Will Courageux is flying the flag for Viet Nam, helping to spread the word about the country to a global audience. The French vlogger goes by the name Will in Vietnam, and his videos feature local culture and cuisine.
More than 2 million people follow Will Courageux on TikTok, eagerly awaiting the next video to drop on his page.
The French foodie has created a community of Vietnamese food lovers online, and also gives foreign audiences an insight into what constitutes the country's true culinary identity.
His videos are entertaining, full of vibrant colours, and will make you want to jump out of your seat and run to the nearest Vietnamese restaurant in search of exotic delicacies.
Will eats vermicelli with shrimp paste, a famous Vietnamese street food. — Photo courtesy of the vlogger
Will's love of Viet Nam happened by chance. When he first came here never in his wildest dreams did he think he would become a vlogger.
"My first visit to Viet Nam was with my family. It was in December, and the weather is so misty. But I love it. Everything seemed very mysterious to me." he said.
"I travelled to Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh, but Ha Noi was the city that left the greatest impression on me. I don't know why but there is something about this place that makes me feel at home and desire to stay for a long time."
Will tries Vietnamese green tea. — Photo courtesy of the vlogger
Will, who was born in Paris, goes by the name “Will in Vietnam”. His videos feature Vietnamese culture and cuisine.
“Vietnamese culture is rich and diversified, with mountains and beaches, as well as traditional and developed cities,” he said.
“One of the things I enjoy about living here is the variety of foods from many regions, each with its own distinct taste and story.”
“I was surprised because the Vietnamese culture is still not so well known outside of Viet Nam. I think it needs to be known better.”
Will decided to quit his job to pursue vlogging full-time in Viet Nam. Since he began filming in 2018, his social media following has increased to exceed 2 million.
He added: “My personality is inseparable from the content I create. When I first began making YouTube videos, all I had was a camera and a GoPro. COVID followed, and I made a few more videos for TikTok. What a surprise it was to see them so swiftly rise to fame. Now, all I need is a smartphone to shoot and edit videos.”
The Vietnamese baguette, known as banh mi, was definitely named by the 30-year-old content creator as his favourite dish to eat in Viet Nam.
"I love banh mi, and if there weren't any banh mi in Viet Nam, I might not be here," he admitted.
Will enjoys banh mi, which he describes as "the best dish in Viet Nam". — Photo courtesy of the vlogger
Other favorite Vietnamese dishes include beef pho and spring rolls.
One other thing that makes Will Courageux really enjoy Vietnamese food is the inclusion of a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits.
He said: “Vietnamese food contains a variety of vegetables and fruits which makes it not only healthy but also delicious. Vegetables go well with practically any dish here.”
Will disclosed that being a vlogger gives him opportunities and connects him to new people, but it also presents him with a number of challenges.
“Once you did this content, you cannot do it again," he added.
"So you always need to create new videos and find new ways to present the content. And that's the biggest challenge for every content creator because you need to be creative and always find new ideas.
“The ones that succeed are the ones who discover a way to always adapt their content to new audiences while also retaining the existing audience for the same type of content."
Talking about future plans, Will hopes that there will be more opportunities for him in the culinary field and his channel can introduce Vietnamese culture to a more international audience.
“Basically, now I have a lot of Vietnamese audiences, but I want to reach more western audiences. So right now if I'm going to go back to France. I can do a video in France too. Whereas for example, to French people, what do they think about Viet Nam.”
Minh Phuong, Nhat Hong & Bao Ngoc