Newday Media is proud to announce that the arts program “"The Legendary Train"” – The elaborately staged musical for the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism – has brilliantly won the award. Yellow in International Business Awards 2025 (IBA), belonging to the system Stevie Awards honor.
In particular, this is for the third time in a row Newday Media was honored with a Gold Award at one of the most prestigious international awards in the field of creative business and media. This achievement once again affirms Newday Media's pioneering position in creating internationally acclaimed artistic products, while simultaneously spreading the cultural and historical values of Vietnam to friends around the world.
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“"The Legendary Train" – An epic on the modern stage.
Released to the public on the date May 31, 2024 At Saigon Port, the "Legendary Ship" is Season two of the art program series "The River Tells Stories"“. Under the direction of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, and in coordination with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism and the Department of Culture and Sports, the program was directly produced and staged by Newday Media.
The work is led by General director and screenwriter Le Hai Yen, who is known as "The Storyteller with the Heart," along with the participation of many leading names in the field of art such as Stage director Pham Hoang Nam, musician Duc Tri, choreographer Tan Loc.
The Legendary Train – 90 minutes with 5 explosive chapters
The art program "The River Tells Stories" Season 2 – "The Legendary Train Journey" opened the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City River Festival in 2024.
With a running time of nearly 90 minutes, the program recreates the journey of the nation's modern history through 5 chapters:
Chapter 1 – Launching:
Opening with spectacular scenes, the first chapter recreates the formation and development of the Chu Su shipyard during the Nguyen Dynasty – the precursor to Vietnam's shipbuilding industry. Images of the first ships being launched evoke pride in the tradition of nation-building and defense from the early days of history.
A simulated image of the first ship built by the Vietnamese during the Nguyen Dynasty being launched.
Chapter 2 – Arrival:
The stage setting transports the audience back to the 19th century, the time when the Ba Son shipyard was established – a legendary symbol of Vietnamese workers. The climax of this chapter is a reenactment of the historic Ba Son workers' strike in August 1925, an event that became a significant milestone, opening a new phase in the development of the Vietnamese workers' movement and revolutionary movement.
Revolutionary leader Ton Duc Thang called for an uprising and strike at the Ba Son shipyard.
Chapter 3 – Setting Sail:
Against a backdrop of immersive, cinematic stage performances, the third act recreates the historic journey that carried the young Nguyen Tat Thanh on his quest to save the nation. The image of the Amiral Latouche-Tréville ship leaving port, carrying the aspiration for national independence, is depicted with great emotion, recalling a momentous turning point in modern Vietnamese history.
The Amiral Latouche-Tréville train carried Uncle Ho on his journey to find a way to save the country.
Chapter 4 – Turmoil:
The stage erupted with scenes of the fierce battles fought by the Rung Sac Special Forces during the resistance war of 1966–1975. Performances combining light, fire, and sound effects recreated the river engulfed in flames, bombs raining down, while simultaneously depicting the heroic sacrifices and glorious achievements of the special forces soldiers.
“"Rising Waves" recreates the image of the heroic special forces soldiers of the Rừng Sác Forest.
Chapter 5 – Reaching Further:
Concluding the journey, the final act brings the audience back to the present with a stage set up with colorful shipping containers, combined with continuously changing 3D mapping. The image of the modern Saigon port is recreated, reflecting the rapid development after nearly half a century of reunification and Vietnam's aspiration to rise strongly towards the open sea.
Through a harmonious blend of diverse performing arts (singing, dancing, acting) and modern stage technology, "The Legendary Train" delivered an overwhelming experience that touched the emotions of tens of thousands of viewers. More than just an artistic performance, the program was a "living lesson" about history, fostering national pride and the aspiration for Vietnam's development in the new era.
The program has attracted more 9,000 viewers watched live. at Saigon Port and more 10 million online viewers on television and social media platforms. In the digital space, "The Legendary Train" became a media phenomenon, generating more than 157,000 interactions, 36,500 discussions, attract 43 million reach and was reported by 4,435 articles Both domestically and internationally, the online community has praised the program's creativity and symbolism, considering it a "cultural phenomenon" that helps bring the image of Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam closer to international friends.
The audience consistently expressed enthusiastic applause for each performance.
IBA – A prestigious global award
The International Business Awards (IBA) is one of the world's leading awards, celebrating outstanding achievements in business, media, and innovation. 2025 marks the 22nd season of the IBA, bringing together over [number] winners. 3,800 nominations were submitted from 78 countries and territories.. It is precisely this prestige, transparency, and global influence that has led Newday Media to choose IBA for many years to challenge itself and bring its creative products, deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture and history, to international audiences.
This award holds special significance for Newday Media. It's not only a crucial milestone in our journey to establish our brand internationally, but also demonstrates our ability to create, organize, and execute large-scale art projects where culture and history are conveyed through modern, accessible, and emotionally rich artistic language. This success is a tremendous encouragement for the artists, directors, technicians, and all staff of Newday Media, who have dedicated themselves to creating an artwork that is both professionally valuable and iconic.
General director Le Hai Yen and the program production team.
Judges' comments
The international judging panel of IBA 2025 gave special praise to “The Legendary Train”:
- One judge confirmed this is “An outstanding event, executed with compelling evidence and data, demonstrating a powerful impact on the community and the city.”.
- One judge called the show “A spectacular cultural spectacle, a masterful blend of history, art, and community engagement, setting a new standard for large-scale storytelling.”.
- Another opinion that praises the work is “An iconic cultural achievement, transforming the Saigon River into a vibrant, immersive stage, while simultaneously celebrating Vietnamese heritage and affirming world-class creative capabilities.”.
- The judges also praised the blend of stage technology, outdoor activities, and digital interaction, considering it a testament to a successful model of modern art-tourism-media.
- Some commenters also expressed a desire for the program to be further expanded on digital platforms to bring this unique experience to a wider global audience.
(See the original judge's comments in the attached image below.)
Words of gratitude and commitment
Newday Media would like to express our deepest gratitude to the audience, partners, artists, and the entire creative team who have accompanied us on the journey of making "The Legendary Train." Each award received is not only an honor but also a responsibility for us to continue striving for innovation and creating unique artistic products worthy of the public's trust and love.
In the future, Newday Media is committed to continuing to deliver high-quality art programs and cultural and entertainment events, contributing to promoting the image of a dynamic, creative, and culturally rich Vietnam to international friends.
Watch all the performances from the show that made a special impression on the international judges here:
At the same time, the journey behind the works that have left a lasting impression on the audience is also shared by General Director Le Hai Yen and her team in this podcast series. “"What's Behind"”– now broadcast on the channel YouTube and Spotify Official of Newday Media.
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