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Thursday, February 25, 2016

Thai Hien

Thai Hien (1958-    ) is a famous overseas Vietnamese singer.  She is the eldest daughter of the late legendary composer Pham Duy and singer Thai Hang.

Born in Saigon, South Vietnam in 1958, Pham Thi Thai Hien began singing professionally at the age of 13.  As a teenager, she became a pop singing sensation in South Vietnam recording for various record labels such as Song Ngoc, Shotguns, Nhac Tre and Hoa Mi.  She had developed a trademark sound that was unusually high-pitched and at times, could even be described as screeching with her earliest recordings while still a teenager in South Vietnam.  Among her most popular recorded songs during this period in her native homeland included songs written by her father such as Ong Trang Xuong Choi, Tuoi Mong Mo, Tuoi Hong and Tuoi Than Tien.  She also recorded several duets with other artists such as her brothers, Duy Quang and Duy Cuong, and Tung Giang.  In 1974, she replaced her then sister-in-law, Julie Quang, becoming the new lead female vocalist of her brothers' band known as The Dreamers.  The following year Thai Hien and her parents left Vietnam to resettle in the United States.

After a hiatus of several years, Thai Hien resumed her music career in the late 1970s in the United States.  She has performed for overseas Vietnamese audiences throughout the United States, Europe and Australia.  As the Vietnamese music industry in the United States became more established in the 1980s, so did Thai Hien's singing career.  Now with a more mature voice in a much lower register and the ability to sing in perfect pitch, she recorded her first solo album in 1982, Hoa Thuong Nho Ai, a collection of songs written and composed by her father.  Thai Hien has recorded for various overseas Vietnamese music production labels such as Da Lan, Diem Xua Productions, Thuy Anh, Khanh Ha Productions, Lang Van, Asia Entertainment and Dream Musical Productions.  In 1987, she along with her younger sister, singer Thai Thao, recorded Nguoi Trong Mo, a duet studio album of popular New Wave/Italo Disco songs in both English and Vietnamese, produced by her brother Duy Quang and released by Thuy Anh.  Two years later, Thai Hien teamed up with singer Tuan Ngoc on a duet studio album for Diem Xua Productions, Loi Goi Chan May, which has been considered to be one of her best works.  Among the songs featured on the album included Tuong Rang Da Quen written by Trinh Cong Son, Tinh Khuc Thang Sau written by Ngo Thuy Mien and three very well-produced duet tracks written by Le Uyen Phuong, Vung Lay Cua Chung Ta, Tinh Khuc Cho Em, as well as the title track.  The album marked the return of Tuan Ngoc as a recording artist to the Vietnamese music industry after an absence of nearly five years spent living in Hawaii.

Thai Hien has appeared on several volumes of Thuy Nga's Paris By Night video series.  Among her most memorable appearances on the video series have included her solo performances of Em Con Nho Mua Xuan written by Ngo Thuy Mien, Ngin Trung Xa Cach and Loi Ru, Bu Bom, Nang Niu, both of which were written by her father, Pham Duy.  She has also performed several medleys on the Paris By Night stage as part of an ensemble with other artists such as Tuan Ngoc, Thai Thao, Duy Quang and Don Ho.  In the early 1990s, Thai Hien had also appeared on several music videos for Truong Thanh, Mây Productions and Khanh Ha Productions, which is owned by singer Khanh Ha.

Thai Hien Live in Concert at Saigon Opera House (2006)
In 2005, Thai Hien returned to Vietnam upon the repatriation of both her father and older brother.  The following year, she held her first live concert in Vietnam in over 40 years entitled as Dem Hien:  Thai Hien Live in Concert at the Saigon Opera House in Ho Chi Minh City.  Thai Hien has recorded a total of five solo studio albums including Thu Ca Dieu Ru Don (1990), Huyen Thoai (1997), Mau Thoi Gian (2006) and her latest, Tu Do Khon Nguoi (2013).

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Bao Quoc


Bao Quoc (1949-    ) is a famous Vietnamese comedic actor of stage, film and Southern Vietnamese folk opera known as cai luong.  

