Meritorious Artist Duc Hai, 62 years old, earns hundreds of millions/month, lives comfortably with his wife and 4 children.

Meritorious Artist Duc Hai recently appeared at an event in Ho Chi Minh City. On this occasion, he shared with VietNamNet about his life, work and private time with his small family.

Not performing but still earning hundreds of millions/month

- How do you feel about your current life?

I feel so peaceful. I say that because I don't have to worry about much. Before, I had two jobs, acting and teaching. Now, I only care about life and taking care of my children. I take advantage of every precious moment to be close to my family.

For decades, I have kept a fixed schedule. Every morning, I wake up, do my personal hygiene, surf social networks and read online newspapers, then go to a coffee shop and have breakfast. Sometimes I go with my children, other times with friends, or sometimes alone. I return home at 9am and start to tackle the remaining work.

At the peak, my family hired 4 maids, but now I don’t need any. I do everything myself, from cooking to cleaning, laundry… It’s just the way I want it and I have time to take care of my family.

I have extra time to improve my foreign languages. I know French, Russian, and recently I learned Chinese. You need to learn at any age, otherwise your mind will easily become dull and lazy. I often tell my children:At this age, Dad still studies and reads every day, so there's no reason why you can't do the same.

- Have you received any invitations to participate in art recently?

Many parties have offered me to act in movies or host, but I have refused. I think at this age I have the right to choose, I don't have to be too considerate or influenced by anything anymore. I've also gone through a period of having to earn a living and accept things haphazardly, that's not good.

Without acting, I still have a lot of work in front of the camera. Art is a profession so it won't go away. I hope I have enough luck to come back in a project soon.

- If you don't perform, how do you guarantee your income?

Artists who earn enough from their profession are lucky to have enough to eat and wear. Art is always like that, or you have to be extremely famous, like Dam Vinh Hung, My Tam or Hong Nhung, then you will always be invited, with high salaries. On the contrary, most people have a hard time, especially those who have passed their prime. I was lucky to have been working since I was young, had a stable income, and saved up to have a little bit of property for my old age.

My economy is not too rich but it is okay. Many years ago I bought some real estate, now I save it for rent and earn about 100 million VND/month. I have a hotel in Go Vap district, houses for rent in Tan Binh, Phu Nhuan and Thao Dien (District 2) and some in Hanoi. I also have a pension so I use it for daily expenses.

My family loves to travel, so we sometimes make fixed plans to go abroad to France, Italy, Switzerland, or fly domestically. Everything is planned out so I am completely comfortable. Investments for children’s study abroad, shopping… are completely worry-free.

- When you think back to your heyday, what do you remember most?

I was famous in the late 1990s and early 2000s, performing an average of 6-9 shows a day. At that time, the audience was so enthusiastic that they came to the hotel where I was staying to meet me. There were many sleepless nights, and I had to register for one room and stay in another to avoid disturbance.

In my teaching career, some of my students have become famous, such as Xuan Bac and Van Dung. The more famous they are, the more pressure I have on my teaching job. Therefore, I need to be humble and even learn good things from them. The happiness of a teacher is to see young students later achieve glory, such as Le Phuong and Quy Binh.

When I was young and single, I spent money without thinking. After getting married and having children, I became aware of my role as the breadwinner of the family. I tried to preserve all my earnings to be where I am today.

Better father than artist

- How has your family supported you during this time?

My wife is very thoughtful and understanding towards her husband and children. She graduated from 4 universities: English Language, Law, Accounting - Finance and Pharmacy. As a teacher, she teaches and guides the children very well.

I have 4 children, 1 eldest daughter born in 2003 and 3 triplets, including 2 girls and 1 boy born in 2005. My eldest child is currently studying in Australia. The other three have just finished grade 12, entering a new phase of life. In general, my children are grown up and going to university, so I feel secure. All four of my children play the piano very well and know 2 foreign languages.

My family wants our children to be educated, have comprehensive knowledge, and have a solid foundation when they grow up. It is important for me to let them understand that they have to stand on their own two feet.

Educating children nowadays is different from the past. We let them freely express their thoughts and attitudes in life. People see each other as friends, confide in each other and are not afraid to argue about certain issues.

- Your family's expenses for your children must not be small?

The amount is not small but for me it is not big either because it is a passive and regular income. My children are all eager to learn and plan to pursue a Master's degree abroad after graduating from a domestic university. I tell them to study with peace of mind and not to worry about finances because their parents will take care of it.

Parents raise their children all their lives, so money is immeasurable. I just wait for the day my children grow up, have stable jobs, and get married soon, that will be enough to satisfy me.

- Between a famous artist or a father of 4 children, which role do you think you do better?

I think the role of a father is better. The balance between the two roles of an artist and a teacher helps me to fulfill my parental duties well. I always hope to be a kind and considerate father in the eyes of my children. This is much more interesting than the glory and vanity out there.

Tuan Chieu