HCM CITY – Young actress Chi Pu has had great success in her new role as producer of the web series Tỉnh Giấc Tôi Thấy Mình Trong Ai (Wake Up).

The seven-episode series on the lives and loves of young people attracts about a million viewers every Tuesday at 8pm on YouTube channel Chi Pu Official and www.vlive.tv.

“I’m happy,” said Chi Pu, who plays the leading role. She also was the co-scriptwriter of the series.

Wake Up features the story of young actress Hoàng Đan, who hopes for success with help from her manager Đức Duy.

Đan, who has a negative attitude about love and friendship, changes her mind when meeting a fan girl Mập Ú (Fat).

“I spent a year making the web series,” said the 24-year old who invested VNĐ2 billion (US$89,500) in the series.

“Web series are very popular in Asian countries. I hope my series gets a lot of attention in Việt Nam and other countries,” she said.

Chi Pu invited experienced filmmakers to work on the production to achieve the best quality.

The film’s director is Minh Hoàng, who won top prize in the short film category at the 2015 Golden Kite Award given by the Việt Nam Cinematography Association.

She also invited singer Quang Vinh and young actress Vân Anh to play Đức Duy and Mập Ú.

Popular singers and actors, including Gil Lê, B Trần and Phở Đặc Biệt, have helped to attract young audiences.

The film’s soundtrack is written by hit-maker Phạm Toàn Thắng, singer Trang Pháp and young composer Kai Đinh.

Wake Up has been praised by the media and the public, receiving thousands of positive comments on its YouTube channel.

YouTube viewer kawaii_senpai_desu_chan commented: “Although the film’s content is simple, it’s close to young people,” while viewer A Flying Andrew TV said it “had to be good with such beautiful and talented cast.”

Chi Pu, whose real name is Nguyễn Thùy Chi, is known primarily as an actress, not a producer.

She played minor roles in director Nguyễn Quang Huy’s Thần Tượng (Idol) film in 2013 and in Vietnamese-American director Cường Ngô’s Hương Ga (Rise) in 2014.

In 2015, she was invited to play the leading role of a young woman who faces challenges in the pursuit of happiness, in HCM City Film Studio’s (TFS) 30-part TV series Vẫn Có Em Bên Đời (Having You by My Side), directed by Võ Việt Hùng.

She was named favourite TV serial actress awards at the 2016 HTV Awards, which are given annually by HCM City Television.

Last year, she and her friend, singer Gil Lê, played leading roles in Yêu (Love) about a songstress and her childhood girlfriend.

The film won the Mai Vàng Award for Favourite Movie early this year. It also earned an impressive VNĐ12 billion ($545,000) three days after it began screening to the public.

Apart from acting, Chi Pu has a passion and desire for filmmaking. She has produced two short films My Sunshine and Cô Gái Trên Tầng Thượng (Girl on a Rooftop). – VNS