Thanh Nga and Bảo Quốc 
Born as Lu Quoc Bao on September 11, 1949 in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam, he is the sixth eldest in a family of ten children.  His father was Nam Nghia, a prominent cai luong actor.  His older half-sister was the late legendary cai luong and film actress Thanh Nga who had been murdered in 1978.  Coming from a family with a firm background in the cai luong stage, Bao Quoc began his career as a performer at an early age.  He was cast in supporting roles in major cai luong stage productions starring his sister, Thanh Nga, and actor Thanh Sang such as Chuong Hau in Tieng Trong Me Linh and Tat Dao in Ben Cau Det Lua.  His other notable roles on the cai luong stage also include Bui Kiem in Kieu Nguyet Nga, Hai Xien in Ban Tho To Mot Co Dao and Y Xi Ke in Bong Toi va Anh Sang.  In 1967, Bao Quoc along with My Chau, Ngoc Bich and Phuong Binh were honored each with a Thanh Tam Award, South Vietnam's equivalent to a Tony Award, for most promising newcomer.  In 1974, Bao Quoc had a small part in his very first feature film, Năm Vua Hề Về Làng, which featured and all-star cast including Thanh Nga, Tham Thuy Hang, Thanh Duoc, Thanh Mai, La Thoai Tan, singer Hong Van, Phuong Hong Ngoc and Bang Chau.  

Bao Quoc in Khi Dan Ong Co Bau (2005)
After the Fall of Saigon, Bao Quoc concentrated mostly on his career in comedy.  For eleven consecutive years from 1991 to 2001, he was voted favorite comedian of the year in a poll conducted by San Khau Magazine.  Bao Quoc has won a total of 4 Mai Vang Awards as a comedic actor.  He has also acted in several blockbuster comedy movies, each featuring an all-star cast, such as Khi Dan Ong Co Bau (When a Man Gets Pregnant) (2005) with Nguyen Phi Hung, Hong Nga, Truong Ngoc Anh, Ngoc Giau, Hong Van and Phuong Thanh, Vo Lam Truyen Ky (2007) with Dan Truong, Chi Bao, Hoai Linh, Thanh Thao, Vu Thu Phuong and Cat Phuong and Cong Chua Teen va Ngu Ho Tuong (2010) with Bao Thy, Yen Trang, Chi Tai, Hieu Hien, Khong Tu Quynh and Dong Nhi.  In 2014, Bao Quoc appeared on Thuy Nga's Paris By Night Volume 110 alongside comedic actresses Viet Huong and Thuy Nga in a comedy sketch entitled as Ong Tau Chau Troi written by Nguyen Ngoc Ngan.

Bao Quoc has been married to his wife, Thu Thuy, since 1967.  Together the couple are parents of four grown children.  On December 19, 2015, Bao Quoc became a great grandfather for the first time when his grandson, comedic actor Gia Bao, and his wife, actress Thanh Hien, welcomed the birth of their daughter named Thanh Vy.  Bao Quoc and his wife own and operate their own restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City simply called Bao Quoc Saigon Restaurant.  

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Phi Thanh Van

Phi Thanh Van (1982-    ) is a famous Vietnamese actress and former fashion model.  Due to her openness about having gone under the knife repeatedly to alter her looks on many interviews, she has been dubbed as Nu Hoang Dao Keo, the Queen of Cosmetic Surgery, in Vietnam.

Born in Hanoi, Phi Thanh Van and her family resettled in Ho Chi Minh City in 1990.  As a young girl, she was insecure about her looks and had an unhappy childhood.  When she became an adult, she decided to enhance her physical appearance through cosmetic surgery.  Phi Thanh Van has since candidly revealed on several different television and magazine interviews that she has had numerous cosmetic procedures done on her nose, lips, eyes, tummy and breasts.  With her looks altered and acquired new confidence, she decided to embark on a successful modeling career in her early twenties.  This would be followed with an even more successful acting career which had turned her into a star.

