HÀ NỘI — Behind promotional tours by international film stars is the growing appeal of Việt Nam’s nearly 100-million-strong film market, which sold more than 70 million cinema tickets in 2025.

In early September, HCM City welcomed the stars of Hope, including director Na Hong Jin and actors Hwang Jung Min, Jo In Sung and Jung Ho Yeon, who spent two days meeting the press, media representatives and Vietnamese audiences.

Their appearance added to a growing list of international artists who have visited Việt Nam to promote films over the past year, reported Lao Động (Labour) newspaper.

In late July last year, Jung Il Woo visited HCM City to promote Leaving Mom, taking part in its premiere and meeting local audiences. The Việt Nam-Korean film later grossed around VNĐ171 billion (US$6.5 million), according to Box Office Việt Nam.

In late September, Lee Kwang Soo and the crew of My Hand Holds a Star came to Việt Nam for promotional activities in HCM City and Hà Nội. That same month, Taiwanese actor Hsu Kuanghan, also known as Greg Hsu, and Angela Yuen visited HCM City to introduce Measure in Love.

A month later, Thai star Nadech Kugimiya and the cast of Tee Yod: Ghost Eater Part 3 arrived in HCM City for promotional activities and audience exchanges. The film subsequently grossed around VNĐ82 billion at Vietnamese box offices.

Earlier, Thai actors JJ Krissanapoom and Pure Duangjai, together with director Lee Thongkham, also visited the city to promote The Bride.

The increasing frequency of such visits indicates that Vietnam is receiving greater attention in the promotional and distribution strategies of Asian film projects.

Vietnamese film market offers strong potential

Việt Nam’s appeal stems primarily from the size and growth of its cinema market.

Figures from CGV Việt Nam show that box-office revenue reached nearly VNĐ 5.6 trillion in 2025, while more than 70 million tickets were sold, representing increases of 24 per cent and 29 per cent, respectively, from 2024. Compared with 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, box-office revenue last year was more than 35 per cent higher.

The market recorded annual revenue growth of more than 20 per cent during 2023-25, providing a strong basis for attracting regional film producers and distributors.

With a population of nearly 100 million, Việt Nam also offers a large potential audience. Many Korean, Thai and Chinese stars have substantial fan communities in the country, giving films a ready-made base for promotional campaigns.

Direct appearances by stars can generate extensive media coverage and social media discussion, helping films reach audiences ahead of and during their opening periods.

However, star power alone does not guarantee box-office success. Figures from 2025 show significant differences in the performance of films whose casts visited Việt Nam.

Leaving Mom grossed around VNĐ171 billion, while Tee Yod: Ghost Eater Part 3 earned about VNĐ82 billion. By contrast, My Hand Holds a Star grossed only around VNĐ11.7 billion, The Bride VNĐ11.3 billion and Measure in Love about VNĐ3.8 billion, according to figures cited by local media from Box Office Việt Nam.

The wide revenue gap shows that while an actor’s popularity can generate attention, it is not enough to persuade audiences to buy tickets. Film quality, storyline and appeal to local tastes remain decisive factors in determining box-office performance. Nevertheless, its large audience base, rapidly growing box-office revenue and strong fan communities for Asian stars are making Việt Nam an increasingly important market that international film producers seek to reach directly. — VNA/VNS