Lotte Entertainment Vietnam CEO kneels, bows at Hanoi event to seek support for ‘Mui Pho’

Kim Jin Geun, representing the film's distributor, made the gesture at a post-screening exchange with audiences, according to producer Beta Cinema.

Opening his remarks, Kim referred to kimchi as a symbol of South Korean cuisine and culture, saying that two decades ago few people knew of the dish but that it has since become a global cultural icon.

He said South Korea had demonstrated not only economic strength but also the ability to promote its culture through film, and added that young people there take pride in their roots.

Having arrived in Vietnam, Kim said he saw similar potential, citing the country's diverse cuisine, long history and national pride, and expressed hope that audiences could help promote Vietnamese culture through ‘Mui Pho.’

The film follows a devoted pho (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) maker fighting to preserve his family’s  recipe amid generational tensions over tradition, personal ambition, and modern values in a multigenerational household.

He said that although several family-themed films are screening during the Lunar New Year holiday, he believed ‘Mui Pho’ was distinctive and could bring families together.

Screenings of the film in the coming days remain limited at fewer than 900 per day, and Kim called for support from audiences in northern Vietnam to help create wider momentum for the movie.

As of 12:00 pm on Thursday, ‘Mui Pho’ had generated VND12.6 billion (US$485,177) in revenue, the lowest among the four Vietnamese films released for the Tet holiday this year, according to the producer.