In 2008, Phi Thanh Van landed her breakthrough role in the wildly popular Vietnamese television series, Co Gai Xau Xi, based on the American television series, Ugly Betty.  She played the role of Mai Lan, the opportunistic, spiteful fashion executive.  Her costars included Ngoc Hiep, Chi Bao, Lan Phuong, Binh Minh and Minh Thuan.  The following year, Phi Thanh Van would team up again with Lan Phuong on another successful Vietnamese television series, Nhung Thien Than Ao Trang, which also starred Miu Le, Nam Cuong and Nha Phuong.  Her other television acting credits include roles for such mini-series as Kinh Thua Osin (2009) starring Hoai Linh, Phuong Thanh, Hong Anh and Hieu Hien and Nhung Co Nang Doc Than Lam Me (2012) starring Huy Khanh, Diem My 9x, Elly Tran and Kim Xuan.  On the silver screen, Phi Thanh Van has had supporting roles in Cot Moc 23 (2011) starring Bao Truc and Than Thuy Ha, Co Dau Dai Chien (2011) starring Huy Khanh, Ngoc Diep and Ngan Khanh, Long Ruoi (2011) starring Thai Hoa, Tinna Tinh and Khuong Ngoc, Thien Menh Anh Hung (Blood Letter) (2012) starring Huynh Dong, Midu and Van Trang and Lua Phat (Once Upon a Time) (2013) starring Dustin Nguyen and Ngo Thanh Van.

On February 6, 2016, Phi Thanh Van and then husband, Bao Duy, welcomed the birth of a son named Nguyen Tan Duc in Ho Chi Minh City.  As of January of 2017. Phi Thanh Van and Bao Duy's marriage of three years had ended in divorce.  Phi Thanh Van's first marriage to Thierry Blanc, a French national, of four years had also ended in divorce in 2012.

Link(s):




Steve Tran

Steve Tran (1985-    ) is a French comedy actor of Vietnamese descent.  He is the son of legendary Vietnamese folk opera actor Huu Phuoc and the youngest brother of Vietnamese singers Huong Lan and Huong Thanh.  His older brother is French cinema actor/director Jean-Claude Tran.

Born on April 22, 1985 in Yvelines, France, Steve Tran began his acting career while still a teenager.  He made his acting debut in the year 2000 with a small part in the French television movie directed by Patrice Martineau, Rends-Moi Mon Nom.  Five years later, Steve Tran would land his first role on the silver screen with his portrayal of Danny in Lovely Rita.  Among his most popular films include Douches Froides (2005), Regarde-Moi (Ain't Scared) (2007), Neuilly sa mère! (2009), Noir Océan (2010), Beur Sur La Ville (2011), La Cité Rose (2012), Prêt à tout (2013) and Une Histoire Banale (2014).  

Steve Tran as Manu in La Cité Rose (2012)
Steve Tran has worked with his older brother, Jean-Claude Tran, on several occasions throughout his career.  In 2010, he was cast in La Cage, an internet comedy series directed by his brother, Jean-Claude Tran, and Djiby Badiane.  The two brothers worked together again when they both were cast in Saïgon, l'été de nos 20 ans (2011), a French television epic movie about the French Indochina War starring Théo Frilet, Clovis Fouin and Eurasian French-Vietnamese actress Audrey Giacomini and in the short film, Quelques Jours Avec Toi (2015), directed by Jean-Claude Tran.

In addition to his accomplishments as an actor, Steve Tran has also pursued a career as a professional singer.  His vocals have been featured on soundtracks for the films, Regarde-Moi (2007) and Tricheuse (2009).  

Friday, February 19, 2016

Hoang Lan

Hoang Lan (1967-    ) is a popular overseas Vietnamese singer.  Her mother is legendary Vietnamese folk opera actress and singer Kim Tuyen.

Her name given at birth was Nguyen Phuong Linh.  She grew up in Vietnam and came to the United States at the age of 22.  After resettling in Southern California for a couple of years, Hoang Lan began her career as an overseas Vietnamese singer of traditional pop music.  Upon the introduction from singer Tuan Dat, she began recording for Nhac Tinh music production label in 1994.  The following year, she signed with Thuy Nga and made her debut appearance on the Paris By Night stage in volume 34 performing Doan Cuoi Mot Cuoc Tinh written by Lam Phuong.  In 1997, Thuy Nga released her debut solo studio album, Qua Con Me.  Hoang Lan quickly rose to stardom becoming one of the most popular performers on Paris By Night during the 1990s.

