Tho oi! - Tran Thanh’s fourth Tet release - has once again delivered unprecedented milestones. After becoming the Vietnamese film with the highest pre-sale tickets of all time, selling more than 130,000 tickets, and setting the record for the highest opening-day gross in under 24 hours with VND50 billion (US$2.0 million), the film shows no sign of cooling down.

On February 20 alone, the fourth day of Tet, the film earned VND41 billion (US$1.67 million), the highest single-day revenue in Vietnamese box office history.

According to independent revenue tracker Box Office Vietnam, as of 7:20pm on February 21, Tho oi! officially crossed the VND200 billion (US$8.2 million) mark. The controversy surrounding the film has only intensified public discussion on social media, further fuelling audiences’ curiosity and driving them to cinemas. The 18+ rating appears to have had little impact on ticket sales.

Tran Thanh’s film continues its relentless march toward new records, supported by a dense schedule of screenings nationwide.

However, incidents of illegal recordings circulating on social media platforms, along with viewers revealing key plot details of Tho oi!, have prompted Tran Thanh to publicly appeal on his personal page, urging audiences to stop such actions. The distributor also released an official statement on the afternoon of February 21.

“At present, we have identified several accounts, including T*****, such as me.xx, th56, and others, that are posting partial or full illegal recordings of the film Tho oi!.

We have conducted official documentation, collected data, recorded links, accounts, and related information as a basis for handling the matter in accordance with the law. We are working with competent authorities to verify the source of the leaks and trace individuals and organizations involved.

We are determined to protect the legitimate rights and interests of the work. At the same time, we call on audiences not to illegally record, share, or facilitate the unauthorized distribution of any films in any form, not limited to Tho oi!. Respecting copyright is not only compliance with the law but also a meaningful show of support for the film industry and dedicated professionals,” the statement from Galaxy read.

Meanwhile, Truong Giang’s film maintains its position at number two at the box office. As of 7:20pm on February 21, Nha ba toi mot phong had grossed VND66 billion (US$2.7 million).

The remaining rankings remain unchanged. Bau vat troi cho, starring Phuong Anh Dao and Tuan Tran, holds third place with VND40 billion (US$1.63 million) in revenue. Mui pho trails behind with VND26 billion (US$1.06 million) as of 7:20pm on February 21.

My Anh