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For over two decades, for millions of Vietnamese people, the concept of "Tet" (Lunar New Year) has been not only about the New Year's Eve dinner, the peach blossoms, and the kumquat trees, but also about the familiar theme music of the "Meeting at the End of the Year - Tao Quan" (Kitchen Gods) program.
However, recently, Vietnam Television (VTV) officially confirmed that the "Tao" cast will not be appearing on New Year's Eve. A deeply ingrained tradition, a cultural and entertainment icon that lasted for over 20 years, is now just a memory.
The Kitchen Gods were absent from the New Year's Eve celebration of the Year of the Horse (2016).
The news that the 2026 Táo Quân (Kitchen Gods) show will not be produced immediately sparked a heated discussion across social media platforms. Established in 2003, Táo Quân has accompanied the growth of the 80s and 90s generations and become a cultural bridge within Vietnamese families. The image of the whole family gathering around the television, waiting for the Jade Emperor and the Kitchen Gods to appear and report through humorous parody songs, has become a tradition on the eve of the Lunar New Year.
After more than 20 years of being an indispensable part of Vietnamese entertainment, the "Meeting at the End of the Year - Táo Quân" program will officially conclude its journey on New Year's Eve of the Year of the Horse 2026.
VTV's decision, though anticipated through behind-the-scenes hints, still left the public feeling disappointed. The station stated that discontinuing the Táo Quân (Kitchen Gods) show is part of a plan to adjust and innovate its content to better suit the current social context and audience tastes. It will be replaced by a completely new, younger, and more diverse program. However, for those who consider Táo Quân the "soul" of New Year's Eve, this change has left many feeling let down and lacking the traditional flavor of the Tet holiday.
For Vietnamese people, when the Kitchen God's theme music plays, it's time to put aside all the worries of the old year to laugh, reflect, and hope.
The pressure from one's own shadow and the changing times.
Frankly, it must be admitted that in the last five years, the "Tao Quan" (Kitchen Gods) show has faced considerable public backlash. From its position as a "national" program with sharp, direct satire on pressing issues in healthcare, education, and economics, "Tao Quan" has gradually fallen into its own rut.
On the nights leading up to the 30th of the lunar month, the Kitchen Gods (Táo Quân) take on the role of joining the Vietnamese people in "reviewing" the past year.
The scripts were deemed "mild," the comedic elements gradually lacked originality, and the excessive use of advertising has left a segment of the audience feeling weary. In a rapidly evolving society dominated by social media and digital platforms, condensing an entire year of upheaval into a few hours on television has become an suffocating pressure for scriptwriters.
Despite being one of the most popular shows, "Meeting at the End of the Year" still has script flaws that fail to satisfy viewers.
Furthermore, the absence of "pillars" like People's Artist Cong Ly and People's Artist Xuan Bac in recent seasons has left a huge void that younger faces, no matter how hard they try, will find difficult to fill. The chemistry between the "powerful trio" of Ngoc Hoang - Nam Tao - Bac Dau was the formula that created the program's enduring appeal. With veteran artists busy with their own projects or health issues, maintaining the quality of a program with such intense rehearsals as Tao Quan is an extremely difficult problem. Stopping now, however regrettable, is perhaps a humane decision to preserve the program's valuable aspects instead of trying to prolong it while it erodes.
As the program's pillars gradually age, maintaining the intense late-night training regimen becomes a major obstacle.
The Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026 falls in mid-February, a rather late date. VTV is planning a special program for the 29th night of the Lunar New Year (February 16th) with the promise of a modern format, reflecting the spirit of the new era. VTV's Culture and Entertainment Department affirms that the new program will combine many elements from music and comedy to the most advanced performance technologies. This is a risky but necessary step.
Despite the absence of the "Tao" characters, the spirit of New Year's Eve – reunion and connection – will undoubtedly remain. Changing the format doesn't mean erasing old values, but rather adapting to the flow of life. Perhaps a new program will emerge, creating a new "memory" for the next 20 years. Audiences, while perhaps feeling a little disappointed at no longer hearing the iconic lines of the "Tao," are also opening their hearts to embrace newer, more relevant values for the pace of life in 2026.
The images of the Jade Emperor and the deities Nam Tao and Bac Dau performing on stage are now just precious documentary footage, leaving a huge void in the hearts of many generations of viewers who considered the Kitchen Gods as the sole "signal" of the New Year's Eve moment.
This New Year's Eve, many might feel a sense of emptiness without the vibrant costumes of the "Tao" (Kitchen Gods) cast on their television screens. But ultimately, the greatest value of Tet (Vietnamese New Year) remains family reunion. No matter how television programs change, the warmth of family bonds and the hope for a peaceful new year will never change. Let's wait and see what surprises VTV will bring to replace this familiar "spiritual treat," and whether we are ready to start a new habit for future Tet seasons.
