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Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn

b. 1945

Writer

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About Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn

Born 1945. Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn is a Vietnamese writer, prose writer, playwright, essayist, television presenter and short story writer.

Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn (born 9 March 1945 in Sơn Tây) is a Vietnamese-Canadian writer, essayist and television personality.

Ngạn was born in Sơn Tây (present-day Hanoi), but his family moved to South Vietnam when the Geneva Accords divided Vietnam in 1954. After university and service in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, Ngạn was imprisoned by the victorious communists after the fall of Saigon in 1975 and did forced labour in a re-education camp up until 1978, an experience described in his autobiography, The Will Of Heaven.

After his release, Ngạn escaped by boat to Malaysia in 1979. During the closing stages of the journey, storms hit the boat and knocked it over within sight of land. Ngạn's wife and child drowned and he was pulled unconscious from the water. He was sponsored by the Canadian government and brought to Vancouver in 1980, moving to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and in 1985 to Toronto.

Ngạn was formerly known for co-hosting Thuy Nga's Paris by Night with Vietnamese personality Kỳ Duyên until his retirement in 2022. He co-authored Ballad Of Mulan and The Blind Man and the Cripple – Orchard Village.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Chu Văn An High School (Ho Chi Minh City), Conservatory of Ho Chi Minh City

People in Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn?

writer

When was Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn born?

Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn was born on 26 January 1945 in Sơn Tây.

What is Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn's occupation?

Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn is a writer, prose writer, playwright, essayist, television presenter and short story writer.

What nationality is Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn?

Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn is Vietnamese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn

· Wikidata: Q7022896

· DBpedia: Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn. https://biography.guide/nguyen-ngoc-ngan/

MLA: "Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/nguyen-ngoc-ngan/.

Chicago: "Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/nguyen-ngoc-ngan/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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