Why hit film Dear You struck a chord with Chinese Malaysians over roots and dual identity

The film "Dear You" has struck a powerful chord with Chinese Malaysians, becoming the country's highest-grossing Chinese-language film of 2026 and its top overseas market outside of China. The movie poignantly explores the complex journey of Nanyang migrants, individuals torn between their working lives in Southeast Asia and their longing for their hometowns in China, mirroring the experiences of many in the Malaysian Chinese community.

“

My parents were living here, so I took a test and obtained Malaysian citizenship.

Eighty-six-year-old Goh Choon Piow, a naturalized Malaysian who gave up his Chinese citizenship in the 1960s, shared his personal connection to the film. Having migrated to Malaysia at 16, he worked long hours as a sundry shop assistant, quickly learning Malay from his customers. Goh has watched "Dear You" five times, finding it a reflection of his own life's journey. Despite becoming Malaysian, he maintains strong ties to his ancestral village in Guangdong, even donating significantly to build an arts center there.

His story exemplifies the dual identity embraced by many Chinese Malaysians – a loyalty to their Malaysian citizenship coupled with deep cultural and ancestral connections to China. Associate Professor Pek Wee Chuen from New Era University College notes that this community has historically felt a sense of insecurity regarding its identity within Malaysia's multicultural society, leading to a dual sense of belonging. This feeling was exacerbated by historical events and policies.

“

It was a very hard time.

The film's themes of belonging, identity, and the enduring connection across generations have clearly resonated with a broad audience in Malaysia. The country's significant ethnic Chinese population, its robust Chinese-language education system, numerous newspapers, and clan associations all contribute to the community's ability to preserve its language, traditions, and links to ancestral homelands, making "Dear You" a mirror to their lived experiences.

“

During the British colonial period, many Chinese felt they were second-class citizens despite mastering English. After independence, the May 13 incident and the New Economic Policy (NEP) did not provide Chinese Malaysians with a sense of secu