South Korean film director Park Gyu Tae will oversee the joint Vietnamese-Korean production titled 'Saigon Oppa.'
In a significant move for the film industry, the Vietnam-South Korea co-production titled Leaving Mom has made history as the first ever equal partnership between the two countries in terms of investment and production responsibilities. Directed by Korea's Park Gyu Tae, the film is not related to the previously mentioned co-production titled Saigon Oppa, and it's not a comedy adventure as one might expect from the renowned director. Instead, Leaving Mom is a Vietnam-set family drama that has crossed $5.3m (VND140bn) in Vietnam following its release on August 1, making it the eighth biggest local film of 2025 in Vietnam.
Park Gyu Tae, known for his 2022 blockbuster comedy 6/45 which remains the second highest grossing Korean film of all time in Vietnam with takings of almost $7m (VND181bn), spent two years writing the screenplay for Saigon Oppa. The comedy adventure is about two Vietnamese husbands on a wild mission to find their K-pop-obsessed wives in Seoul. Filming for Saigon Oppa is expected to start in early 2026 in both Vietnam and South Korea.
The co-production agreement for Saigon Oppa was signed between South Korea's Film Line and Vietnam's BHD following a government event in Seoul. BHD, the first to introduce Korean drama series to Vietnam, has distributed numerous Korean films and drama series in the country and produced local remakes of major Korean IPs such as Descendants Of The Sun and Good Doctor.
The Vietnamese film industry has been gaining attention with events like the "Vietnamese 2025" short film competition, which highlights the quality and involvement of notable actors in the industry. The global film industry is also shifting towards locally produced content, with countries like China and Japan experiencing significant box office success from local films. This trend could influence future co-productions, potentially including Vietnam and Korea.
Without specific data on Vietnam-Korea film co-productions, it is challenging to assess their box office performances. However, the increasing focus on local content and international collaborations may lead to future projects between these countries. According to BHD senior vice president Ngo Thi Bich Hanh, Leaving Mom demonstrates a new level of closer and more equal cooperation between Vietnam and South Korea.
Leaving Mom and Saigon Oppa are prime examples of the growing collaboration between Vietnam and South Korea in the film industry, signifying a promising future for cross-cultural storytelling and mutual growth.
Park Gyu Tae, famous for his works like 6/45 and the upcoming comedy adventure Saigon Oppa, is exploring a different genre by directing the family drama Leaving Mom, which is a Vietnam-South Korea co-production, showcasing the expansion of their entertainment industry, encompassing movies-and-tv productions.
With Leaving Mom cementing an equal partnership between Vietnam and South Korea in terms of investment and production responsibilities, this collaboration reflects the growing trend in the global entertainment industry towards locally produced content, merging the boundaries of movies-and-tv between these countries.
