5 of the biggest scandals in Vietnamese showbiz in 2018

1. Pham Anh Khoa is accused of soliciting sexual favors.

In April 2018, dancer Pham Lich unexpectedly spoke out, accusing rocker Pham Anh Khoa of making inappropriate advances while they were both participating in the show "Born to Be a Couple".

With a relatively clean image, free from scandals, shocking statements, and gimmicks throughout his time in showbiz, the accusation of sexual harassment against Pham Anh Khoa came as a surprise to many. This was especially true considering he frequently boasted about his happy and peaceful family life with his wife and two children.

Shortly afterward, several other stylists and dancers also accused Pham Anh Khoa. The incident damaged the rocker's image. The United Nations Population Fund announced the cancellation of its collaboration with him as an image ambassador.

The 33-year-old rocker also angered many people with his statement amidst the incident: "In showbiz, patting someone's butt is like greeting them or offering them a glass of water." Following this, Pham Anh Khoa had to hold a press conference to apologize for his actions.

2. Authorities busted a prostitution ring involving beauty queens and actresses selling sex for thousands of dollars.

On September 6, 2018, the Social Order Investigation Police Department (PC02, Ho Chi Minh City Police) revealed the identities of the women involved in a prostitution ring with what was considered the highest prices ever seen. Accordingly, two of the four women were identified as TD and CV, who were considered well-known figures.

TD charges $7,000 for prostitution, while CV charges $1,500. In 2017, TD won a beauty pageant organized by a domestic company in South Korea. From March to April of this year, TD continued to win the runner-up title at a fashion model competition held in Vung Tau and the Miss Eco International 2018 competition in Egypt.

Meanwhile, actress and MC CV, who is only 21 years old, was among the top 18 MCs in the Student MC competition.

3. Truong Giang proposes to Nha Phuong, but is accused of being flirtatious by Nam Em and Que Van.

The tumultuous affair involving Truong Giang, Nha Phuong, Nam Em, and Que Van, also known as the "love drama," has consumed a lot of media attention throughout the past year.

In January 2018, after a long time together, Truong Giang unexpectedly proposed to Nha Phuong live on air during the Mai Vang Awards. While Nha Phuong had yet to respond to the proposal, two months later, Nam Em unexpectedly livestreamed, declaring that she had been involved with Truong Giang while he and Nha Phuong were still dating. These statements drew significant criticism from netizens.

Furthermore, his "ex" Que Van later spoke out, accusing Truong Giang of being a womanizer. Khoi My was also once flirted with by Truong Giang.

Que Van shared that Truong Giang is a smooth talker, capable of making grand promises to many girls. The comedian often flirts with beautiful women on film sets. Que Van also accused Truong Giang of being two-faced, simultaneously dating both Nha Phuong and her. One day he was at Nha Phuong's house, the next day he was calling her.

This whole affair only ended after Nha Phuong and Truong Giang's wedding in September. The women involved in this scandal all ended their relationships with Truong Giang and hoped he would treat Nha Phuong better than he had treated them.

4. The "love triangle" of Cat Phuong - Kieu Minh Tuan - An Nguy

Another highly publicized love scandal in 2018 was the love triangle involving Cat Phuong, Kieu Minh Tuan, and An Nguy.

In mid-August, social media was abuzz with rumors that Cat Phuong and Kieu Minh Tuan had broken up after many years together. In early September 2018, rumors surfaced that Kieu Minh Tuan was dating someone else. Evidence included An Nguy visiting Kieu Minh Tuan's hometown in Vung Tau during the holiday, while Cat Phuong stayed alone in Ho Chi Minh City.

The situation escalated when a news site published a video of an interview in which Kieu Minh Tuan and An Nguy admitted to having feelings for each other after starring together in the film "Uncle, Don't Marry My Mom." Immediately, the film was boycotted by audiences, and the producers threatened legal action due to financial losses.

Later, netizens were once again outraged when a surprising message surfaced, raising suspicions that Cat Phuong was behind all the controversies. To salvage their reputation and recover the film's disastrous box office performance, Cat Phuong and Kieu Minh Tuan met with the press to apologize to the audience. Kieu Minh Tuan affirmed his mistake, while Cat Phuong broke down in tears, asserting that their relationship remained strong and that after the storm, they loved each other even more.

By November, when things had calmed down, An Nguy unexpectedly accused Cat Phuong of orchestrating a PR stunt involving her relationship with Kieu Minh Tuan. However, the incident no longer garnered public attention because people were fed up with this kind of charade.

5. Phan Ngoc Luan accuses Dam Vinh Hung of being gay.

Appearing on the show "1 Hour to Tell All," Phan Ngoc Luan shocked viewers by revealing that he once had feelings for Dam Vinh Hung – his mentor at "The Voice Vietnam 2012." Phan Ngoc Luan said that during his visits to the "King of Vietnamese Music's" house for rehearsals, he sometimes stayed overnight, and from those times sleeping together and practicing singing with Mr. Dam, feelings gradually blossomed and developed.

The singer even shared that they had slept in the same bed and he couldn't count how many times Dam Vinh Hung had kissed him. This statement by Phan Ngoc Luan was immediately met with fierce criticism from netizens. Most comments harshly condemned Phan Ngoc Luan as ungrateful and biting the hand that feeds him.

Regarding the entire incident, Dam Vinh Hung stated that he remained calm because he was "no longer surprised by this media game." The singer affirmed that Ngoc Luan acted rashly by listening to the misguided advice of unscrupulous individuals and choosing a terrible story to gain attention. All of this was simply to promote his new music product.

Thanh Thanh