Under the Thuy Nga label, Hoang Lan recorded a total of six solo studio albums.  Among the most well received of her solo studio albums included Tu Gia Tho Ngay (1997), Tinh Yeu Mau Tim (1998) and Nguoi Dep Binh Duong (2001).  In addition, Hoang Lan had also recorded a pair of bestselling duet albums together with singer The Son for Thuy Nga, Tim Nhau Trong Ky Niem (1996) and Loai Hoa Khong Ten (1997).  It was obvious that Thuy Nga had found a winning formula with the pairing of Hoang Lan and The Son as a duo act.  The success of their two duet albums prompted Thuy Nga to release Tinh La Soi To (1996), Lien Khuc Rhumba - Cha Cha Cha - Ngay Xua Anh Noi (1997) and Lien Khuc Rhumba - Cha Cha Cha - Ve Mien Tay (1998), all of which featured a guest appearance by singer My Huyen.  Each audio recording project for Thuy Nga also came with an unforgettable music performance on Paris By Night by Hoang Lan as she mesmerized viewer audiences with her beauty, charm and angelic style of singing.  Her popularity would lead to live concert performances for overseas Vietnamese audiences all over the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe.  Hoang Lan's most well received songs include Hoa 10 Gio written by Dai Phuong Trang, Co Le written by Le Kim Khanh, Khi Da Yeu written by Nguyen Van Dong, Tam Su Doi Toi written by Thanh Hang and Tuyet Lanh written by Minh Ky, recorded as a duet with singer Truong Vu.

In recent years, Hoang Lan has made several triumphant concert tours in Vietnam where she has acquired a large following of devoted fans.  Her latest album, Thuong Hoai, which featured a guest appearance by her mother, Kim Tuyen, was released in 2014 by her own label, Hoang Lan Productions and distributed by Thuy Nga.  That same year, Hoang Lan made her debut appearance on Asia Entertainment's live show video series in a medley of songs written by Anh Bang and Song Ngoc performed with Hoang Anh Thu and legendary singer Thanh Thuy.  She has also appeared on music videos for Van Son Entertainment and Tinh Productions.


Link(s):

Another 50 Most Beautiful Vietnamese Women of All Time

External Link(s):

Hoang Lan Fan Club on Facebook

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Kim Tuyen

Kim Tuyen (1947-    ) is a famous actress of Southern Vietnamese folk opera known as cai luong and Vietnamese pop singer.

Born as Nguyen Kim Tuyen on November 1, 1948 in Saigon, she grew up in a middle-class family.  Her father was a businessman and her mother was Bich Lien, a former Southern Vietnamese folk opera actress who had retired from the stage when she had gotten married.  At the age of 10, Kim Tuyen and her parents moved to Vinh Binh Province (now renamed as Tra Vinh Province) located in the Mekong Delta where her father would run a retail store.  Four years later, Kim Tuyen would be introduced to Ut Tra On and Hoang Giang, the two principal performers of the Thong Nhat Folk Opera Theater Troupe who were also former colleagues of her mother, at a live performance of Tieng Hat Muon Tenh in Vinh Binh Province.  Ut Tra On had confided in her mother that the production was in need of a young child actress to fill the role of Hoang Giang's daughter in the play.  Bich Lien then suggested her daughter and took home the screenplay for Kim Tuyen to learn.  The following day Kim Tuyen returned with her mother for the audition.  Both Ut Tra On and Hoang Giang were so impressed with her vocals that they immediately offered her a contract to join the cast for 10,000VND.  For the next several months, Kim Tuyen would tour all over South Vietnam as the youngest cast member of the Thong Nhat Folk Opera Theater Troupe earning the audience's overwhelming approval with her flawless performances in Tieng Hat Muon Tenh, Dung Giet Con Toi and Dep Duyen Chua Thap.  

