Thuong Tin: A once-prolific actor, old age without a wife and children, died in loneliness

On the morning of December 9, the audience was shocked by the news that artist Thuong Tin died at the age of 70 in his hometown after a long time of declining health. The once-prolific actor had to fight illness, at the end of his life without a wife and children, making Vietnamese showbiz mournful.

Thuong Tin, whose real name is Bui Thuong Tin, was born in 1956 in Phan Rang, Ninh Thuan, in a large family. His passion for art flourished very early, when he was 13 years old, he ran away from home to follow a Cai Luong singing troupe to satisfy his dream of standing on stage, even if it was just a soldier or supporting role. After that, he attended the Saigon National School of Music and Drama, then joined the Cuu Long Giang Theater Troupe and the Diamond Theater Troupe, respectively. Thanks to acting besides the "miracle girl" Diamond, his name quickly flashed through many famous plays.

Although he started his career from Cai Luong and theater, it was cinema that brought Thuong Tin to the peak of fame, becoming one of Vietnam's leading actors in the 1980s and 1990s. With his pompous and romantic demeanor, and the ability to excellently transform into complex roles, from the front to the villain, he has made a deep impression in the hearts of the audience.

Thuong Tin once held the record for the number of plastic films involved, with nearly 200 films as of 2015, in one year he played 12 main roles. The classic roles that made his name must be mentioned: Major Luu Ky Vong in The Upside Down Game, the robber general Bach Hai Duong in SBC (Hunting and Robbery), and especially the Six Hearts in Saigon Rangers. In his heyday, Thuong Tin was the most sought-after star, each film he received a salary equivalent to a gold tree.

Actor Phong Luu, life splurges money without regrets

Thuong Tin is not only famous for his talent but also known for his colorful and stylish private life. He is a flower peach artist, has experienced many love affairs with female artists and has been on the flower cart four times but never held a wedding ceremony.

During the peak of his career, Thuong Tin had a luxurious, liberal life, true to the quality of an actor. He once confided that, although the cassette for each film was only one gold, he spent 2-3 gold trees. The reason he was able to live so lavishly was thanks to the unconditional support of a wealthy woman who was infatuated with him: "My car, the clothes I wore, the shoes I wore, the money in my wallet, it was all hers." He changed cars constantly, wore branded goods, and frequented famous tea houses in Saigon, experiencing all kinds of pleasures of the upper class. Even the first beauty at one time like Tham Thuy Hang had an affair with him.

However, that life of "splurging money without regret" also leads to personal stumbles. He was involved in a gambling scandal for money and was arrested, causing his image and reputation to be seriously reduced.

Twilight Age: Illness, loneliness and post-traumatic activity

The turbulence of life hit when Thuong Tin entered the twilight years. After the glorious period, his life fell into poverty, struggling to make a living. He used to open a coffee shop but failed, and sometimes had to go to rent, rushing to earn money to support his wife and children. Some days, he recounted, he had to fast every meal, there was no 100 thousand VND in his pocket.

At the age of 58, he suddenly became a father for the second time with his young wife Kim Chi, 32 years his junior, and had a young daughter. However, in the last years of his life, Thuong Tin lived in a situation of depression alone, did not live near his eldest son (tea room singer Bui Thanh Tung) and did not live with his wife and children. He used to live in Ho Chi Minh City. But then her health deteriorated seriously.

Thuong Tin suffered from heart disease, had a stroke in 2021, then continuously suffered injuries, severe arthritis, had to sit in a wheelchair with a thin body, only about 40 kg. In the last days of his life, he left the spotlight, returned to his hometown of Phan Rang to recuperate, relying on the care of relatives (elderly mother and younger brother). He struggled with illness, deteriorating health and mental signs of sadness, missing Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City and her daughter.

The tragic end of a life of talent and destiny

Early in the morning of December 9, 2025, the Vietnamese entertainment industry was immersed in shock and mourning when it received the news that artist Thuong Tin had breathed his last in his hometown of Phan Rang, Ninh Thuan, at the age of 69. His passing, after a long struggle with illness and life events, has closed a tragic chapter about a famous but also story-filled movie actor.

In the last years of his life, Thuong Tin returned to his hometown to recuperate after many strokes, his health deteriorated and had to face loneliness and the burden of illness. The image of a thin, erroneous Thuong Tin who has to sit in a wheelchair has made many viewers sad. Although he has been away from the spotlight for a long time, the news of his death still deeply shakes fans and colleagues, because he is an irreplaceable monument of Southern cinema after 1975.

Thuong Tin's great career with nearly 200 roles, along with everlasting movie characters such as Major Vong or the bandit general Bach Hai Duong, has shaped an important part of the country's cinema history. His once pompous and pompous, along with personal stumbles, create an iconic legend: an artist who is so talented that he goes beyond the box, but also pays a heavy price for that liberality.

The mourning for Thuong Tin is not only regretting a talent, but also sympathy for the poor and lonely fortune of a person who once stood at the peak of fame. Artists and fans have sent their deep condolences, considering him "the artist of all time" and expressing their admiration for his innate acting talent, which does not need to go through formal schools but still touches the hearts of the audience. Goodbye to Thuong Tin is a goodbye to a part of the brilliant but also tearful memories of Vietnamese showbiz.

Thuong Tin appeared after a period of absence "unable to walk" an image that attracted attention Thanh Yên07:31:44 13/09/2025Musician To Hieu has just visited artist Thuong Tin in Phan Rang, sharing new images and details about his current health, which has attracted the public's interest.