HANOI, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Under the scorching summer sun, hundreds of Vietnamese fans gathered at a cultural exchange event themed "rednote Global Village Gathering · Vietnam" in the capital Hanoi for a chance to catch a glimpse of Chinese actress Liu Shishi.
"Although the temperature was very high today, seeing so many people gather here makes me feel that this is truly a great recognition for me," Liu told Xinhua, expressing her joy at meeting her Vietnamese fans.
Among Liu's fans in Vietnam was Nguyen Mai Anh, a 26-year-old office worker, who said she and her friends in Liu's fan club had long looked forward to meeting their idol.
"Although the weather was extremely hot today, I still had to arrange my time to come here because I am her fan," Anh said.
Anh added that besides the productions starring Liu, many other Chinese films and television dramas had also become part of her childhood, and that watching Chinese productions had now become a form of entertainment for her after stressful working hours.
Anh is one of many Vietnamese viewers drawn to Chinese television dramas, which have become deeply woven into the daily cultural life of audiences across generations.
Also at the event, Do Quang Minh, a Chinese language student serving as a volunteer, expressed his delight as he dressed up as his childhood idol, the Monkey King from the Chinese television series Journey to the West.
"I feel happy and excited because I can perform with the staff, take commemorative photos with everyone, and I think I myself am also a mischievous monkey on my own journey to seek the scriptures, while the character Sun Wukong (Monkey King) has always inspired me," Minh said.
He added that he was deeply impressed by the character's meaningful journey and had watched the series about five times.
Minh shared that he initially chose to study Chinese because of the career opportunities it could offer, but that the philosophies he learned from Chinese films had become the main source of motivation for him to continue pursuing the language.
Vietnamese film critic Le Hong Lam said Chinese classics such as Journey to the West and Romance of the Three Kingdoms had profoundly shaped Vietnamese popular culture since the 1980s.
"It is not only the stories in the films that have had an influence, but also the culture, lifestyle, expressions, idioms and daily conversations of ordinary life," Lam told Xinhua.
Explaining why Chinese films have entered the daily lives of Vietnamese audiences naturally, Lam said the reason lies in the many cultural similarities shared by China and Vietnam.
"Culture presented in films, television dramas and social media platforms like these continues to deepen and enrich the mutual understanding between the two countries," he added.
Meanwhile, a Facebook group in Vietnam called "Chinese Film Lovers Club" has attracted about 376,000 members, with users posting content related to Chinese films and television dramas every day.
Liu Dong, editor in chief and vice president of the Chinese social media app Rednote, said the number of active Vietnamese users on the app fluctuates, but remains among the leading overseas user groups, drawn by a wide range of content related to Chinese films and celebrities.
"These trends not only help promote exchanges on digital platforms, but also provide strong momentum for offline cultural and tourism cooperation," Liu said.■
