PUBLISHED ONAugust 03, 2026 2:45 AMBYKoh Xing YingWhat was meant to be a second chance at love turned into a costly experience for one man, who said he lost about $220,000 after his second marriage ended in divorce.
Speaking to AsiaOne on Thursday (July 30), True Love Vietnam Bride Matchmaker owner Mark Lin, 64, said he entered the marriage believing he had found a loving and supportive partner after his first marriage ended.
"I married my second wife in 2017. Everything was perfect at first — there were no issues, and we were very loving and supportive of one another," said Lin.
"I thought I had found someone for life, and we were together for seven years."
Lin said his former Vietnamese wife, who is 25 years his junior, was initially introduced to one of his customers through his matchmaking business. He was 54 years old at the time, and she was 29.
"My customer and my ex-wife originally went on a date, but they did not hit it off. Interestingly, when I spoke to her then, I felt there was a spark," he said.
Lin said he initially saw her as a caring and supportive partner, but over time felt that the relationship had changed as she became increasingly reliant on him financially.
"I helped her secure a housekeeping job, which paid her well. On top of that, I was still giving her a monthly allowance about $1,500 and supporting her family in Vietnam," said Lin.
Lin added that, at one point, he felt the situation had become difficult to manage and tried to discuss the matter amicably with his former wife.
"This led to another major argument and we had a falling out. I wanted to make things work, but she was no longer interested and wanted a divorce," said Lin, who added that the conflict between them began in 2024, after he told her he wanted to cut back on her spending.
"She was spending more than I could sustain at the time, and when I realised the seriousness of the situation, I had already spent about $220,000," said Lin.
He reckoned that he had spent a total of about $220,000 throughout their relationship, including expenses such as luxury items, holiday trips, and financial support for her family in Vietnam.
Lin and his first wife, a Singaporean, divorced in 2016 due to his affair. He has three children from this marriage, and they are between the ages of 30 and 36.
Despite his personal experience, Lin continues to run his matchmaking business, which he said caters mainly to Singaporean men aged 35 and above who face difficulties finding partners.
Drawing from his experience, Lin said he understands the concerns many of his clients have and acknowledged that matching people with compatible expectations can be challenging.
"It is quite common for some foreign women to look for Singaporean men who are financially stable, while men also look for partners who are stable and compatible," said Lin.
While his own experience did not work out as hoped, Lin said he has seen many successful matches through his business, with some couples remaining together for many years.
When asked about the differences between matchmaking agencies and dating apps, which have grown in popularity in the digital era, Lin said matchmaking agencies offer a more structured and serious approach to finding a partner.
"Dating agencies are, at the end of the day, for people who are serious about settling down and finding a partner, compared with online platforms, which can sometimes be more casual," he said.
He added that such services may also be helpful for older individuals who are less familiar with using dating applications.
Lin, who is preparing to retire, previously announced in a video that he plans to sell his matchmaking business for $99,000.
"There is definitely still a market for this. However, because of my age, I'm looking to sell the business as it has become more difficult for me to liaise with partner agencies in Vietnam," he said.
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xingying.koh@asiaone.com
