Women in this Country Rent Boyfriends

The trend surged in the South Asian country as women wanted to delay marriages due to career aspirations.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), this unconventional practice has become increasingly popular among women aiming to avoid the stigma of being single, particularly during family gatherings such as the Lunar New Year.

Balancing personal aspirations with family expectations is a challenge for many young professionals in Vietnam. Minh Thu, a 30-year-old from Nam Dinh, exemplifies this struggle. After dedicating the past five years to her demanding career, she faced mounting pressure from her parents, who insisted she bring a boyfriend home for the Lunar New Year. However, her busy work schedule left little room for dating, making it difficult to meet their expectations.

Due to this pressure, she paid several million Vietnamese dong and hired a man as her temporary boyfriend. "On the day he came to my house, he helped my mum cook and chatted with my relatives. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my parents so happy and proud of me," Thu told SCMP.

Similarly, another woman, Khanh Ngoc rented a boyfriend to appease her parents, which improved her family dynamics. “Since then, my relationship with my parents has improved,” she said in a media report.

This trend is not only restricted to women as a personal solution but it emerged as a business for many men in Vietnam. For instance, Huy Tuan, a 25-year-old, has turned it into a full-time job and has met various clients from casual outings to social events and family gatherings.

Tuan prepares himself for every client to meet their demands. “I have to go to the gym, learn to sing, cook, take photos, and work on my conversation skills to meet the expectations of many clients,” he shared.

To maintain quality, Tuan limits his bookings to just a few clients each month. For instance, a two-hour coffee date or shopping trip costs between 100,000 and 200,000 Vietnamese dong (approximately around10–20 US dollars), while attending a family gathering is priced at around 1 million Vietnamese dong (40 US dollars).

Tuan's contract is strictly defined, outlining the clear terms of forbidding any kind of sexual or emotional attachment, and making sure that his services will remain temporary and proffessional.

Despite the growing popularity of renting boyfriends, experts raise concerns about the emotional risk involved.

“If exposed, families could experience significant emotional damage and lose trust. Additionally, renting a partner is not legally protected in Vietnam, so women should be especially cautious,” Nguyen Thanh Nga, a researcher at Vietnam’s Academy of Journalism and Communication, told SCMP.

This caution highlights the risks involved in the practice, as families may feel betrayed upon discovering the relationship was fabricated. While renting a boyfriend may offer a temporary way to meet societal expectations, it carries the potential for significant emotional consequences if the truth comes to light.