On the evening of 20/8, during the broadcast of episode 2, singer Erik faced controversy over his demeanor in the military reality show. He hesitated to get a haircut as required by his commander, citing a desire to maintain his image for upcoming artistic projects. Throughout the haircut, he maintained a somber expression and limited interaction.
Later, at lunchtime, Erik caused the entire platoon to wait for over 20 minutes due to being late for assembly. A similar situation occurred in the afternoon, leading to a stern reprimand from his commander. Following this, the singer proactively apologized to the person responsible for his haircut and his commander, pledging to adjust his conduct and adhere to discipline.
On the program's YouTube channel, many viewers commented that Erik maintained a "star mentality", being too focused on his appearance while participating in a military reality show. A user named Bim Jy commented, "Although entertaining, the program must uphold specific standards and discipline. The training experience is only truly valuable when there is no compromise".
The singer admitted to displaying an unprofessional attitude during filming. He stated he is striving to adapt and integrate better with the group in subsequent stages.
Prior to this, Erik's personal poster for the show also sparked controversy due to his heavy, glossy makeup, which was deemed completely "out of sync" with a soldier's demeanor. Following public reaction, the singer apologized and retook a new set of photos with a more rustic and restrained style.
According to the Gen Z vocalist, he proactively trained physically before joining the show. He also consulted close colleagues who had participated in previous seasons, such as Hoa Minzy and Duc Phuc, to mentally prepare.
Erik, whose real name is Le Trung Thanh, is 29 years old and hails from Hanoi. After leaving the music group Monstar, he made his mark with numerous songs, including "Lac Nhau Co Phai Muon Doi", "Yeu Chua Bao Gio La Sai", "Cham Day Noi Dau", and "Em Khong Sai Chung Ta Sai". In 2021, he participated in "The Heroes" program, winning the championship with notable songs like "Nam Quoc Son Ha" and "Mau Do Da Vang".
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Erik's promotional image for the program sparked controversy due to excessive makeup. Photo: Courtesy of the organizers |
"Sao Nhap Ngu 2026" features actor Quoc Truong, Thuy Ngan, Minh Trang, musician Phan Manh Quynh, singers Van Mai Huong and Erik, fashionista Chau Bui, and content creator Tuan Duong. Participating artists spend seven days becoming real soldiers, adhering to military regulations, routines, training, and discipline.
After seven years and 15 seasons, "Sao Nhap Ngu" has become a popular reality TV show, previously nominated in the "Inspiring TV Program" category at Vietnam iContent 2025. Beyond television broadcasts, the producers have organized two concerts, attracting tens of thousands of spectators in TP HCM and Hanoi.
Hoang Dung
