It's a pity that Huynh Kim Tho missed out on the Golden Rice Award 2025.

The Golden Rice Award 2025 concluded on the afternoon of December 27th at the VOH Theater, leaving many viewers disappointed as contestant Huỳnh Kim Tho missed out on the championship title.

Báo Tuổi Trẻ•27/12/2025

Golden rice stalks - Photo 1.

General Director of Ho Chi Minh City Radio and Television Station Cao Anh Minh (far left) next to the three top prize winners of the Golden Rice Award 2025, from left to right: champion Nguyen Thi Hong Toan, second prize winner Huynh Kim Tho and third prize winner Lam Chi Ngoan - Photo: LINH DOAN

Before announcing the winner of the 2025 Golden Rice Award, the MC asked the audience who they guessed would be the champion. Many audience members shouted: Huynh Kim Tho. However, the champion title ultimately went to contestant Nguyen Thi Hong Toan.

The runner-up of the Golden Rice Award made a strong impression.

The reason for this regret is that contestant Huỳnh Kim Tho's performance (from An Giang ) made a strong impression on the audience, surpassing the performances of the other contestants.

She played the role of Consort Nguyen Thi Anh in the excerpt "The Turmoil of the Dynasty" by author Ngo Quoc Khanh.

This is an excerpt where Nguyen Thi Anh dreams of reuniting with her husband, King Le Thai Tong. Later, Le Nghi Dan kills both her and her son, Crown Prince Bang Co.

This short excerpt provides an opportunity for Kim Tho to showcase her singing and acting abilities, as Mrs. Nguyen Thi Anh confronts her husband, Nghi Dan, and major cases such as the trial of the entire Nguyen Trai family.

Huynh Kim Tho auditions for the role of Nguyen Thi Anh in the excerpt "The Turmoil of the Dynasty" - Video : LINH DOAN

It's safe to say that Kim Tho shone with her powerful voice, and the character she portrayed suited her abilities perfectly, so from beginning to end, the audience continuously applauded.

Recently, Kim Tho was selected to reach the final round of the Golden Bell Vọng Cổ Singing Competition. However, she was eliminated early in the first night of the competition.

Appearing today in the Golden Rice round of the Golden Rice competition to find the champion, Huỳnh Kim Tho surprised everyone with her remarkable progress.

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Huynh Kim Tho's performance of "Dynasty Chaos" received support from artists To Tan Loan and Hung Vuong - Photo: LINH DOAN

Judge Phuong Loan commented that Huynh Kim Tho performed excellently. "You have a strong voice and inner strength, which allowed you to clearly express the thoughts and feelings of the character through each psychological shift."

"I got goosebumps watching her performance when Nguyen Thi Anh looked at the severed head of her son, Prince Bang Co. Her acting was very professional, even though she's not a professional actress."

However, Phuong Loan felt very sorry that Kim Tho's performance of the vong co (traditional Vietnamese folk song) was somewhat weak, explaining that Tho was probably tired from putting too much energy into the performance at the beginning. Phuong Loan thought that if Kim Tho had known how to control her energy and save it for the vong co part to be complete, her performance would have been absolutely wonderful.

Hong Toan won first prize for her portrayal of Ly Chieu Hoang.

Traditional Vietnamese folk songs (vọng cổ) are always highly valued in cải lương talent competitions. Therefore, mistakes related to the ability to perform vọng cổ often put contestants at a disadvantage.

Due to her mistake, Kim Tho missed out on the championship title that seemed within her grasp. She received second place with a score of 19.95. The winner of the Golden Rice Award 2025 was Nguyen Thi Hong Toan (also from An Giang) with a total score of 19.97, only slightly higher than Huynh Kim Tho. She received the Golden Rice Award trophy and a prize worth 100 million VND.

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Nguyen Thi Hong Toan, winner of the Golden Rice Award 2025, portrays Ly Chieu Hoang in "Monologue at Night" - Photo: LINH DOAN

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Contestant Nguyen Thi Tuyet performing an excerpt from the play "The Integrity of Bui Thi Xuan" - Photo: LINH DOAN

Nguyen Thi Hong Toan submitted an excerpt from "Night Monologue" (by Le Duy Hanh). She portrayed Ly Chieu Hoang, the last female monarch of the Ly dynasty, full of anxieties as she faced Tran Thu Do, Tran Canh, Thuan Thien, and others…

The Golden Rice Award is considered the oldest traditional Vietnamese folk music and cải lương (reformed opera) competition in Ho Chi Minh City. This year marks the 32nd season of the competition.

The Golden Rice Award 2025 attracted over 500 participants, who competed in the Sowing, Seedling, Heading, and Golden Rice stages. The six most outstanding contestants were selected to compete on the afternoon of December 27th.

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Contestant Tran Van Vang and supporting performer Yen Khoa with the performance "Finding Life Again" - Photo: LINH DOAN

In addition to the first and second prizes, the judges also awarded a third prize to contestant Lam Chi Ngoan, and consolation prizes to Nguyen Thi Tuyet, Le Anh Nam, and Tran Van Vang.

LINH DOAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/huynh-kim-tho-truot-quan-quan-bong-lua-vang-2025-dang-tiec-20251227192611728.htm