"CEO" Nguyen Van Thien still earns tens of millions of VND per month even after being imprisoned?

Nguyen Van Thien has become a familiar name on social media, especially with his image as a dapper "CEO," a consistently cultivated persona through his fashion style, appearances in videos, and a series of statements full of personality.

On YouTube, he owns a channel called TỔNG TÀI OFFICIAL, which currently has 182,000 subscribers despite having only uploaded 7 videos. This number shows Thien's considerable appeal in the digital environment, where viewers are often drawn to personalities with strong characters and unique storytelling styles.

Notably, the channel's content primarily revolves around music – a rather different approach compared to other "social media moguls" who usually focus on lifestyle or short comedies. Nguyen Van Thien's music videos have a distinctly personal style, with a storytelling approach that leans towards emotion, focusing on overcoming difficulties, self-affirmation, and conveying positive energy. However, despite its large following, the channel currently only has around 69,400 views, a rather modest number compared to its subscriber base which is in the hundreds of thousands.

Based on the RPM (Revenue Per View) that YouTube pays per 1,000 views in Vietnam, which is approximately $0.50 - $1.50, the total advertising revenue the channel could generate is estimated to be only around $34.70 - $104, equivalent to 900,000 - 2,700,000 VND. Notably, this is total revenue to date, not monthly income. This amount is considered very small compared to the potential of a channel with a large subscriber base and a relatively polished image.

The main reason for the poor performance of the TỔNG TÀI OFFICIAL channel stems largely from its controversial content. In his recent music releases, Nguyễn Văn Thiên frequently uses phrases like "turn pain into strength," "rewrite destiny," "class doesn't need likes, just vibe," or "I don't need a crown, I need a legacy." These strongly self-assertive lyrics have become a focal point of discussion on social media. Many viewers believe the lyrics are overly sentimental, repetitive, and lack subtlety in conveying emotions.

Furthermore, many opinions suggest that Thien's songs have a more artificial, technological feel than genuine emotion from the artist. The overuse of AI in songwriting has raised concerns about the quality and artistic depth of newly released products. This has led to music videos, despite their visually impressive productions, quickly receiving mixed reviews, diminishing the channel's natural reach.

In reality, with 182,000 subscribers, if content is well-structured and videos are released regularly, the TỔNG TÀI OFFICIAL channel could easily achieve 100,000 - 300,000 views per month. This number is enough to generate YouTube income ranging from 3 - 10 million VND/month, or even higher if a video goes viral.

However, this period marked a disruption in Nguyen Van Thien's activities when he became entangled in legal troubles. This completely halted content development, image expansion, and revenue generation from the platform. A YouTube channel that was experiencing strong growth suddenly became a "forgotten fertile ground," significantly limiting its long-term potential.

CEO Nguyen Van Thien released a MV before his arrest, with vulgar lyrics. Hoàng Phúc14:58:45 10/12/2025Although not a professional singer, Thien still released the music video "Tong Tai Times-City" and promoted the product as a foray into singing, calling it a declaration of a man emerging from the storm.