"Mom, My Boyfriend Is Okay, Right? Stop Nagging Now"…A Service Gaining Popularity in Vietnam

Increasing Cases of Using 'Aein Daehang Service'
Contract Terms Include Prohibition of Emotional Involvement and Sexual Harassment
Date Costs 20,000 Won, Family Gatherings About 60,000 Won

In Vietnam, there has been a growing trend among young people of marriageable age using so-called 'partner-for-hire services.' The main reason for using these services is to resolve conflicts with parents who pressure them to get married.

On the 1st, Hong Kong media outlet South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that companies offering paid partner services have been thriving in Vietnam for several years. In particular, a site with over 20,000 members recently reported a sharp increase in women using boyfriend services to reassure their parents.

It is reported that the number of young people of marriageable age in Vietnam using so-called 'partner-for-hire services' is increasing. The main reason for using the service is to resolve conflicts with parents who pressure them to get married. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Pixabay

Min Thu (30), who lives in Nam Dinh Province in northern Vietnam, has been single for five years due to work. Her parents pressured her to have a boyfriend in order to come home for the Lunar New Year holiday and even pretended to be ill out of a desire for grandchildren. As a result, she hired a man five years older than her as a boyfriend. The cost was several million dong (tens of thousands of Korean won). They shared family circumstances and stories, coordinated their words, and met frequently over a week to form an 'emotional bond.'

This man, a construction engineer, was good at cooking and knowledgeable about wine. Thu, who visited her hometown with him, expressed satisfaction, saying, "It had been a long time since I saw my parents proud of me and happy." Similarly, Khan Ngoc (33), who has never dated before, rented a handsome boyfriend four years younger than herself. He also visited her home as a 'fake' boyfriend, and she said her relationship with her parents improved afterward.

While some use the service, others provide labor for it. Hui Tuan (25), a man living in Hanoi, has been acting as a 'fake boyfriend' for various female clients for over a year. He explained, "I usually go to the gym, sing, cook, take photos, and practice conversation skills to meet the expectations of many clients." To provide better service, he only takes 3 to 4 clients per month. Coffee dates or shopping cost several hundred thousand dong (tens of thousands of Korean won) for two hours, and attending family gatherings costs about 1 million dong (approximately 55,000 Korean won). Rental contracts generally include strict conditions such as prohibiting emotional involvement or sexual harassment.

Some experts have warned that the younger generation could be at risk by using such partner-for-hire services. Nguyen Tan Nga, a researcher at the Vietnam Academy of Journalism and Communication, said, "If families find out, it could cause serious emotional damage and loss of trust," adding, "In Vietnam, partner rental services are not legally protected, so women should be especially cautious." This practice is not unique to Vietnam but is also widespread in China, where marriage rates are declining.