Why Dear You Sparks discussion among Malaysian audiences?

Malaysia: Dear You, a film about family, memory and cultural inheritance, has triggered more and more discussion in Malaysia. The film became the highest-grossing Chinese film in Malaysia in 2026. Publisher Mega Films Distributionzian said on its official social media that the film has grossed more than RM18.66 million.

The Box office poster about Dear You Source: Screengrab from Instagram

Dear you is a family drama film set in the culture of overseas Chinese criticism. It tells the story of Chaoshan Grandma Ye Shurou and her family spanning decades.The film revolves around Grandson Xiaowei's trip to Thailand to find his grandfather who had been separated for many years. In the process, he accidentally uncovered a dusty story about strangers for decades.

Dear You can attract attention in Malaysia because of its authenticity. Unlike other fictional films, the film is based on overseas Chinese criticism culture and restores the connection between Chinese immigrants and hometown in the past through real historical backgrounds and life details. This authenticity has also been confirmed by the audience.

According to CCTV, Lim Kah Hoe, executive director and head curator of the Malaysian Chinese Museum, ended up in tears during the screening. He said that the film is rooted in real life and universal family ties, making the film more touching.

Kku Yong Chuan, a 24-year-old Malaysian, also told the Global Times after watching the film that his grandfather also emigrated from China. He was deeply moved by the plot of the film that coincided with his family's historical memory. In addition, he plans to take his parents to the cinema to watch movies for a second viewing.

This authenticity is not only true of the story background, but also reflected in the production process of the film. According to ThinkChina, film’s director Lan Hongchun conducted extensive field research with his team, including visiting and interviewing Chaozhou-tonese elderly people.

The director also said at a Malaysian media meeting on July 4 that he visited Kuala Lumpur, Pulau Ketam and Penang in March and April 2023, and this travel experience also greatly improved the authenticity of Dear You. He added that the goal of the film production team is to reproduce the Nanyang era as realistically as possible, and the art department has also carried out extensive online research and even used Google Street View as a reference.

The film's restoration of true history and details not only increases the authenticity of the work, but also makes it have a broader social impact in Malaysia. A special film screening was held in Papar, Sabah, which attracted about 400 community members, with teachers and students,courtesy of WSG Group Managing Director Datuk Susan Wong Siew Guen.The activity takes movies as an opportunity to let some young people in the audience know more about history, which is of certain educational significance.

The Dear You team at yesterday’s press conference held at Pavilion Hotel’s Crescent

Ballroom. Source: Malaymail

Datuk Susan Wong Siew Guen said in the Daily Express that Dear You is very suitable for young generations who want to understand the experiences and sacrifices of their ancestors.

 In addition, the film has a little-known connection with Malaysia. One of its scores is"Harapanku," which is adapted from the classic song "Nanyang Girl," which was written by Malaysian and inspired by a Penang girl. The addition of this soundtrack once again emphasises the cultural ties between China and Southeast Asia in the film, echoing the theme of the film.

With the release of the film, the discussion of Dear You is not limited to cinemas, but also extends to social media.Related topic tags generate more than 54,000 posts on instagram. The audience shared their feelings and discussed the cultural elements, historical background and personal experiences in the film. The audience's enthusiasm for the film was also shown in the comment area of GSC's official instagram account. Many viewers said that they had watched it many times.

Perhaps the reason why Dear You triggered the discussion is not only that it tells a story of the past, but also that it allows Malaysian audiences to see their own stories in real characters, real history and familiar cultural and historical memories.