"5 Little Monks" from Bong Lai Monastery undergo a transformation after 6 years, their new appearance shocks netizens.

After a long absence, the "5 young monks" of Bong Lai Monastery unexpectedly reappeared with a completely different appearance than before. They have grown up, grown their hair long, and show many signs of aging.

After serving his prison sentence for "abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, organizations, and individuals," Nhi Nguyen quickly returned to social media and immediately attracted public attention. His latest actions have sparked much curiosity, especially since they directly involve the children who once lived at Tinh That Bong Lai.

On January 19th, Nhi Nguyen posted a series of photos and videos on her personal page documenting the daily lives of the children at Bong Lai Monastery. Among them, the most talked-about photo was of the "5 little monks" who participated in the "Challenge of the Comedians" program and won the championship six years ago. After a long absence, the children have grown up noticeably, their appearances have changed a lot, but they still retain familiar features that make them easily recognizable to viewers. Notably, they now all have grown-ups, no longer having shaved heads as before.

New images of the "five young monks" quickly spread on social media and received mixed reactions. Many netizens expressed regret, saying that the children were placed in a situation where they had no choice.

The story of the "5 little monks" once caused a public uproar. In September 2021, the Long An Provincial Police investigated information related to the group of children referred to as "little monks" living at Bong Lai Monastery with Mr. Le Tung Van. The results showed that the children were not homeless or destitute as had been presented, but were living with their biological mother right there.

By November 2021, after a review and investigation, the Government's Religious Affairs Committee and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Association confirmed that Bong Lai Monastery, owned by Mr. Le Tung Van, was not a place of worship or a Buddhist establishment. Following this, the authorities requested Long An province to further investigate any actions that showed signs of exploiting religion and beliefs for personal gain.

Previously, the five children had created a sensation when they participated in the "Challenge of the Comedians" program on HTV7 channel. Taking advantage of the television effect, Mr. Le Tung Van and his close associates created a series of fan pages and social media channels to build their image, share content, and call for support for the young monks.

A series of YouTube channels, TikToks, and Facebook fan pages bearing the name Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai (later renamed Thiền Am Bên Bờ Vũ Trụ) appeared. Notably, on the channel 5 Chú Tiểu – Thiền Am Bên Bờ Vũ Trụ, two bank account details were publicly displayed in the introduction to solicit charitable donations.

According to Tịnh Thất Bồng Lai, at its peak, the YouTube channel "5 Little Monks" earned approximately 200 million VND, with some months reaching 100 million VND in revenue, averaging around 50 million VND per month.

When the adults at Tinh That Bong Lai were prosecuted and detained, their YouTube channel with over 2.1 million followers gradually went into a state of "freezing." Only recently, after Nhi Nguyen completed his prison sentence, have signs emerged suggesting a potential return to the group's social media presence, leading the public to continue questioning the future of the children once known as the "5 little monks."

Nhi Nguyen: Just released from prison with a controversial personal life, his "new move" shocks netizens. Tuyết Linh14:45:34 11/01/2026Having just been released from prison, Le Thanh Nhi Nguyen reappeared publicly, immediately sparking a heated debate on social media. Public opinion was particularly interested in his plans after his prolonged period of silence.