In 1964, Kim Tuyen was recruited by the Thuy Nga Folk Opera Theater Troupe as the lead actress replacing Anh Hong where she would star in Khi Hoa Anh Dao No and Nguu Lang Chuc Nu.  The following year Kim Tuyen signed on with the prestigious Kim Chung Theater Troupe when they offered her a lucrative contract that would be twice the amount of her salary from Thuy Nga.  During her 4 year tenure with Kim Chung Theater Troupe, she performed at the legendary Olympic Theater in Saigon as the lead actress opposite Hung Cuong in such plays like Nguoi Dep Lieu Trai and Kieu Hoa Lac Loi.  That same year, she and Hung Cuong were both selected to perform at the annual Thai Luong Festival in Vientiane, Laos.  Kim Tuyen starred as the leading lady opposite some of the top actors of the cai luong stage during this period such as Minh Phung, Ut Hau and Phuong Binh.

At the peak of her popularity in Southern Vietnamese folk opera, Kim Tuyen decided to leave the cai luong stage in 1968 so that she could concentrate on an acting career in television.  In the years following up to the Fall of Saigon, Kim Tuyen would become one of South Vietnam's most popular television actresses.  Among her acting credits on the small screen include televised adaptations of plays and made-for-television movies featured on channel 9 Dai Truyen Hinh Viet Nam such as Manh Le Quan, So Van Cuu Gia, Bao Cong Xu An Tran The My, Men Ruou Saké, Nang Som Mua Chieu and Cam Bay Do Thanh in which she starred opposite the likes of leading actors Thanh Duoc and Thanh Sang.  In 1969, Kim Tuyen performed in Paris, France upon the invitation of the Kim Chung Theater Troupe.  For two years in a row, Kim Tuyen was invited back to perform at the Thai Luong Festival in Vientiane, Laos in 1972 and in 1973.

For many years while in Saigon, Kim Tuyen successfully juggled two careers as a television actress by day and cabaret singer of Vietnamese pop music by night.  Her days were spent at the Dai Truyen Hinh Viet Nam studio while her nights were spent performing at various major cabarets in Saigon such as Victoria, Moulin Rouge, Hong Ta, Dong Phat, Bien Hoa Club and Nha Trang Hotel billed under the name Linh Trang.  Among the most requested songs in Kim Tuyen's repertoire for her nightclub act included Sang Ngang written by Do Le, Lay Troi Con Duoc Binh Yen written by Lam Phuong and Tinh Dau Tinh Cuoi written by Nhat Truong.

After the Fall of Saigon, Kim Tuyen remained in Vietnam for five difficult years.  In 1980, she left her native homeland to begin a new life in the United States resettling in Southern California.  Immediately she resumed her career upon the invitation of actress Tuy Hong to go on tour performing for overseas Vietnamese audiences in various cities across the United States alongside other artists such as Hung Cuong, Mai Le Huyen, La Thoai Tan, Truc Mai and Truong Hai.  Kim Tuyen collaborated with Thanh Lan, then the most prominent overseas Vietnamese production label, starring in a series of video adaptations of classic cai luong plays such as Chieu Quan Cong Ho, Doi Co Huong, Nguoi Dep Bach Hoa Thon, Tuong Cuop Bach Hai Duong, Tam Long Cua Bien, Quan Vuong va Thiep and Nuoc Mat Nguoi Di with Dung Thanh Lam.  She also starred in the video adaptation remake of a Kim Cuong drama, Duoi Hai Mau Ao.  


