A sophomore so impressed by a ‘love market’ in the famed mountainous tourist town of Sa Pa where young boys and girls gather for festive activities to seek their other half has decided to bring the idea to Ho Chi Minh City.

Among the cultural distinctions of Sa Pa, located in the northern province of Lao Cai, the ‘love market’ is a place where generations of young people from local ethnic minority groups have found their better half.

“I was amazed when I attended the 'Sa Pa love market’ in December last year and I wondered why there was no such activity in Saigon,” Van Dinh Khuong told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

The 20-year-old Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City mechanics major said the ‘Saigon love market’ is a place where “young singles get to know each other and make friends in a sincere way.”

After much work, the single young man managed to organize the first-ever session of the 'Saigon love market' in mid-March.

To promote the event, Khuong ran an online advertisement, promising a “life-changing opportunity for those who have been on their own for too long and wonder why they cannot find a partner.”

While the ad attracted 1,100 registrations, only 150 lucky people were selected as participants.

On March 13, they gathered at 23-9 Park in the city’s downtown area to participate in numerous icebreaker activities to help them get to know each other.

During the event, there were moments of romance when people who believed they had found the missing half of their souls at the ‘love market’ would confess their love.

“Will you be my girlfriend?” a young man holding a bouquet of flowers gently spoke to a young girl, while surrounded by other participants, next to a heart shaped outlined by glowing candles.

The recipient of the confession paused for a second, as her face reddened, and eventually said “yes” amid an explosion of cheers and applauses.

The man, transportation student Phan Van Quyen, happily kissed the hand of his new girlfriend, Phan Thi Dieu Lanh, a finance-marketing major.

The two said it was the first time either of them had participated in such a public display of affection.

“Lanh is neither beautiful nor outstanding, but her smile touches my heart,” Quyen said. “We will both norture this love.”

Other participants said the ‘love market’ gave them the chance to really feel what it means to love and be loved.

Four couples were eventually matched at the inaugural session of the market, but all participants left happy, believing that finding new friends, instead of lovers, was more than enough.

“Love was built naturally and sincerely among the participants, and the ‘love market’ will be the start for them to nurture this feeling,” Khuong said.

The founder said he will continue organizing the ‘Saigon love market’ on a monthly basis to “offer a new, meaningful playground for young people to meet.”

Khuong also addressed critics who said the ‘love market’ is a means of encouragement for “speeding dating and fast love,” saying people should not judge the initiative by its name.

“Despite being called ‘love market,’ it is in fact a friend-making and matchmaking event for youths,” he said.

“I want people to come to make friends based on true feelings and experience life to its fullest, as true love is sacred and needs more time than just a playground like this.”