Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have charged eleven people for staging a fake funeral procession in front of Ben Thanh Market as part of a TikTok publicity stunt designed to boost sales for an online clothing shop.
Prosecutors say the group hired mourners, painted a coffin black, and marched it through downtown streets to create a shocking scene that would attract views on social media. The video quickly spread on TikTok, but the stunt triggered strong public backlash and a criminal investigation.
The case centers on Ho Ngoc Tuan, who created a TikTok account called Never GG in early 2024 to sell clothing online. Investigators say Tuan struggled to build an audience, so he turned to more extreme content. After connecting with Nguyen Van Quyet and his wife, the group began searching for ways to generate viral attention.
According to the indictment, Tuan bought a coffin for about three and a half million dong from a funeral supplier and hired workers to repaint it black. He then paid five people from the funeral service to dress in black, cover their heads, and carry the coffin while he filmed.
The group first recorded at a studio, then decided to film again at a more dramatic location. On February 25, the hired carriers walked the coffin along Huyen Tran Cong Chua Street and later moved the stunt to the busy entrance of Ben Thanh Market, one of Ho Chi Minh City’s most visited landmarks.
The final video showed four people carrying the black coffin marked with white letters reading Never GG and Die Everyday as they walked through traffic. After filming, the group loaded the coffin into a car and left the scene.
Tuan later edited the footage into a promotional video and posted it on TikTok, where it gained thousands of views, comments, and shares.
Police identified everyone involved and summoned them for questioning. The group, including the funeral home owner, several employees, and a photographer, now face charges of disturbing public order.
Prosecutors say the stunt caused fear, confusion, and disruption in a crowded tourist area and reflected a growing trend of dangerous content created solely for online engagement.
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Source: Vietnam Insider