Despite achieving high viewership ratings when broadcast during prime time, the film created many mixed opinions from viewers. Before these debates, Chinese media spoke out in support of the main actress Dam Tung Van.
Accordingly, CCTV-8 channel posted an article on its official account to introduce the film with the message: "After experiencing storms, people still keep hope. Life is like a journey, where we can see countless different faces.
Chinese media believes that "My Mountains and Sea" quickly became the "dark horse" of the small screen at the beginning of this year when it aired. The work continues the success of the previous film "Love of the Innocent Years" and holds the top spot in national ratings for three consecutive days, while setting a new record for CCTV-8's golden hour in 2026.
To play Phuong Van Chi, Dam Tung Van had a significant change in appearance. The actress lost weight to about 38 kg and appeared with a simple image, many scenes were almost unmade up when the character worked in Shenzhen. The film also required her to portray the character for a long time, from 20 to 50 years old - a big challenge in the actress's acting.
However, the points of debate cited by Chinese media include: The first episodes of the film are impressive because of the dense density of conflicts such as the death of the adoptive mother, the revealed true identity, the betrayal of the boyfriend or conflicts with the family. However, this is also what makes a part of the audience think that the film "over-pushed the tragedy", creating a heavy and unnatural feeling.
In addition, some details about the character's personality are also controversial. Phuong Van Chi is built as an educated and intelligent person, but has repeatedly made decisions that are considered unreasonable. For example, she gave up her university degree to work in Shenzhen, but later the script emphasized the importance of education.
Some viewers also believe that the character's startup journey has too many lucky factors, making the story lose some of the authenticity of the era's context. In addition, Dam Tung Van's role as a university student at the age of 36 also makes some people feel not really convincing.
However, according to Chinese media, the highly appreciated point is the message of the film. Through the story of Phuong Van Chi and her two friends Ly Quyen and Hach Thien Thien, the work depicts the image of a "start-up trio" full of willpower. From the days living in a container dormitory and doing manual jobs, they gradually built their careers in Shenzhen.
The core value of "My Mountains and Sea" lies in conveying the spirit of effort and belief that people can gradually change their fate with their own perseverance.
This message about labor and the aspiration to rise up has helped the film become one of the notable television works of 2026 despite facing many controversies from viewers.