Due to the waning popularity of cai luong during the 1980s, Kim Tuyen shifted her focus to Vietnamese pop music.  She recorded for several major overseas Vietnamese music production labels like Thanh Lan, Da Lan and Thuy Anh.  In the mid 1980s she formed her own production label and released a pair of solo studio albums, Tieng Hat Kim Tuyen 1:  Tinh Thien Thu (1985) and Tieng Hat Kim Tuyen 2:  Gui Anh Chut Nang (1987).  Among her most popular recorded songs include Tim Anh written by Hoang Thi Tho, Tieng Ca U Hoai written by Anh Bang and a duet with Duy Khanh, Tinh Doi written by Vu Chuong and Minh Ky.  In 1988, Kim Tuyen performed alongside Thanh Thuy and Le Uyen on a successful concert tour for the overseas Vietnamese community in Japan.  In 1990, she appeared on Thuy Nga's Paris By Night Volume 11 performing Tinh Yeu Tra Lai Trang Sao written by Le Dinh.

Kim Tuyen was once formerly married to fellow cai luong performer Hoai Truc Phuong during the 1970s and is a mother of two grown children.  Her daughter is singer Hoang Lan.  Happily remarried since 1986, Kim Tuyen resides in San Diego, California.  

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Le Uyen Phuong

Le Uyen Phuong (1941-1999) was a famous Vietnamese musician, songwriter and singer.  He and his former wife, Le Uyen, were one of South Vietnam's most successful singing duos of Vietnamese pop music known as Le Uyen & Phuong.

He was born as Le Minh Lap on February 2, 1941 in Da Lat.  At the age of 19, his first written song, Buon Den Bao Gio, was published.  In 1968, he met and married Lam Anh Phuc, a singer who would later become known as Le Uyen.  Together they ran and operated a cabaret club of their own in Da Lat called Luc Huyen Cam.  The year of 1970 would be a turning point in their careers with the release of the album, Tinh Ca Le Uyen Phuong.  For the duration of the early 1970s prior to the Fall of Saigon, Le Uyen Phuong would be one of the most prolific songwriters of South Vietnam.  His most popular written and composed songs include Vung Lay Cua Chung Ta, Loi Goi Chan May, Tren Da Tinh Yeu, Cho Lan Cuoi, Hay Ngoi Xuong Day, Tinh Khuc Cho Em, Da Khuc Cho Tinh Nhan, Bai Ca Hanh Ngo and Dem Cho Phien Mua Dong.  Two songbooks of Le Uyen Phuong were published while in South Vietnam, Khi Loai Thu Xa Nhau (1970) and Yeu Nhau Khi Con Tho (1971).

Le Uyen & Phuong
After resettling in Southern California in 1979, Le Uyen & Phuong continued with their careers in music performing for overseas Vietnamese audiences across the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe.  Le Uyen Phuong published his third songbook, Bien, Ke Phan Xet Cuoi Cung, in 1980.  A couple years later, he and his wife opened up LUP Café in Santa Ana, California which remained in operation until their divorce in 1985.  For the next several years, Le Uyen Phuong went into obscurity while his former wife continued with her solo career.

In 1990, Le Uyen Phuong resurfaced with the publication of his book, Khong Co May Tren Thanh Pho Los Angeles.  The 1990s also brought about a resurgence to the popularity of his music when he and his former wife reunited as Le Uyen & Phuong on several music videos produced by Thuy Nga Paris, Asia Entertainment and Lang Van.  On June 29, 1999, Le Uyen Phuong passed away from lung cancer at the age of 58.  He is survived by his two daughters, Le Uyen Uyen and Le Uyen Mi, from his marriage to Le Uyen.  His songs have been recorded by numerous other Vietnamese artists including Khanh Ly, Tuan Ngoc, Julie Quang, Thanh Ha and Thai Hien.

Link(s):

Le Uyen Phuong Facebook Page

Friday, February 12, 2016

Le Uyen

Le Uyen (1952-    ) is a Vietnamese singer who had first gained prominence as one half of the legendary singing duo, Le Uyen & Phuong, in Saigon during the late 1960s.

Born as Lam Phuc Anh on July 17, 1952 in Hanoi, she is the eldest out of two daughters in a Chinese-Vietnamese family of Hoa descent.  In 1954, Le Uyen and her family resettled in the Cho Lon district of Saigon, South Vietnam.  While in Da Lat at the age of 16, she met and married Le Minh Lap, a songwriter, singer and musician 11 years her senior who would later become known as Le Uyen Phuong.

