Chip Nguyen is taking up acting in Vietnam.
The event I'm referring to is the premiere of "Miss Hanoi" - Chip's debut feature film in which he played the lead role. At the time, the film was a sensation, creating quite a buzz in the Czech Republic and other European countries.
That afternoon, Chip was busy with meetings, handshakes, and interview requests. Although he couldn't dedicate much time to us, Chip still made an impression with his friendly smiles and his slightly accented Vietnamese. When we interviewed Zdeněk Viktora, the director of the film "Miss Hanoi," about Chip Nguyen's acting abilities, he had nothing but praise for him.
That year, Chip Nguyen was 23 years old, just starting out in his acting career, but he had what could be called an excellent educational background.
Born in the Czech Republic, after completing high school, Chip Nguyen moved to the United Kingdom for university and career development. He graduated with honors in Financial Economics from Lancaster University, one of the top 10 universities in the UK. After graduation, he began his career at KPMG, a global financial institution. Initially, Chip Nguyen worked as a technology risk consultant, then transitioned to a sales role specializing in data centers and cloud computing.
But then one day, Europe could no longer hold Chip Nguyen back. He decided to return to his roots – Vietnam – and delve deeper into the world of art.
"Deep down in my heart, I know I am from Thanh Hoa ..."
“My mother is from Hung Yen , and my father is from Thanh Hoa. When I was little, my father often told us stories about his hometown. Most of his memories begin from his childhood until he was 17 years old. In 1986, my father moved to the Czech Republic and settled there. When he left, his homeland was very poor. But he was always proud of his origins, and therefore, deep down, I also feel proud and attached to this place,” Chip Nguyen shared.
When he was a child, he returned to his hometown a few times with his parents. His impression of those brief visits was the warm family atmosphere and the close bond between his relatives.
“Honestly, I never planned to move back to Vietnam before, as my career and life were going very well in London. However, three and a half years ago, my cousin got married, and it had been a long time since I'd seen my grandparents. So, I decided to go back to Vietnam. That trip really became a life-changing event for me. Instead of staying home for three weeks, I decided to stay for three months,” said Chip Nguyen.
It was the first time Chip Nguyen had stayed in Vietnam for so long. Those three months helped him better understand the cultural identity of his homeland. He wanted to learn more Vietnamese, to become fluent in his mother tongue so he could be closer to his family. And, that return also helped Chip Nguyen realize, deep down, the meaning of "roots."
"Now, when people ask me where I'm from, I always say my family is from Thanh Hoa, before mentioning that I was born in the Czech Republic or grew up in England. Despite my busy work schedule, I go back to my hometown every one or two months to visit my relatives. Every time the name Thanh Hoa is mentioned, I feel very proud," Chip Nguyen confided.
Now, when people ask me where I'm from, I always say my family is from Thanh Hoa... Every time the words "Thanh Hoa" are mentioned, I feel very proud.
Chip Nguyen and his family are visiting Vietnam.
Return and pursue your dreams...
Chip Nguyen had previously starred in acclaimed films and performed on major European stages, but when he returned to Vietnam to pursue an acting career, almost no one knew him. He had no connections, no friends... Everything seemed to start from scratch. His limited Vietnamese language skills and lack of connections made it difficult for him to find opportunities in the entertainment industry.
Despite the difficulties, Chip Nguyen believes: “All I care about is learning more, challenging myself, and doing difficult things, because if I can do the difficult things in life, everything else will be much easier later on. And I want to do that to inspire those around me, especially my cousins, so they see that if they pursue their dreams, they can achieve them.”
Upon returning to Vietnam, Chip Nguyen realized how different professions, especially in the arts, were between the West and the East. He strived to adapt, honed his Vietnamese, collaborated with the right people, and began developing his own projects.
"Ultimately, everywhere you go, nobody gives you anything for free. You need to make your own efforts or create opportunities for yourself," Chip Nguyen shared.
The first achievements...
Chip Nguyen participating in the "The Next Gentleman" competition.
In 2024, Chip Nguyen participated in "The Next Gentleman," a Vietnamese reality TV show for male contestants looking for a male model. Despite not being exceptionally tall, his angular, distinctly Asian features, quick wit, intelligence, and dignified, masculine demeanor earned him the runner-up position.
Chip's acting career has also achieved some notable successes. He played the role of Teacher Hau in the television series "The World in the Mirror"; he also starred in the second part of the series "Forgotten Land," which is scheduled to air on HTV. Most recently, Chip also played a supporting role in the film "Gate of Hell - Saigon Birthday Boy."
I feel fortunate to have returned to live in my homeland and I hope to contribute a small part to its development.
However, behind his artistic achievements, Chip Nguyen stated: “My greatest achievement after returning to Vietnam is not artistic, but mainly being closer to my family. Besides that, my Vietnamese has improved significantly. I feel fortunate to have returned and lived in my homeland and hope to contribute a small part to its development.”
In addition to his artistic career, Chip Nguyen is currently the Regional Sales Director for Asia Pacific at Whalebone, a Czech cybersecurity company. He also founded his own company, focusing on interior design and sourcing furniture for middle and upper-class clients in California (USA), aiming to promote Vietnamese goods and handicrafts internationally.
Besides that, Chip Nguyen enjoys traveling around the world and making vlogs. In his free time, he mainly spends it reading books, playing football, and going to the gym. Sharing his plans for the new year, Chip Nguyen happily said: "I will be acting in an art short film, hoping it will be submitted to international film festivals."
Nearly eight years have passed, and from a young man who wasn't fluent in Vietnamese, Chip Nguyen has now become a true "gentleman," both in character and career. In Europe, there are many young men and women like Chip. Although born and raised abroad, their hearts always hold a "cultural identity" and the imprint of their roots.
Chip's return also represents the path taken by a segment of young people living far from their homeland. They left glamorous Europe to return to Vietnam, not only to seek opportunities for personal development, but also to better understand their ancestral land and contribute their youthful energy to building and developing their country.
An Thu
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Lesson 2: Vu Duc Nam and his story of overcoming adversity...
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/nguoi-tre-xu-thanh-o-chau-au-bai-1-quy-ong-chip-nguyen-va-hanh-trinh-tro-ve-nguon-coi-278270.htm
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