Korea’s Lotte Entertainment makes Vietnam sales move led by ‘Bride Of The Covenant’

EXCLUSIVE: South Korea’s Lotte Entertainment has added the first-ever Vietnamese titles to its sales slate, led by Le-Van Kiet’s Busan selection Bride Of The Covenant.

The film investment, distribution, production and international sales firm has begun discussions with buyers at the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) on the features, which also includes drama Lift Me Up, also directed by Kiet, and Minh Beta’s family comedy The Scent Of Pho. 

Hana Choi, director of international business at Lotte Entertainment, said the move was spurred on following last year’s performance of Vietnamese horror Ma Da – a title released by Lotte’s Vietnam business.

Directed by Nguyen Huu Hoang, the film became a smash hit, taking $5.1m (VND126bn) and selling 1.68 million tickets, making it the third highest-grossing local film of 2024 and the second biggest local horror of all time in Vietnam. It also became the biggest Vietnamese film in Taiwan, taking $350,000.

Recognising the potential, Lotte Entertainment will now build a sales portfolio from the country, starting with another notable horror feature.

Bride Of The Covenant is the first Vietnamese feature ever selected for the Midnight Passion strand of Busan International Film Festival. Set in the 19^th century, it follows a young bride who is married into a wealthy family. But contrary to her expectations of a luxurious life, she soon discovers a dark, supernatural truth about her husband’s family and the secrets behind their wealth.

Produced by Orange Films, the cast is led by Tranh My, Nsut Trung Anh, Huu Vi and Lanh Thanh. Director Kiet has helmed several local box-office hits and is among the few Vietnamese filmmakers to secure opportunities in Hollywood. His works include Gentle, hit action film Furie, The Princess and The Requin. The latter, released in 2022, was a shark attack thriller led by US actress Alicia Silverstone.

Also in the pipeline from Kiet is Lift Me Up, a drama about two siblings who are “pushed into conflicts that test their bond and, at times, their lives”. Starring Le Khanh and Thuan Nguyen, it is produced by Khang Media and is set for a local release in October.

The initial Vietnamese titles on Lotte Entertainment’s slate is rounded out by The Scent Of Pho, directed by Minh Beta. It follows a revered pho master in Hanoi who is determined to pass down his secret recipe to his only grandson. But when his daughter-in-law forbids him from seeing the boy, he hatches a desperate plan that backfires. Produced by Beta Group, it stars Xuan Hinh, Tru Trang, Bao Nam and Thanh Thanh Hien.

Looking ahead, Lotte Entertainment plans to add a further seven titles from Vietnam to its sales slate next year and will consider co-production, while also looking to forge additional partnerships in Southeast Asia, further expanding its business beyond South Korea.

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