As a duo, Le Uyen & Phuong first began to have a following in 1969 among the young adult demographics of South Vietnam, particularly university and college students.  As their popularity grew, the duo began performing for major music festivals and concert events all over South Vietnam until the Fall of Saigon in 1975.  Le Uyen & Phuong recorded for various major record labels of South Vietnam including Shotguns, Thanh Thuy, Nhat Truong, Jo Marcel, Nhac Tre and Pham Manh Cuong.  The duo developed a distinct trademark with their audio recordings in which consisted of their vocals accompanied solely by Le Uyen Phuong on acoustic guitar as music arrangements.  Among their most popular recorded songs together as a duo were songs written and composed by Le Uyen Phuong, himself, such as Da Khuc Cho Tinh Nhan, Buon Den Bao Gio, Tren Da Tinh Yeu, Bai Ca Hanh Ngo and Dem Cho Phien Mua Dong.  Aside from songs written by her husband, Le Uyen also found success with recordings of songs by other composers such as Co Hong written by Pham Duy.    


In 1979, the couple and their two daughters, Le Uyen Uyen and Le Uyen Mi, left their homeland for the United States resettling in Southern California.  Immediately, they continued with their music careers performing for overseas Vietnamese audiences throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe.  In the early 1980s, they opened up LUP, a coffee shop which featured weekly live entertainment that ran for several successful years in the Vietnamese community of Orange County, California.  Their marriage ended in divorce in 1985.  In the United States, Le Uyen & Phuong had released several studio albums including Xin Cho Yeu Em Nong Nang (1982), Trai Tim Ke La (1988) and Tinh Nhu May Coi La (1998).

After her divorce, Le Uyen continued her career as a solo artist.  In 1988, she went on a successful tour of Japan performing alongside fellow overseas Vietnamese singers Thanh Thuy and Kim Tuyen.  Le Uyen has recorded for many major overseas Vietnamese music production labels such as Truong Thanh, Da Lan, Thanh Lan, Mai Ngoc Khanh and Lang Van.  In 1991, she appeared on Thuy Nga's Paris By Night stage with a solo performance of Chieu Tren Pha Tam Giang written by Nhat Truong.  Fifteen years later, she would reprise her performance of that same song in a duet with singer Thien Kim on volume 50 of Asia Entertainment's live show music video series.  During the mid 1990s, Le Uyen would reunite with her ex-husband and former singing partner, Le Uyen Phuong, performing as a duo some of their greatest hit songs he had written such as Uong Nuoc Ben Bo Suoi, Vung Lay Cua Chung Ta, Loi Goi Chan May, Hay Ngoi Xuong Day and Cho Lan Cuoi.  After Le Uyen Phuong's passing in 1999, Le Uyen continued with many more appearances as a solo artist for Asia Entertainment with such memorable performances of Tinh Khuc Thu Nhat written by Vu Thanh An, Nho Nguoi Thuong Binh  written by Pham Duy, Dem Chon Dau Vuot Bien written by Chau Dinh An and Me Viet Nam Oi!  Chung Con Van Con Day written by Hoang Phong Linh, a moving duet with singer Thanh Lan about the plight of homesick former Vietnamese nationals who have resettled overseas.  Le Uyen has made several successful concert tours in her native Vietnam, most recently on September of 2015 she performed together with Khanh Ly, Quang Dung and Quang Thanh at a live show entitled Tinh Khuc Cho Em held in the city of Da Nang.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

The Next Featured Viet Celebs

VietCeleb.BlogSpot.com is very proud to announce another milestone that we now have a total of 200 bios/tributes of Vietnamese celebrities in the blog site's archive.  There are so many more individuals we would like to recognize and honor here at Viet Celeb.  If you have any requests of any Vietnamese celebrity that we have left out so far, please let us know.  Your feedback is greatly appreciated.  Thank you for your viewership.

Here are the next featured 20 Viet Celebs ranging from Viet Celebs of Pre-'75 Saigon, Overseas Viet Celebs Since 1975, International Celebrities of Vietnamese Descent and Celebs of Vietnam Today.

