Two other bikes trailed closely behind, sometimes pulling alongside My Kim’s, sometimes dropping back. They carried the director and cameraman.

Inside Kim’s helmet, instructions crackled over a radio: “Rest your hands lightly on his waist”, “Look straight ahead”, “Smile naturally.”

Every moment was captured, and later this footage would be edited by professionals before being sent to Kim. It was a date rental service that allowed Kim to choose her Prince Charming and his “White Horse” from an extensive list for VND2 million (US$76). “Leaning against him as we cruised the streets, I felt like the leading lady in a romantic drama,” she says, finally actualizing her long-held ideal of romance.

Date rental services have recently become a viral sensation in HCMC and elsewhere. They originated in East Asian cities across China, Japan and South Korea, where professional male “escorts” for doing city tours have long been popular.

A survey by Read found there are nearly 10 motorcycle groups in Ho Chi Minh City and five in Hanoi offering this service, all of which are fully booked for the next two months.

On social media, “Motor Vietnam” has blown up with many posts and videos attracting millions of views. The trend has sparked lively debates in high-capacity bike forums with its new income opportunities for riders with the right looks and gear.

In Vietnam the service has adapted to suit local tastes and budgets. But many are surprised to find the production quality and professionalism of these agencies are every bit as good as their international counterparts despite costing much less.

Customers in Ho Chi Minh City pay anywhere from a few hundred thousand to several million dong, depending on the package.

The service is not just for the young; it has also captivated middle-aged women.

For Nguyen Hanh, 43, her hectic work often meant she neglected her emotional needs, and hoped to rediscover the romantic spark of her youth by renting a date. “Having a polite, handsome young man help me with my helmet, lift me onto the bike, and check in on me thoughtfully made me feel young again,” she says.

Despite being mentally prepared, she admits she could not help feel a bit shy during her date. A 30-second clip of her nighttime cruise later garnered tens of thousands of views on social media.

Nguyen Ngoc Phuoc, founder of the Dream Moto group in Ho Chi Minh City, noted that demand has skyrocketed since early December. After their first video went live, the group received thousands of inquiries, primarily from women aged 20 to 40.

For VND700,000- 950,000 per video, clients can enjoy a ride on a high-capacity motorcycle or even hire a rider for a birthday parade.

To ensure premium quality, Phuoc’s crew limits themselves to only three clients per night.

A typical shoot involves four to five employees – including the rider, cameraman, and lighting technician – usually gathering near Ba Son Bridge at 8 p.m. to avoid traffic.

“We stay in our lanes and strictly follow traffic laws. We create the allure through filming techniques, camera angles and lighting, rather than risky stunts,” Phuoc explains.

The group is fully booked until the end of February.

Pham Ngoc Trung, a former dean of cultural development at the Academy of Journalism and Communication, notes this trend is part of the “emotion economy,” which has flourished globally in the post-Covid era.

He suggests the huge demand for this service signals a shift in traditional Vietnamese values, with the expectation that women should only show romantic affection towards her husband or boyfriend changing.

Modern Vietnamese women are now willing to pay for romance to relieve mental stress without any strings attached, he says. “These fleeting, sweet moments help them recharge and find renewed joy in life”.

Hoang Ha, a lecturer at the Vietnam Women’s Academy, views this as a positive trend that reflects women’s autonomy in choosing their own entertainment. “By taking the initiative to seek out companionship for happiness, they feel more confident. This is a form of emotional healing that should be viewed with an open mind”.

The service providers should provide their staff with basic psychological training to offer customers a more meaningful experience, he adds.