The thrilling love story of a girl who left Russia to marry a Vietnamese 'stage wizard'

Director Hoang Cong Cuong is famous for his billion-dollar shows that satisfy the public with their grandiose investments, unique ideas and bold approaches. But few people know that this talented young man, who has fought on many large and small stages, "fell down" before a beautiful girl in faraway Russia, whom he affectionately calls Bong To. A beautiful young girl born and raised in Russia, caught in the love net of a famous playboy director 11 years older, must have been "love at first sight"? Is Minh Anh's decision to quickly accept his love and then marry him after only a few months of knowing him a risky decision? Minh Anh : As a woman, of course I have to weigh many things when deciding to commit to someone. Born and raised in Russia, I have never met men living in Vietnam, so I don't understand their lifestyle, I only know the Vietnamese community living in Russia. But when I met Cuong, it was love at first sight, I clearly saw his sincerity towards me. Not only that, when I was with this man, I felt very safe. In particular, unlike many people living in Russia who only care about themselves, Cuong always looks towards his family, both his family and his wife's family. This suits me very well, always cherishing traditional values. I am curious whether Hoang Cong Cuong conquered you or your parents first? Minh Anh : We have known each other since 2015, when Cuong went to Russia as my mother's partner, at that time she was a famous show producer. At first, we were just Facebook friends and occasionally talked. In 2019, I returned to Vietnam for 2 weeks, Cuong saw my post and asked me out for coffee. From then on, we talked more often and I was drawn to him without realizing it. Next were the days when I had to change my plane ticket frequently. In the end, I decided to cancel the ticket, not return to Russia but stay in Vietnam until today (laughs). My parents saw that their daughter had not come back to Vietnam for a long time and were anxious to fly back to Vietnam, but were picked up at the airport by their "future son-in-law". After that, Cuong came to my house every day to eat. I think that the ones who "fell in love" with him first were probably my parents. Hoang Cong Cuong : I still remember Bong To's father saying this: "You and I have been in Russia for decades, Bong has been at home all the time and doesn't know anything, you and I sent her to Cuong to teach". I decided to ask: "Uncle, aunt, starting from today, may I call you mom and dad?". My father-in-law replied: "Always?", and my mother-in-law just smiled. Speaking more about my mother-in-law, I used to call her sister Van, but when I got to know my daughter, I changed the way I addressed her to aunt. Later on, I discovered that I was very compatible when talking to my wife's parents. Actually, when I first came to Russia, I didn’t “check out” Bong, but I loved other girls (laughs). I’m 11 years older than Bong, and I was impressed that this girl was so pretty! But I never thought I would fall in love with her, because of the geographical distance and the age gap.

A director with many tricks like you, surely the proposal must be unique and strange? Hoang Cong Cuong : It turns out that it was not like that, sister! It was fate, out of 12 passports, 11 "passed the test", only Bong was held back and not granted a visa to Russia, so she stayed in Vietnam. Like other couples, we had months of passionate love and many kinds of anger. My birthday was held in Dai Lai, that day Bong had a fever, was very tired but still took a taxi from Hanoi with the intention of giving a gift and saying goodbye. Bong's actions made my mother very worried that her precious daughter was going far away, afraid that something would happen on the way. That day, the company that organized my birthday had a program inviting my biological parents to ride to the stage. My parents did not know that we were angry with each other, so they told Bong to ride in the same car. Seeing Bong appear again with her parents even though we hadn't talked for a few days, but when she gave me her birthday present on stage, I seemed to forget what happened before, holding Bong's hand and introducing her to each table, the atmosphere was no different from a wedding. The next day (October 15, 2020), I went to buy a diamond ring and went to Bong's house. When I got there, my mother-in-law was cooking and Bong had just finished bathing, I proposed in front of her mother. It was simple but warm and meaningful.

Before we could say goodbye and exchange engagement rings, you two quickly tied the knot in a hasty wedding? Hoang Cong Cuong : You know, the 5 months of preparing for the wedding was a terrifying time for the two of us. Bong thought that proposing was a confirmation of love, and we didn't know when we would get married. But I kept in mind that "when you get married, you have to get married right away" so we decided to hold it right away. At every stage of preparation, we argued. When I went to Sapa to take photos, a wrong phone call from my ex-lover made me miserable, Bong wanted to cancel the wedding. When my mother-in-law asked, I struggled to explain that I had nothing to do with the past. A week before the wedding, the Covid epidemic hit, I planned to postpone it because I was afraid no one would dare to go. The day before the wedding, on March 11, I received many calls asking about the situation, the whole family stayed up until 6am. We had booked 37 tables at the hotel, but if the guests were afraid and did not come, we would have just needed the two of you to witness and we would have been ready to go up on stage to celebrate the wedding. Luckily, there were many guests who came to celebrate, making the couple moved to tears that night.

