There has been a trend among young Vietnamese to join the Book Bucket Challenge, which is meant to encourage literacy and curiosity about literary works in the community.

Book Bucket Challenge takes Vietnamese youth by storm

The challenge has spread across social media, especially Facebook. It involves each participant to pick their ten favourite books and read them again before challenging others to do the same.

Pham Anh Dung, 23, said he was happy to accept the challenge. “I think that in the end this will have a practical use for society."

Dung, added, though, that he thought this was a temporary phenomenon. Still, even if the movement itself is forgotten, there is a chance it will leave a lasting mark on society.

Many other young people have been actively participating in the challenge, with hopes of inspiring more people to read and share their interest in literature.

“I think it's a really good way to think about which books are important to you personally, and it gives you time to assess yourself,” said one participant named Duc Anh.

The challenge has also given a chance for some to learn more about their friends. “Those who love reading real literature tend to be romantic, while my friends who are into comics seem a bit innocent and childish," said Vu Phuong Nghi, a student attending the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam.

Nghi added, however, that there might be some unpredictable outcomes from the fad because of latency in the time of reading books, or hidden subversive meanings in their content.