Hoang Thuy Linh's 10-year struggle to escape scandal.

After graduating as valedictorian of the Television Directing class at the Hanoi University of Theatre and Film in 2007, Hoang Thuy Linh was invited to play the lead female role in the second season of the series 'Nhat Ky Vang Anh' (Vang Anh's Diary). The series aired daily on VTV and was one of the most popular television shows at the time. Hoang Thuy Linh became a hot name, constantly appearing as an actress, singer, and MC on television. She was also loved by many parents and young people for her innocent image and talent.

In October 2007, a video of Hoang Thuy Linh being intimate with her boyfriend went viral online. This scandal shattered the actress's innocent image. The life of 'Vang Anh' was completely turned upside down, from the center of praise to the center of criticism and contempt.

The Hoàng Thùy Linh scandal shocked public opinion at the time. Instead of condemning those who leaked the clip, many people used the harshest language against the victim, Hoàng Thùy Linh. The 'Vàng Anh's Diary' series stopped airing with a program featuring Hoàng Thùy Linh apologizing to viewers on national television. This was unprecedented in Vietnam.

After the scandal broke, Hoang Thuy Linh disappeared from the media for almost a year. In her recently published autobiography, "Golden Oriole and Phoenix," she also shared that she didn't dare leave the house or only went to the movies at night for fear of attracting attention.

In 2008, she returned to the arts as a model and singer. She did many provocative photoshoots and became the face of several online games. Hoang Thuy Linh has pursued a sensual style ever since. Rumors that 'Vang Anh' (Hoang Thuy Linh's nickname) was banned from performing prevented her from having the opportunity to perform on stage.

From October 2008, after the Department of Performing Arts issued a document allowing Hoang Thuy Linh to perform nationwide, she officially resumed her artistic activities. During this time, she mainly sang in bars and nightclubs, earning around 25 million VND per performance.

Having become a sought-after performer in nightclubs, Hoang Thuy Linh decided to temporarily pause this work to invest in her music and seek opportunities to build her name. After releasing two recordings, 'The Love Story of Leaves and Wind' and 'Sometimes I Want to Cry', she began receiving invitations to perform at smaller venues.

In 2010, Hoang Thuy Linh released her first single titled 'Nhip Dap Giac Mo' (Heartbeat of a Dream). This product impressed with its musical quality as well as the singer's investment in choreography and music video production. That same year, the singer also released her first album, also titled Vol. 1.

During this time, Hoang Thuy Linh was dating a boyfriend named Quan, who was 20 years older than her. The singer was occasionally accompanied by her boyfriend to events organized by close friends. This relationship later ended quietly when Hoang Thuy Linh learned that her boyfriend did not want to have children with her, nor did he want to build a proper family with her.

In late 2013, Hoang Thuy Linh moved to the South and took on the lead role in the film 'Idol' directed by Quang Huy. The film featured many famous faces such as Son Tung M-TP, Harry Lu, Pham Quynh Anh... This was Hoang Thuy Linh's first time on the big screen and also her first return to acting after a 5-year hiatus from the broadcast of 'Vang Anh's Diary'.

During filming, she developed feelings for Harry Lu. They were very close whenever they were together. However, Harry Lu's later statement to the press that his parents didn't approve of Hoang Thuy Linh deeply hurt her. The pain from the scandal years ago haunted her and made her close to romantic relationships.

In March 2014, Hoang Thuy Linh appeared on the "Favorite Songs" program. She performed the song "Falling" in a chill-out style, composed by Ho Hoai Anh. The performance marked the singer's return to live on VTV since the scandal involving the leaked "sex tape." This event was considered a major turning point in Hoang Thuy Linh's career.

Behind Hoang Thuy Linh's career advancements lies the patience, care, and resilience of her mother, dancer Thu Hue. Thu Hue was the one who lifted her daughter's spirits after the scandal, supported Hoang Thuy Linh every step of the way in her artistic career, and took care of her backstage before each performance.

In 2015, Hoang Thuy Linh was invited to participate in the first season of The Remix competition alongside Isaac, Dong Nhi, Toc Tien, and others. Despite attending the press conference, the singer was removed from the competition just before the opening night. The organizers did not disclose the reason for this.

In 2016, Hoang Thuy Linh returned to The Remix. Her team was highly praised by the judges and was one of the contenders for the championship that year. However, the "I'm Gonna Break" singer decided to withdraw from the competition after the sixth live show due to health reasons.

Hoang Thuy Linh achieved great success in 2016. Her music videos 'Banh Troi Nuoc' and 'I'm Gonna Break,' showcasing two completely different styles, were highly praised by both audiences and music critics.

At the end of 2017, Hoang Thuy Linh launched a campaign to celebrate 10 years of her singing career called 'Golden Oriole and Phoenix'. The campaign ran for two years, 2017 and 2018, with 10 projects and a total investment of $1 million, beginning with her autobiography titled 'Golden Oriole and Phoenix'. At the press conference launching the project in early October 2017, the singer stated that she had calmed down enough to face the scandal from years ago: 'I think I owe the name Golden Oriole a sincere apology. Now I have enough courage to face it.'

On March 6, 2018, Hoang Thuy Linh held a book launch for her autobiography, "Golden Oriole and Phoenix," at the Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Film, where she completed her bachelor's and master's degrees and was preparing for doctoral studies. In the book, Hoang Thuy Linh recounts her life, particularly the shocking scandal at age 19 that caused her to lose everything. To atone for that event, she had to endure 10 years of relentless work while facing public scorn. "After 10 years, I understand one thing: if our beginnings are at the bottom of a ravine, we must climb up ourselves to continue pursuing our dreams," Hoang Thuy Linh said.