The crew officially announced the last 5 talents to participate in "Older Brothers Overcoming Thousands of Obstacles" 2026, including: Jun Pham, Duy Khanh, BB Tran, Neko Le and Thanh Duy. These are all faces who made a strong impression in the first season thanks to their performance ability, team spirit and unique appeal.
Jun Pham said that he returned to the new season with a gentler mindset. The male singer admitted that in the first season he was too stressed and tense because he placed heavy emphasis on winning or losing. Meanwhile, Duy Khanh revealed that he once intended to refuse to participate, but finally changed his mind after being "invited" by a close brother every day.
Neko Le also shared that there are still many unfinished things from the 2024 season, so she wants to return to try her hand at performance, vocals and the role of group leader. BB Tran continues to bring the familiar charming entertainment color, while Thanh Duy affirmed that the program helps him change a lot in spirit and be more open in professional relationships.
Although the official lineup has been completed, Trung Quan Idol's absence still causes discussion on social networks. Previously, the male singer was named in the case of being accused of "physical impact" on a woman after a party in Ho Chi Minh City. The incident became noisy when social networks spread a post from the female doctor's husband who was a victim in the Trung Quan Idol beating incident.
The apology message of Trung Quan Idol, publicly shared by the female doctor's husband, mentions the detail "soon to compete in Chông gai", causing many viewers to believe that Trung Quan Idol was once on the list to participate in the program.
After that, many opinions expressed concern that if the male singer appeared, it would affect the image of "Anh Trai Vuot Ngan Chong Gai", especially when the program is building a positive brand and aiming for inspirational elements. Before the controversy, the producer side once spoke out that the artist list has not been officially announced and the information circulating online is only speculative.
Up to now, when 34 talents have been fully revealed without the name Trung Quan Idol, many viewers believe that the crew has carefully considered the public reaction. Choosing to bring back 5 familiar faces is also considered a safe direction, both creating a sense of connection with old viewers and limiting media risks.
