V-pop prince's new documentary breaks record

With collections of VND5.5 billion ($238,700) over the three days starting Friday, it had the most successful opening ever in this genre, according to Box Office Vietnam.

It is also the top grosser out of the dozen or so movies released so far after the nationwide social distancing campaign was eased in April.

The documentary shows how Son Tung M-TP and his team prepared for live shows in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City last year that drew thousands of fans.

Before its release it sold 10,000 tickets within 48 hours. It is now expected to beat the box office record of "Bring The Soul: The Movie" by Korean boyband BTS, which collected VND6.1 billion ($264,900) in Vietnam last year to become the highest grossing musical documentary in the country.

Born in the northern province of Thai Binh, Tung kicked off his career in HCMC in 2011 and quickly became a star.

At 26 he already has a slew of hits as well as many accolades, including an MTV Europe Music Award and inclusion in the 2018 Forbes 30 Under 30 list in Vietnam.

His music videos attract millions of views because of their high-quality visuals, artistry and wide range of concepts. His latest MV with Snoop Dogg recently hit the 100 million mark on YouTube, his fifth to do so.

Asian publications showered him with praise for achieving this feat. In South Korea, newspapers like CcDailyNews, Stardailynews and Sportsseoul have called him Vietnam’s "number one artist."