Who are the talented, loving, and popular artist couple in Vietnamese showbiz?

2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the relationship between artists Nguyen Ngoc Anh and To Minh Duc. Both had experienced failed marriages, so when they met, fell in love, and became a couple, they cherished their feelings for each other even more.

- When you first met To Minh Duc, what was it about him that attracted you?

Nguyen Ngoc Anh: I work in the arts, but I don't let emotions get the better of me, so I always keep work, relationships, and finances separate. There have been times when I've had crushes, but I've always stopped there and never gone beyond the limits. Therefore, I haven't had any romantic relationships with people in the arts.

To Minh Duc was the first person in my circle that I fell in love with, and later married. Every relationship needs emotions, and whether or not two people end up together depends on fate, and Duc is probably the one with the most luck.

I met To Minh Duc when he was backing vocals for my album with Hai Au in 2013. I discussed songs with Duc, and the conversation started off without a clear beginning or end, revolving solely around music . Duc has a distinctive personality in music, and he's quite captivating, but when we met, I only considered him a younger colleague, someone I could talk to about music.

- Initially, the two addressed each other as "sister" because To Minh Duc was 3 years younger than her?

Nguyen Ngoc Anh: Yes! After that, we gradually dropped the subject and predicate and started flirting. It might be Duc's habit, because he's quite romantic in the industry, while I only have a few close friends and connections with people in the industry through work. That's why my feelings for Duc were so pure.

Later, many people asked why we fell in love, and it's inexplicable. It was a natural feeling, without any psychological influence whatsoever. We simply met, found we clicked, talked, and fell in love. When we were in love, we didn't define anything; we just loved each other. When we felt compatible, we lived together, then I got pregnant, and everything else just happened. What was meant to be, happened, that's all!

- What gesture, words, or other factor determined To Minh Duc's ability to "win over" Nguyen Ngoc Anh?

Nguyen Ngoc Anh: The world may say whatever it wants about him, but when I'm in love with him and spending time with him, I find him to be a good, sincere, and honest person. He has some minor flaws that are common in men, but what I see in Duc is his sincerity.

In life, there are men who are extremely glib and insincere, yet easily win over women. Their cleverness allows them to gain the affection of many people, which in turn creates more opportunities for them, but Germany is not like that.

They might think he's a strong-willed person, but when I'm with him, I appreciate that because I understand that To Minh Duc is a good person. I'm often praised for being tactful, but I'm also straightforward. Therefore, I respect Duc's personality, love him, cherish him, and feel happy to be with someone like him.

- Kindness and honesty are wonderful qualities, but as you said, sometimes that honesty puts him at a disadvantage. So, did Nguyen Ngoc Anh ever offer advice to To Minh Duc to make things easier for him at work?

Nguyen Ngoc Anh: I talked about this issue, and Duc always said it's hard to change because that's the way he's chosen to live. But the longer we're together, the less irritable Duc becomes.

German women are generally more gentle and tolerant. A German man has absolute respect for his wife, and he always takes my opinions to heart. A man who listens to his mother and wife will never lose out.

I'm not a fussy person and I know how to gauge my husband's reaction. I'm gentle but not nagging; I only bring up important issues to discuss. And whenever that happens, he listens.

When Germany plays, they either don't play at all, or when they do, they cherish the people they associate with like family. I appreciate that about Germany. At middle age, I think it's better not to socialize too much; spending time with a select few is more important than having a wide circle of people without quality connections.

- It seems you two understand each other and know how to compromise, but conflicts and disagreements are inevitable in a marriage. Do you argue often, and when you do, who is the first to back down?

Nguyen Ngoc Anh: Interestingly, Duc and I are almost in complete agreement; we never argue before making a major decision like finances, children, or careers. However, we sometimes do argue about small things in life.

In the past, I would always be more patient to de-escalate tensions. Perhaps because I'm older and a woman, with more experience, everything I said was specific, scientific, and rational. We would sit down and talk calmly to find a solution, so we almost never stayed angry at each other for too long.

- Are there any negative traits in your partner that you would like to change?

Nguyen Ngoc Anh: I want Duc to keep the good qualities in himself because it is those qualities that made me love him, live with him, and bear children for him.

