the artistic and humanistic values that a national television channel needs to do in the 4.0 era, the digital age, and at the same time opens up opportunities for producers to aim for a further goal of jointly developing Vietnam's cultural industry."^[43] According to Tien Phong, through the program, artists past their peak regained their appeal, and a series of other artists had their appeal elevated.^[44] The program achieved the top 1 rating on VTV3 for most of its broadcast time, based on female audiences in four major cities according to Kantar Media data.^[45]

The program has also been recognized as a testament to the development of the cultural industry with attractive programs and great social effects. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in his speech at a conference mentioned the success of two concerts Anh trai "say hi" and Anh trai vượt ngàn chông gai, and highly appreciated the creativity of young Vietnamese people participating: "Through these two concerts, we have seen that we are capable enough, intelligent enough, and creative enough to develop the cultural industry and entertainment industry. We have a culture rich in national identity, with internal strength, traditions, and potential to enhance cultural enjoyment..."^[46]

Jun Phạm, BB Trần, S.T Sơn Thạch, Kay Trần and Bùi Công Nam officially formed the group B.O.F after the show. The name B.O.F has multiple layers of meaning, combining "Boys On Fire" (passion on stage), "Boys Over Flower" (attraction from individual brilliance), and "Boys Friend" (a close, warm spirit). Operating under the management of 1Label company, the group released their debut song "Tết đỉnh nóc" (Over the top Tết) on January 4, 2025. Then, on the evening of May 14, 2025, the group officially launched a "debut" single titled "No Fair," inspired by villains from fairy tales, cartoons, comics, and classic legends.^[61][62][63]