Is your life after marriage filled with happiness? Minh Anh : I lived "unsteadily", feeling like I was walking on a tightrope for 3 years because I could not integrate into life in my home country. In Russia, people live slowly, while in Vietnam everything is busier and faster. Honestly, I don't know how to ride a motorbike, and I don't even dare to cross the street because of the complicated traffic even when there are traffic lights. Because I couldn't keep up with life in the capital, during my pregnancy and after giving birth, I suffered from mild depression. I felt like I had become a worse version of myself. When I was in Russia, I was an active person, I worked as an interpreter for medical events, courts, and taught Russian to Vietnamese people... But when I lived in Vietnam, I was almost completely dependent on my husband. The climax was when we argued, I felt very desperate. Hoang Cong Cuong : When I returned to Vietnam, Bong's whole world shrunk to the size of me, so she monitored me 24/7, crying, laughing, and being jealous, depending on my emotions. Bong devoted everything to her husband, no friends, no partners. There were times when I felt suffocated and extremely frustrated. Bong was very jealous! I don't know how she found out about my love history from ancient times to the present to compare. When I went to an event and stood close to or took pictures with any beautiful female artist, something happened. Sometimes I wondered: "I wonder at what stage Bong and I will 'collapse'?". Luckily, that period of time with many negative states did not last too long. We were like colorful puzzle pieces that found a way to fit together. After getting married, I completely changed, no longer flying around, wandering everywhere, but returning to reality. No longer the romantic type that forgets the world, doesn't care about tomorrow, and doesn't indulge in alcohol. Bong is like a stake holding a kite string, and I am a kite that only flies within a framework. If you don't meet her, perhaps people will see Hoang Cong Cuong with a shaggy beard, heavy chains around his arms and neck, wandering around the world. After becoming a husband and a father, it seems that he has formed a new outlook on life that helps balance everything. The programs directed by Hoang Cong Cuong are also more sublime and creative, can you explain? Hoang Cong Cuong : Since getting married, my way of thinking as a director has changed, gradually becoming deeper and more mellow. The programs do not "show off" the grandeur and sophistication, but begin to touch the hearts of the audience, each layer of their emotions is "peeled" out, understood with maturity so that everything can be sublimated. Before, I only focused on creating stages to satisfy myself to the fullest, just like my "riotous" personality. Although there are programs that are not necessarily like that, I still aspire to make the audience "swoon". The live show Ban Gioc Love Story marked my maturity, with a lot of expectations but still could not stand out compared to recent shows. After getting married, it seems that the programs I directed have had a much better influence and media effect than before, maybe because of my wife's "luck" (laughs). Is it difficult to be a traditional Vietnamese daughter-in-law, Minh Anh? Minh Anh : My in-laws are very kind and love their daughter-in-law. I don't hide my ignorance, on the first day we met, I didn't know how to pick squash, so when my mother-in-law assigned me the task, I immediately asked my grandmother to show me the way. When worshiping the Kitchen Gods, I also had to go online to see how many carps I needed to buy. Thanks to Google, I can now cook a whole feast! Hoang Cong Cuong : Although my parents are very traditional, they love her very much. When preparing a Tet meal, Bong didn't know how to cut the ham into 6 equal pieces, so she invested in a "combo" of rulers, compasses, and cardboard to cut it properly. My family's story is so funny and adorable! What are the outstanding points about the other person that won your heart, and what are the negative points for your relationship? Minh Anh : Warmth and generosity. I like gallant men, "talk big", never regret spending on their family, and live filial to their parents. I admire Cuong's passion for his career, when in battle, he puts all his effort, is devoted, and forgets everything. But he is quite hot-tempered and too talkative, which is also a negative point because... it makes many people miss him. Hoang Cong Cuong : Bong makes me more mature and grown up because my personality is inherently very childish, and I like to joke around with people. All the things she buys are very standard, while the things I buy are often left in the corner. Bong also taught me how to spend scientifically and manage personal finances effectively. At home, who of you plays the bad guy? Minh Anh : I usually play the bad guy. At home, the son is more attached to his father because he doesn't scold or stop him, always creating conditions for him to indulge his passion. For example, letting him play in the water freely, while his mother is anxious about him getting sick or having his clothes dirty. I think he's very artistic, but is learning the piano at an old age just for fun or for something else? Hoang Cong Cuong : The starting point is that my friends and I often gather to play guitar and piano, so I want to learn to join in the fun when needed. After 7 sessions, I discovered that learning the piano is like meditation, making people calm down, calm down and promote creativity. When I immerse myself in the sounds, I forget about my phone and messy work, just focus on the sound of the piano, feeling my life is more balanced. After Tet, I plan to learn drums - because this is a subject that helps relieve stress and activates the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Sometimes there are two people in me. When I step onto the stage, Cuong is like a crazy, ecstatic person, but when I am a business owner, I am very calm.

Do you think this is the time for the husband to hold back and let his wife develop? Since the end of 2023, people have known Minh Anh not only as Hoang Cong Cuong's assistant, but also as a General Director. Is taking on such a big responsibility a burden for Minh Anh? Minh Anh : It is a huge pressure, I have to relearn many things, from the simplest things like how to communicate, improve knowledge and get close to employees as well as people around Mr. Cuong. I have to get rid of the label of a housewife, a stay-at-home mother. It is a long and difficult process because Mr. Cuong has been running the company for more than 10 years and is growing strongly. With almost zero working experience in Vietnam, I have to try hard to fulfill the responsibility. Hoang Cong Cuong : Choosing my wife to be the company's General Director is a strange and non-strategic decision. That was the time when the company was growing strongly and had to face revolutionary reforms related to human resources. At that time, I really had a lot of difficulties in making decisions. The only person by my side in this difficult turning point was Bong. She helped me balance and gave me confidence to overcome all obstacles. From then on, I realized my wife's leadership qualities in managing and operating the business, working side by side with me to build and develop the company. Accompanying each other as a family, but what difficulties did you two encounter in managing the company? Minh Anh : At the company, everyone calls him "Pixa" (Vietnamese pronunciation of the word "Your Majesty" in Chinese - PV) so I am no exception. Before, when there was something frustrating at the company, my husband would tell his wife or text her. But now, whenever something happens, we can talk about it on the spot and resolve it right away, saving time for other things. The downside is that seeing each other often can be boring. But that helps me control my husband less because I trust him enough and my busy work makes me not have to think too much about extramarital affairs. Hoang Cong Cuong : Bong changed me completely, I used to be a flirt. After getting married, I started a different career, paying attention to managing emotions, family, human resources, and the company. From there, I was able to plan what would be a harmonious mindset between finance and art to create "scoring efficiency".