I'm just a woman, and I have my own feminine quirks that he doesn't want to see. But that's fate. It's a natural fit, sometimes unexpected, that you never thought would lead you to hold hands with someone. So I cherish both the good and the bad points in my partner. We're there to correct each other and make each other better.

I just wanted to tell Duc that, in all circumstances, we must love and cherish each other, and communicate honestly. I love my husband very much! I was very emotional telling my sister this because I looked back on the past 10 years. Therefore, we must be at peace with our choice and must cherish it; I never let my guard down in preserving our happiness.

To Minh Duc: There's only one thing I don't like about my wife, and that's her nagging. But I believe it's just her personality, and nobody's perfect in life. Just like in art, we both have our own personalities, and that doesn't need to change. And in life, we have relatively similar mindsets, so we can make big decisions without much deliberation.

- How many years have you two been together up to this point?

Nguyen Ngoc Anh: We've been together for exactly 10 years now. There are many things in a marriage. Besides the initial love, there's also affection and a strong bond in many aspects. And especially, I deeply cherish the relationship between our two families, with their respect for elders and established traditions.

Family traditions are very important to a couple because they bind their children together—his children, my children, our children—it's a crucial connecting thread. When two people are in love, it's simple: if the love is gone, they break up.

But if it's my husband, my children, my husband's family, my own family – my blood relatives – then it's a different story. At that time, I have to put love above all else. These are the people I would never abandon, never betray.

- You just mentioned the "my child, your child" thing, so I guess Ngoc Anh's eldest child is all grown up by now...

Nguyen Ngoc Anh: My daughter is 19 years old this year and a freshman in university. Sometimes she lives with her father, sometimes with her mother, and she likes it that way. Her father's new wife is also very kind, so I think Phuong Anh is a happy child because she feels the warmth of both families. We live in a civilized way so that our daughter can be happy.

Perhaps our separation wasn't happy for our child, but afterwards we both learned how to grow up and be responsible parents, even though we're no longer together. Duc is the same; he loves our child very much. His ex-wife is capable and civilized. Therefore, both families always share stories harmoniously, and there's no issue of preventing each other from discussing matters concerning our child.

- So what role did you and Duc play in connecting your stepdaughter, your husband's stepdaughter, with Mia, your biological daughter? Do you sisters see each other often?

Nguyen Ngoc Anh: We have three daughters. My eldest daughter was born in 2007. Nhim - Duc's daughter from a previous relationship - was born in 2013 and is very lovely and is in 7th grade, and Mia was born in 2019. The children see each other often; whenever we have free time, the whole family goes out to play together. Another thing I appreciate is my mother-in-law, who is very kind and devoted to her children and grandchildren, almost like a connecting thread for the whole family.

- From what I hear, it seems that Nguyen Ngoc Anh and To Minh Duc are currently living very fulfilling lives...

Nguyen Ngoc Anh: At this age, I've experienced enough, but life is still long and full of surprises ahead, so I must always be equipped and prepared with knowledge, experience, love, tolerance, and kindness for my soul. Who I live with and how I live can completely change, but I must always be conscious of changing and standardizing myself, and then everything will be fine.

I cherish sadness, and I've also had periods of sadness and despair, experiencing many setbacks, but because I was prepared, I overcame them, though not easily. At this point, I'm content with what I have. In my work, I strive for success, but I believe that women need to know when to stop and shouldn't be overly ambitious.

I don't want to be a noisy mother. I feel so good about being the way I am and I'm grateful for life, for my work, and for my audience. There are times when I'm impulsive because my ego is too big, but I quickly realize that a talented artist needs ethics to last. Beauty will fade, my voice will fade, I can only leave behind a unique style, a personal value.

In life, I always seek peace, even though everyone desires fame, wealth, and beauty. I believe the essence of "peace and tranquility" encompasses everything that people aspire to.

To Minh Duc: As an artistic couple living together, we both have strong personalities, so there are occasional clashes, but what I like most about her is her thoughtfulness towards family and friends. The word "An" (meaning peace) is always under both our phone numbers. We always keep that in mind. I often tell Nguyen Ngoc Anh that the less we desire, the more peaceful life will be. Besides work and music, we can talk to each other about anything in life anytime, anywhere.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/cap-vo-chong-nghe-si-hat-hay-tinh-va-hot-cua-showbiz-viet-la-ai-2486629.html