Speaking to Giao Thong Newspaper, he recounted having to sell all his houses and belongings to pay for medical treatment. It was a period that still sends shivers down his spine whenever he remembers it.
It's no surprise that he appeared early on "The Masked Singer".
Singer Ung Hoang Phuc.
The Pink Monkey character was revealed to be Ung Hoang Phuc in the very first episode of "Masked Singer" season 2. Was he surprised to be eliminated so early?
During rehearsals, the production team was very strict and professional in terms of security; I and those accompanying me all had to cover our faces. However, as soon as I started singing, many people in the audience started murmuring and whispering.
I wasn't too surprised and knew viewers would easily recognize me, even though I've changed my singing style. I'm grateful that the audience loved me and recognized my voice.
What does the Pink Monkey mascot character in the "Masked Singer" show mean to you?
I have a special connection with those born in the year of the Monkey. In my music career, I worked closely with Quang Huy, who was also born in the year of the Monkey. At that time, everything went very smoothly and successfully.
After my contract with the company ended, I started to get sick and had to take a long break from singing to focus on treating my herniated disc and spinal degeneration.
After getting married to my wife Kim Cuong, we didn't plan ahead and had a child born in the year of the Monkey. After my wife gave birth, I immediately returned to music and have been active ever since. Therefore, I decided to choose the Pink Monkey character when participating in "The Masked Singer".
From star to penniless due to illness.
During the show, Toc Tien and Song Luan both recalled memories of going to see his shows. Tran Thanh affirmed: "Ung Hoang Phuc is a part of many people's childhoods!" Looking back on his youth, what are his feelings?
My debut album was released when I was just 21 years old. Back then, the internet wasn't as developed as it is now, but my songs still spread from the South to the North via DVD.
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Being there for him throughout his illness, I didn't feel deprived. Seeing him in pain in his hospital bed, I felt even more compassion for him. The time he cried to me, the sadness in his eyes made me think I needed to be there for him to get through everything.
Before we met, Phuc knew I had been divorced and had a child from a previous relationship, but he still loved me and my child unconditionally. This made me love and cherish him even more. Since being with him, I feel I have matured. He is not only my husband, but also like a mentor, a friend, and a soulmate.
Former model Kim Cuong
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Then came the tours to remote areas, where the mere sight of Phuc would elicit cheers from the audience. Each province had a different stage size, with capacities ranging from 5,000, 7,000, or 12,000 spectators, but almost every stage was packed due to the overwhelming number of viewers.
People from the provinces couldn't find seats and couldn't buy tickets; some even climbed trees, used ladders and chairs just to catch a glimpse of Ung Hoang Phuc in person. That was truly a period I feel most proud of and cherish in my career.
His fees back then must have been among the highest?
Back then, audiences bought tickets with small change, so the show promoter had to bring several sacks just to… hold the money, and even enlisted a dozen or so people to count it.
I don't know what everyone's fees were back then, but I only received my salary; the rest went to the organizing unit. Compared to now, it's definitely not the same! (Laughs).
At the peak of his career, a health setback forced him to leave it all behind. Does he regret his golden age?
I used to be Ung Hoang Phuc, with a decent appearance, a decent singing voice, and perhaps a bit of luck to reach the spotlight, the peak of glory that many people aspire to.
But illness spares no one. When suffering from a herniated disc, even lying still causes pain, and despite four surgeries, the condition keeps recurring.
The lingering effects of the surgeries, combined with my worsening condition, left me almost completely exhausted and bedridden due to constant back pain.
For fifteen long years, whenever I heard about a good doctor somewhere, I would go there, regardless of whether it was in the South or the North.
I had to sell all my house and belongings to pay for treatment. From then on, I was back to square zero. For Ung Hoang Phuc, that was an abyss, a period that still sends shivers down my spine whenever I remember it; everything seemed to collapse. But looking back, I have no regrets.
Having studied Buddhism since childhood, I've always considered everything that happens to me as "karma" and "destiny," and all past memories have been beautiful in one way or another.
What was he thinking about while lying in his hospital bed, unable to sing?
"Falling apart" and "exhausted" are the most accurate words to describe that moment. Even a healthy person can be devastated by losing just one thing, but I lost both my health and my career.
All I could think about was the pain. I just wished for a miracle to make the pain go away so I wouldn't bother my loved ones.
My motivation to persevere comes from music and my family.
Throughout those difficult and challenging times, perhaps the greatest blessing was always having someone by my side to share and support me.
That's my wife, Kim Cuong. When I had nothing left, Kim Cuong was ready to leave everything behind to be by my side and take care of a man who was left with only his aching body.
Throughout that time, I never once saw my wife complain or demand anything. It was Kim Cương's love that gave me the confidence and motivation to overcome the lowest point in my life.
It's not just about singing "It's Better This Way"...
Singer Ung Hoang Phuc and his wife Kim Cuong.
Having weathered the storm, is it now time for Ung Hoang Phuc to turn things around?!
Every artist has their own stage of life, so it's impossible to define what constitutes their peak. Therefore, my philosophy is to just do your best, and whether or not you reach the top depends on fate and luck at that moment.
It's true that "after the storm comes the calm," Ung Hoang Phuc is able to sing again, to continue contributing to art and to his audience.
I also believe that I may get old, but my voice shouldn't. I'm willing to change and reinvent myself every day.
I hope my songs will be more relatable to the audience while still maintaining my own style. I think I'm gradually finding my place again in the hearts of the audience.
That's why I came to "Masked Singer" and sang "Because That's How I Am," to show that Ung Hoang Phuc doesn't just sing "Rather Be Like That," "People Say," or his signature ballad songs. I'm very happy that after the show, I've gained more young fans who love and know me better.
Thank you!
Ung Hoang Phuc, whose real name is Nguyen Quoc Thanh, was born in 1981 in An Giang province. He became known to the audience after spending two years as a member of the popular boy band 1088.
Later, he joined WePro company and quickly became a phenomenon in the entertainment industry, one of the best-selling Vpop artists in the Vietnamese music market with a series of hits such as: "Rather Be Like That", "Each Person in a Different Place", "Remorse", "The Loyal Guy"...
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