Le Uyen & Phuong:  Vietnamese Pop Singing Duo Comprised of  1. Le Uyen:  lead singer and Phuong:  singer, guitarist and songwriter known as 2. Le Uyen Phuong

3. Tran Van Trach:  Vietnamese Comedic Actor
4. Bao Quoc:  Southern Vietnamese Folk Opera Actor
 and Comedian

5. Kim Tuyen:  Southern Vietnamese Folk Opera Actress


6. Kha Tu:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer

7. Chi Tai:  Musician and Comedic Actor 

8. Hoang Lan:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer

9. Thai Hien:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer

10. Thai Thao:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer




11. Eric Le Hung:  French Cinema Director

12. Barbara Bui:  Eurasian French-Vietnamese Fashion Designer and Entrepreneur

13. Steve Tran:  French Character Actor
of Vietnamese Descent 
14. Tran Nu Yen Khe:  French Film Actress of Vietnamese Descent, Star of  The Scent of Green Papaya, Cyclo and The Vertical Ray of the Sun

15.  Jim Parque:  American Major League Baseball Pitcher
of Vietnamese and Anglo-American Descent
16. Phi Thanh Van:  Vietnamese Actress of Film and Television,
Former Model


17. Ngoc Diep:  Vietnamese Film Actress and Model 


18. Thai Hoa:  Vietnamese Comedic Actor
of Film, Television and Stage
19. Miu Le:  Vietnamese Singer and Actress
20. Tinna Tinh:  Eurasian Singer of Czech-Vietnamese Descent,
Cinema of Vietnam Actress and Fashion Model

Monday, February 8, 2016

30 Most Beautiful Viet Celebs of 2015

Now that 2015 is officially over, let's take a look back and recognize our most beautiful Vietnamese celebrities  of the year.  VietCeleb.BlogSpot.com proudly presents our first annual list of 30 Most Beautiful Viet Celebs of the Year.  Here they are listed in alphabetical order.

See Also:




2. Betty Nguyen:  NBC News Anchor
of Anglo-American and Vietnamese Descent
1. Binh Minh:  Vietnamese Film and Television Actor 

3. Cat Tien:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer 

4. Dan Nguyen:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer 

5. Diep Thanh Thanh:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer

6. Dustin Nguyen:  Vietnamese-American Film
and Television Actor

7. Fabien Corbineau:  French-Vietnamese Eurasian Actor
of Korean Television Dramas and Fashion Model

8. Ho Hoang Yen:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer

9.  Ho Ngoc Ha:  Vietnamese Singer, Fashion Model
and Film Actress
10. Hoang-Kim Cung:  Miss Nebraska USA (2015)
11. Johnny Tri Nguyen:  Cinema of Vietnam Heartthrob 
12.  Lam Anh:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer 


13. Lam Nhat Tien:  Overseas Vietrnamese Singer 

14. Leyna Nguyen:  KCBS-TV/KCAL-TV News Anchor

15. Luong Tung Quang:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer 

16. Maggie Q:  Hollywood and Hong Kong Cinema Actress and Model
of Vietnamese, Irish and Polish Descent

17. Ngan Khanh:  Vietnamese Singer and Film Actress

18. Ngoc Diep:  Vietnamese Film Actress and Fashion Model 

19. Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen:  Hostess of Paris By Night Music Video Series

20. Nhu Loan:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer 


21. Olivia Munn:  American Television Personality, Film Actress
and Model of Vietnamese, English, Irish and German Descent 

22. Phuong Hong Ngoc:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer
and Former Cinema of Saigon Actress

23. Tam Tit:  Vietnamese Singer, Model and Actress

24. Thanh Ha:  Amerasian Singer of Anglo-American
and Vietnamese Descent 

25. Thanh Hang:  Model, Actress and
Former Miss Vietnam Photogenic Titleholder

26. Toc Tien:  Vietnamese Singer of Paris By Night

27. Y Lan:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer 

28. Y Phung:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer

29. Yen Trang:  Vietnamese Singer and Actress

30. Yohan Cabaye:  Professional Footballer of French and Vietnamese Descent