Purchase a Vietnam bride for $10,000, but don't forget your $2,000 deposit

Focus Malaysia

27-07-2025

WHAT can be more horrifying than the most horrific horror movie? A normal human relationship of course. The fear of rejection. Rejection. Abusive relationships. You name it.
That is why people have resorted to 'purchasing' relationships, aka Vietnam Brides.
This isn't new but a recent viral video on Vietnam Brides in Singapore has brought the topic back into the limelight.
According to Mark Lin who runs the bridal agency, a client is charged $10,000 for a bride, and a $2,000 deposit is required.
Some of the 'brides' were introduced in the video, their age ranging from 19 to 22. Authentic brides or legalised prostitution? You decide.
Hahaha bukan setakat labour diorang beli dari luar, bini pon kena import dari luar.
It looks borderline unlawful matchmaking barely legal brides though. https://t.co/aEHFHEKiE0 pic.twitter.com/g7nX2AUmt1
— Dibs (@adibhazlami) July 25, 2025
However, netizens were sceptical about this concept of purchasing a relationship instead of forming one. We are not surprised.
Netizen @kingtawa23 said he knew an uncle selling Tau Foo Fah who once purchased a Vietnam bride. Apparently she ran away and he felt that it was just a waste of money.
Another netizen claimed this was human trafficking.
@army4769 added that this was a growing trend as the local Chinese girls have a lot of demand.
'In the area of my condominium, I can say that the majority of Chinese guys there marry Vietnamese and Thais. At first I thought they were mistresses but they were actually wives,' he said.
Nerizen @fa_fart echoes his words, stating that Chinese guys are more likely to marry Vietnamese as Chinese girls are expensive. 'It is cheap to marry Malays but they have to convert,' he said.
'Mail-order bride is the word,' said @Solo_Level_27 succinctly. So is happily ever after just $10,000 away for the average male? Who knows.
On another note, what drives these girls to become Vietnam brides? According to the website Girls Not Brides, child marriage in Vietnam continues to be influenced by deep-rooted gender inequality, where girls are often seen as less valuable than boys.
Economic hardship further worsens the situation, especially among Vietnam's poorest communities.
Statistics show that nearly 39% of girls from low-income households marry before turning 18, compared to just 1.4% among the wealthiest.
For many families facing financial struggles, marrying off daughters is viewed as a means of economic survival.
The risk is even higher for girls from ethnic minority groups, who tend to experience higher poverty levels.
Education also plays a critical role. Two-thirds of women with no formal education were married before 18, in contrast to only 14.5% of those who completed upper secondary school.
Cultural traditions further contribute to the issue. Arranged marriages are still widely practiced in Vietnam, with decisions often made by parents and community leaders.
In some areas, customary laws continue to legitimise the marriage of underage girls with parental consent.
Although prohibited by law, the practice of hai pu, or bride kidnapping, remains common among Hmong communities.
In these cases, girls are forcibly taken from their homes and married without their consent. Additionally, social expectations and the fear of being labelled a 'leftover girl' create further pressure for girls to marry at a young age. —July 27, 2025
Main image: @adibhazlami