Teenage confession video brings lovers back together after years

In 2011 Ha Dieu Ly, then 17, of northern Hai Duong province met 19-year-old Tran Xuan Canh of central Nha Trang town while playing online games. They bonded quickly and added each other on Facebook to stay in touch.

After some time during which they grew closer Ly agreed to be Canh’s girlfriend one Valentine’s Day. One month into their relationship, on White Day (March 14, when those who receive Valentine’s gifts return the favor), Ly asked a friend to record a video of her confessing her feelings for Canh and posted it on her social media.

Canh, who had only just met her online, felt "both embarrassed and delighted" by the heartfelt gesture. But a few days later Ly took the video down after friends teased her for being "cheesy" and she herself worried her parents might scold her if they saw it.

Their teenage relationship faded as Ly focused on her high school graduation and preparations for university. Soon after she went to study in Russia while Canh became busy with his own studies. Separated by distance and time zones, their interactions dwindled.

"It was a childish online romance, so there wasn’t really a breakup," Ly recalls. "We both just moved on and forgot about each other."

Three years later Ly’s video suddenly resurfaced on social media, though it was unclear who had saved and shared it. A panic-stricken Ly joined various online groups and forums to plead with administrators to delete the video, explaining that she was now in a relationship with someone else.

Dieu Ly and her boyfriend on a trip to the Central Highlands town of Da Lat in 2017, a year after they rekindled their relationship. Photo courtesy of the couple

Her efforts were largely unsuccessful, the video garnered thousands of likes and shares, especially around Valentine’s Day and White Day. Online users dubbed her the "queen of confessions" for her poetic expression of love.

"My friends kept tagging me whenever they came across that video," Ly says. "It even caused problems with my boyfriend, who would get upset every time the video was shared."

On the other hand, Canh was not affected since the video did not mention him by name. In Nha Trang, he even chuckled when a mutual friend tagged him in the video. "Watching it again, I couldn’t help but laugh at how childish it was," he says.

Realizing they were still friends on social media, Canh messaged Ly, saying, "That video you sent me is going viral again."

She replied with a sad face emoji and asked him if there was any way to remove it completely, but Canh was at a loss as well. As they started chatting again, their updates appeared more frequently on each other’s social media. Ly discovered he was working in tourism, and Canh saw photos of Ly studying abroad in Russia.

At the end of 2015 Ly returned to Vietnam but was unsure about her career path. Her father encouraged her to study tourism in Nha Trang, especially since Russian tourists were flocking to Vietnam.

"With my Russian language skills, my father believed I’d have a good future in Nha Trang," Ly says.

She enjoyed traveling and remembered that Canh lived in Nha Trang, and messaged him. "Come over, I’ll show you around!" he replied.

Both had already broken up with their respective partners. Since they were in the same tourism college in Nha Trang and Canh was a senior in her department, their paths often crossed. They attended the same classes and participated in tour guide training, which brought them closer together.

"We started hanging out with the same group of friends, but I always found myself drawn to Ly," Canh recalls.

As they spent more time together, Canh became more drawn to Ly’s northern accent, attractive appearance and friendly demeanor. He often waited at the school gates to help her get her motorbike from the parking area, and frequently brought her snacks.

"I could tell he liked me by the way he acted," Ly says. Meeting him again confirmed why she had developed feelings for him during their online chats at 17. "He was the comedian of the school. Being around him was always fun, and our conversations were never boring."

Despite sending signals, he did not confess his feelings until, months later, she confronted him one day and asked: "Do you like me?"

"Yes, I really like you. Will you be my girlfriend?"

Ly had been waiting for those words and quickly said yes. From then on, despite living seven kilometers away, he would pick her up each morning, drop her off after school and take her out in the evenings. "If I sneezed, he would show up with medicine, waiting at the door," she recalls fondly.

Dieu Ly and Canh with their two children at their Nha Trang home in August 2024. Photo courtesy of the couple

On their first Valentine’s Day afterward, Ly’s teenage confession video resurfaced yet again. This time their college friends, including Phan Thi Chinh, recognized her.

Chinh believes that Ly and Canh were destined to be together, saying they are always happy in each other’s company, have similar personalities and share similar interests. During the three years they were dating they traveled over nearly the entire north.

Looking back, Ly is grateful to whoever saved and shared the video: "If it weren’t for that video, we might have completely forgotten about each other.

"I ended up falling for the same person I had confessed to in the video, so I no longer dread seeing it. Now, I see it as a special part of our love story."

In 2019 they walked down the aisle and it was not until their wedding that many of their friends and family realized that the "queen of confessions" had married the same boy she had confessed her love for years ago. The two still joke and laugh like they did when they first met, but have grown more mature as parents of two children.

Whenever life takes a hectic turn due to work or parenting responsibilities, Canh teases Ly by mentioning the video. But it also helps keep their love alive.

"I can’t bring myself to watch that video again, but maybe when our sons are older, I’ll show it to them and share our funny love story," Ly says.