Goodbye Gohan, a Thai blockbuster that ranked second at Thailand’s 2026 box office, has officially arrived in Vietnamese theaters and quickly become the country’s top-grossing film.

The movie earned more than 3 billion VND ($118,000) on its first official day in cinemas on May 15, while One Time We Loved starring Quoc Truong generated less than 500 million VND ($19,700) despite opening on the same day.

The film began preview screenings from 6 p.m. on May 13 and rapidly gained momentum among Vietnamese moviegoers, especially pet lovers, thanks to its emotionally healing storyline.

It has emerged as a warm and emotional counterbalance to the horror and domestic comedy films that have dominated theaters since the April 30 holiday period.

A key factor behind the success of Goodbye Gohan is the performance of its central character - a dog named Gohan - portrayed by three different dogs representing three stages of its life: puppyhood, adulthood and old age.

The production team reportedly spent significant time casting dogs with similar physical traits, particularly the character’s signature white fur and pink nose.

As suggested by its emotional title, the film tells a heartbreaking story about separation between humans and one of the world’s most loyal animals.

Goodbye Gohan follows the 10-year journey of a stray dog wandering through life with a pure heart, drifting from one temporary owner to another.

Along the way, the dog experiences various forms of human connection, friendship and love, while quietly delivering touching lessons about loyalty and emotional bonds.

After its Vietnamese release date was announced for May 15, the film quickly became a social media phenomenon, consistently ranking among the country’s most discussed movie topics online.

Vietnam’s box office is currently entering a relatively quiet period, with overall ticket sales remaining modest.

As of 6 p.m. on May 15, two foreign films were leading the market.

Meanwhile, local films Pig with Five Claws and Phi Phong were beginning to lose momentum after grossing 119 billion VND ($4.68 million) and 196 billion VND ($7.7 million), respectively.

In contrast, One Time We Loved, starring Quoc Truong and Quoc Huy, struggled near the bottom of the top 10 rankings.

According to Box Office Vietnam data as of 6 p.m. on May 15, the film sold just over 1,000 tickets and earned less than 500 million VND ($19,700) on opening day.

My Anh