Tet movies pirated, uploaded on TikTok

The videos released on January 26 include clips showing the controversy between Ngoc Nhi and John, her overseas Vietnamese boyfriend.

A screenshot from pirated clip from “Nha Ba Nu” on TikTok which shows Ngoc Nhi arguing with her boyfriend.

“Nha Ba Nu” collected VND150 billion (US$6.36 million) within five days in theaters, the fastest Vietnamese film to reach this milestone, surpassing 2021 Tet movie “Bo Gia” (Dad, I’m Sorry).

On January 22, key excerpts from “Chi Chi Em Em 2” featuring Ngoc Trinh and Minh Hang were also posted illegally on many TikTok accounts.

The clips had been secretly filmed in cinemas, and the videos got hundreds of thousands of hits.

Vu Ngoc Dang, the film’s director, said: “We have fallen victim to TikTokers.” According to Box Office Vietnam, an independent entity that analyzes cinema revenue data, “Chi Chi Em Em 2” collected VND37 billion ($1.57 million) at the box office in five days.

Minh Hang in “Chi Chi Em Em 2”. Photo by Huy Tran

Nguyen Hoang Hai, content director of CJ CGV cinema complex, said he had contacted TikTok to delete the videos, and continue to review the offending accounts for handling.

Producers said it was difficult to estimate the damage. Will Vu, producer of “Chi Chi Em Em 2”, said the videos negatively affected the experience of viewers, because the film has been dispersed in content, which can create a bad word-of-mouth effect, affecting its revenues.

“The leaked scenes are all important scenes, in the main line of the film. Because the quality is not guaranteed like watching in cinemas, the audience will definitely consider choosing to watch it on holidays or not,” he said.

In recent years many Vietnamese films have been affected by piracy.

In 2017 “Co Ba Sai Gon” (The Tailor) by Ngo Thanh Van was illegally live-streamed on a Facebook fanpage.

“Kong: Skull Island,” the Hollywood blockbuster set 70% in Vietnam, was live-streamed by many people within a few days of its release in the country.