Leaving the city after a life-changing event

A small moss-covered house, a lush green garden full of vegetables and flowers, and cozy countryside meals filled with laughter - these are what viewers see in the videos made by Do Van Tinh, commonly known as Ut Tinh, born in 1994, Dong Hoa Commune, An Giang Province.

Each of Ut Tinh’s videos carries a rustic, intimate charm that evokes deep nostalgia for home.

Previously, when he was still working in the city, Tinh often felt homesick when watching countryside videos like those he now makes. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, he landed a well-paid urban job but always dreamed of returning home to live with his parents. But at that time, the dream seemed far out of reach.

In 2022, everything changed when his mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor that required surgery and long-term treatment. Without hesitation, Tinh quitted his job in the city and moved back home to care for her.

The experience made him appreciate every moment spent with his family. He reduced his working hours to spend more time with his mother, talk with his father, and stay close to his four sisters.

When his mother’s health stabilized, Tinh came up with the idea of filming his parents, their small home, and their green garden to preserve those memories.

“I didn’t expect those simple, everyday moments to receive such warm responses. Many people commented that they loved my small house, the thatched kitchen, and my pretty vegetable garden. That gave me motivation to create more videos to share these warm family moments,” Tinh said.

The decision that changed everything

Ut Tinh's videos do not have any script or arrangement. Whenever he has free time, he sets up his camera and records the ordinary moments of his parents. Afterward, he incorporates his own emotional narration to create a complete video.

"Initially, I just filmed for fun, whenever I was free. When it was well-received, I tried to film and edit more carefully and release more clips, so that each clip becomes a place for people to relax," Ut Tinh recounted.

Throughout the initial period, Tinh's parents did not know what their son was filming or why. They simply went about their familiar daily tasks.

When Ut Tinh showed them the videos and read the touching comments from people, his parents were very happy. Since then, they have been motivated to expand the garden, plant more vegetables, and plan everything more meticulously.

“My parents don’t act. Everything is completely natural. They don’t comment on how I film either; they just tell me stories about the old days and simple dishes from back then, which give me new ideas and inspiration,” Tinh said.

Some videos take him four to five hours to produce, while others require several days or even months, but he never feels discouraged.

For the man from Mekong Delta, filming is not a job, but it’s a way to enjoy precious moments with his family.

Listening to his parents discuss gardening and growing plants, hearing the familiar call “Ut, it’s time to eat,” cooking new dishes for them, or gathering around a warm family meal - all of these are priceless moments to him.

“The decision to leave the city and return home completely changed my life. I feel relaxed and fulfilled, and my parents are happier too.

Our family meals are better, our extended family meets more often, and I have more time to take care of my parents and travel with them. After all, ‘happiness’ is the best word to describe my life now,” Tinh shared.

He is even happier when he reads the positive comments from netizens under each video. Some find peace and relaxation watching his videos, while others express their dream of living such a quiet, gentle life.

Among them, what touched Ut Tinh the most were the messages from children far from home. Leaving their homeland and their parents to work in a foreign land, what they yearn for is sometimes not luxury but simply the moment to eat a home-cooked meal with their parents.

"Many people watching my videos feel an intense longing for home and their hometown. Reading comments like 'hope Ut posts videos more often,' 'wish Ut would cook more rustic dishes,' gives me the motivation to work. Because I know that my simple films have touched people's emotions," Ut Tinh shared.

Thanh Minh