The actor said the two have been separated for a while, but he has only now made it public. He is currently renting a room alone in Ho Chi Minh City, while his wife has returned to her hometown in Gia Lai (formerly Binh Dinh). “We only had a wedding ceremony, we didn't register the marriage," he said.
According to Phung Ngoc, the relationship ended because they "couldn't find common ground in life". “Many times, returning to my rented room and facing the four walls, I felt lost but encouraged myself to keep trying. This is a difficult period, but I will overcome it. I want to be a different person, more cheerful and sociable than before," Co said.
Phung Ngoc and his former wife met through social media. She works as a makeup artist. They decided to be together after a long period of getting to know each other. Previously, the actor was married to a woman from Quang Tri. After more than 10 years together, they separated in 2014 due to personality differences and a struggling life.
After his role as Co in director Nguyen Vinh Son's film, Phung Ngoc participated in a few other movies, but they were not successful. The actor gradually withdrew because he felt he had lost his passion and was no longer suited for the arts. Co lived a nomadic life across many provinces, working various jobs such as tending rubber plantations, driving motorbike taxis, cutting hair, and selling clothes on the sidewalk.
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Actor Phung Ngoc when he was staying in Binh Duong in 2023. Photo: Provided by the subject |
In 10/2023, Phung Ngoc reunited with Hung Thuan (who played An) when his colleague visited his rented room. At that time, he was working as a security guard with an income of 7 million VND per month, paying about 1.5 million VND for rent. Moved by his friend's impoverished life, Hung Thuan advised him to join him in livestreaming sales to create new opportunities and rebuild his life. However, after a while, Co stopped collaborating.
The television series “Dat Phuong Nam” (Southern Land), released in 1997, is an 11-episode series about An, a boy who loses his mother and journeys to find his father. Wandering to the south, An encounters people suffering under the oppression of landlords and colonists. Despite the hardships, An always lives surrounded by the love of those who care for him—a source of strength that helps him overcome adversity. After its broadcast, the series became a sensation, becoming one of the classic television dramas of the 1990s. Characters like An, Co, Mr. Ba the Snake Catcher (Manh Dung), Uncle Ba Phi, and Vo Tong (Le Quang) have captured the hearts of generations of viewers.
Tam Ky
