Following its box-office success in China, the Chaoshan-dialect film "Dear You" is continuing its overseas release, drawing warm responses from audiences in Thailand and Indonesia. The film opened in Thailand on August 6 and Indonesia on August 7, following earlier releases in Singapore and Malaysia.
Released on April 30, "Dear You" has grossed more than 2 billion yuan at the box office in China and over 100 million yuan overseas. Set in Thailand in the mid-20th century, the film tells a story of love, friendship, responsibility and family ties through the lives of people separated by migration.
In the film, Musheng, a young man from Teochew (the Chaoshan region of Guangdong Province), who has just married Shurou, leaves his hometown for Thailand to make a living. He sends money home and keeps in touch with his wife through letters and remittances (known as Qiaopi). After he dies unexpectedly, however, his friend Nanzhi conceals Musheng's passing away from his family and continues to write letters to Shurou and send her money in Musheng's name for nearly two decades.
Returning to the places where the story unfolds, the film held a special screening with the Teochew Association of Thailand on August 4, bringing together government officials, business leaders and members of the local community.
Usha, who portrays elderly Nanzhi, attends the "Dear You" premiere in Thailand.
Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Zhang Jianwei described the film as "simple yet deeply moving," saying it presents elements of Chinese culture and reflects the long-standing friendship between China and Thailand.
"This movie connects people from China and Thailand," Thailand's Minister of Culture Sabida Thaised told South. She said she planned to watch the film with her family, describing it as a story about love, responsibility and enduring values.
Dhanin Chearavanont, senior chairman of Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group), also praised the film after the screening. Speaking to South, he said its themes reminded him of his father, who arrived in Thailand and built a business from scratch.
Thai audiences attend the Thailand premiere of "Dear You".
The film received a similarly warm response in Indonesia, where it first opened in Jakarta.
Wang Siping, cultural counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, said the film's themes of affection and loyalty reflect the experiences of people who left their hometowns to build new lives in Southeast Asia. He said he hoped the film would contribute to cultural exchanges between China and Indonesia by encouraging audiences to reflect on the stories and memories shared across generations.
Indonesian performance artist Sukmawati Sukarnoputri, daughter of Indonesia's founding president Sukarno, told South that she was particularly moved by the friendship between the film's two female protagonists, adding that their reunion at the end of the film left the deepest impression on her.
"At a time when the world is changing so rapidly, this film reminds young people that lifelong love and commitment still exist," she said.
An Indonesian audience member who attended the screening told South that the film deeply moved her and reminded her of earlier generations who left their hometowns to build better lives for their families overseas.
"We should tell the next generation that the lives they enjoy today did not come easily," she said.
Singaporean entrepreneur Pan Yan, who had already watched the film in Singapore, also attended the Jakarta screening with his friends. "I watched the film in Singapore, but when I learned it was being shown in Indonesia, I invited some friends here to watch it again," he told South. He praised the film as warm and sincere, saying it was well worth a second viewing.
Reporter | Yao Jingsen
Photos provided to South
